Software Engineer - Early Careers Programme

About the role

Full-time/Part-time (minimum 32 hours/week) 

Salary for full-time: 10 700 PLN (gross/month)

Apply by: 28/02/2026 

Start date: July 2026  

Whether you are a graduate or a junior engineer, Tesco Technology’s Early Careers Programme is a great way to develop both your technical and interpersonal skills. The programme begins in Summer 2026 and lasts between 18 to 24 months, offering rotations across different teams every six months.  

Throughout the programme, you will gain hands-on experience with diverse tech stacks and business domains, while learning from experienced professionals. You will get to join practical workshops and receive ongoing support from your manager and mentors to help you grow and build your career. The programme offers a fixed-term employment contract (umowa o pracę). Once you’ve completed it, you’ll be able to apply for a Software Development Engineer II role through internal recruitment. 

Recruitment process :

• Application Submission: Submit your CV and questions in the application form by the end of February. If you’re shortlisted, you will be invited to take part in a technical evaluation in early March. 

• Technical Challenge: This step is all about showing us your programming skills and knowledge through online tests and exercises.

• Phone Interview: In mid-March, selected candidates will have a phone interview to discuss formal details, we’ll assess your soft skills and English language level. This stage doesn’t involve any technical questions. If you’re successful, you will be invited to the Discovery Centre. 

• Discovery Centre: Participate in an interactive Tesco Technology experience, featuring motivation assessments, group tasks and coding exercises. This step enables us to get to know you better and provides you with the opportunity to meet Tesco Technology colleagues and learn more about the company. The Discovery Center will take a few hours of your time (at our office), after which successful candidates will receive an offer and feedback by the end of April.  

What is in it for you

Hybrid working

We know life looks a little different for each of us. That’s why at Tesco, we always welcome chats about different flexible working options. Some people are at the start of their careers, some want the freedom to do the things they love. Others are going through life-changing moments like becoming a carer, adapting to parenthood, or something else. So, talk to us throughout your application about how we can support. 

This role requires you to be based in or near Kraków, as you will spend 60% (3 days) of your week collaborating with colleagues at our office locations or local sites and the rest remotely. Tesco is a diverse and exciting employer, dedicated to being #aplacetogeton, providing career-defining opportunities to all of our colleagues. 

Our benefits  

Tesco is a diverse and exciting employer, dedicated to being #aplacetogeton, providing career-defining opportunities to all of our colleagues. If you choose to join our business, we will provide you with (for all):  

• MacBook as your work tool  

• Learning opportunities - certified technical training and learning platforms like Udemy

• Up to 10% yearly salary bonus – based on both individual and business performance 

• Referral bonus   

• Sports activities with a personal trainer in the office   

• Additional 4 days of paid leave to support your well-being and family life  

• Private healthcare (LuxMed)  

• Cafeteria & Multisport  

• Increase in annual leave (from 20 to 25 days) for those not yet eligible for the full holiday entitlement   

• IP Tax Deductible Costs   

You will be responsible for

As a member of Tesco Technology’s engineering team, you’ll make an impact from day one. You will collaborate with software engineers, data scientists, product managers, systems engineers and analytics experts to build robust software solutions that deliver value to our customers. You will own the software lifecycle end-to end, adopting DevOps practices such as continuous integration, continuous delivery and ongoing production support. 

Take charge of your personal growth by creating and managing a development plan. Your manager and mentors will be there for you, helping you find ways to improve your technical and communication skills. This will set you on the path to making a real difference at Tesco Technology and becoming one of our future leaders.  

You will need

We’re seeking ambitious people who are ready to make a real impact, take ownership of their work and step outside their comfort zones. Whether you’re a final-year computer science student, a recent graduate, or transitioning into IT, we’d love to hear from you. While prior experience isn’t required, it’s a bonus - we encourage you to highlight your experience, portfolio and projects in your CV and application. 

• Analytical, problem-solving, and computational abilities. 

• A collaborative mindset and ability to work effectively within a team. 

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to tailor messages to different audiences and deliver impactful communication. 

• Coding skills (Java/Python/JavaScript/TypeScript).

• General software engineering knowledge (we offer two development paths: backend and frontend development). 

• Familiarity with Agile methodologies (Scrum or Kanban). 

• Basic knowledge of distributed architecture and communication mechanisms. 

• Basic knowledge of Azure or other public cloud platforms. 

• Experience with basic tools relevant to the programme and chosen language. 

• Ability to communicate effectively in written and spoken English. 

About us

Tesco is a leading multinational retailer, with more than 336 000 colleagues. Our software is used by millions of people across several countries every day. Whether it’s the tills and websites our customers use, or the systems our colleagues and partners use, you’ll play your part in keeping it running like a well-oiled machine. And when a business problem pops up? You and the creative minds in our team will be challenged to solve it. As Tech Hub we cooperate within the group of Tesco Technology Hubs located in the UK, Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, and India.

What our colleagues like most at Tesco: 

• We develop our own products 

• We make an impact; large scale of operation 

• Accountability and respect are given to us 

• We cooperate and support each other 

• There are great colleagues who are divided into small teams here 

• We can develop and learn new things 

If you need support with your application, don’t hesitate to contact us at PL_Early_Careers@tesco.com. And if you're interested in joining our team but don't tick every box, don't let that hold you back from applying.   

Want to get to know us better? Watch our team talk about our culture – YouTube  

Discover our colleagues’ stories for an inside look at what it’s like to work with us.  

If that sounds exciting, then we'd love to hear from you.  

Any questions? Feel free to get in touch: PL_Early_Careers@tesco.com 

Follow us on social media to get to know our team better: Facebook; LinkedIn  

Tesco is committed to celebrating diversity and everyone is welcome at Tesco. As a Disability Confident Employer, we’re committed to providing a fully inclusive and accessible recruitment process, allowing candidates the opportunity to thrive and inform us of any reasonable adjustments they may require.