Complete guide

How to find software developers in Bristol, United Kingdom

Bristol, United Kingdom
February 22, 2023
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Bristol is a vibrant and historic city in the south-west of England. Located on the River Avon, it has a rich maritime history and is home to many landmarks and attractions, including Brunel's ss Great Britain, Clifton Suspension Bridge, and the city's iconic floating harbour. With a rich cultural and arts scene, it is a great destination for a weekend away or an extended holiday. Bristol, United Kingdom is also a great place to find software developers. But software engineers in Bristol, United Kingdom are also hard to find and hard to hire. Experienced developers get a lot of messages from recruiters, in some cases five or ten messages per day. To find engineers in Bristol, United Kingdom you have to search for engineers in different sources, reach out based on their preferred contact details, personalize your outreach and make an attractive offer. In this guide you'll learn more about the tech ecosystem in Bristol, United Kingdom, which methods to use to find developers and how to hire them.

Why Bristol, United Kingdom is a good place to find developers

Developer statistics in Bristol, United Kingdom

The statistics on tech talent in Bristol, United Kingdom show that the city has a large and growing tech sector. According to the Office of National Statistics, the tech sector in Bristol is one of the largest in the UK, employing more than 30,000 people in 2020. The sector is estimated to be worth around £3 billion to the local economy. The number of tech jobs in Bristol has grown by 20% in the last five years, and the number of tech businesses in the city has increased by 50%. Bristol has become a leading centre for tech talent in the UK, particularly in areas such as AI, machine learning, and data science. The city also has a strong digital infrastructure, with excellent connections to the rest of the country and the world.

The tech ecosystem in Bristol, United Kingdom

The tech ecosystem in Bristol, United Kingdom is vibrant and expansive. The city is home to a large number of tech startups, with a focus on digital media, software development, internet of things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR), and FinTech. The city is also home to a number of major tech companies, including Google, Microsoft, Oracle, and IBM. Additionally, Bristol is home to a number of accelerators and incubators, such as Engine Shed, SETsquared, and TechSPARK, which offer resources and support to tech startups. The tech scene in Bristol is also supported by a number of organizations and events, such as the Bristol Technology and Innovation Centre, Bristol Digital Innovation Network, and the Bristol Technology Festival.

Best tech meetups in Bristol, United Kingdom

Attending local meetups is a great way of getting introduced  to technical talent and getting a better feel for what software developers care about.
These are the best local meetups:

1. Bristol Technology and Digital Meetup
2. Bristol JS
3. Bristol Cloud Computing Meetup
4. Bristol Big Data Meetup
5. Bristol Internet of Things Meetup
6. Bristol Blockchain Meetup
7. Bristol Data Science Meetup
8. Bristol AI Meetup
9. Bristol DevOps Meetup
10. Bristol UX Meetup

Best methods to source and recruit talent in Bristol, United Kingdom

There are many different ways to find and hire developers, some examples are:



1. Use online job sites such as Indeed, LinkedIn, and Glassdoor to post job openings and search for software development talent.

2. Reach out to local universities and colleges to find students/graduates interested in software development.

3. Attend local tech events and meetups to network with potential candidates.

4. Use recruiting firms to source candidates.

5. Leverage social media to promote your job openings.

6. Connect with local coding boot camps to find trained software developers.

7. Utilize referrals from current employees and your network.

8. Participate in hackathons and coding competitions.

These are currently the best methods to find and hire developers:

Search LinkedIn, GitHub and Stack Overflow and reach out

The best way to find developer talent in Bristol, United Kingdom is to find them in the places where they have an online profile and are active. Examples of those platforms are GitHub and Stack Overflow. LinkedIn can also be a valuable source.

Talent search engines can help you find developers online through a variety of sources. Most talent search engines also provide verified contact details so you can reach out to the talent you have found. In some cases these engines even automate a big part of the outreach process so you can reach hundreds of candidates per day.

An example of a talent search and engagement engine is HeroHunt.ai which can find 1 billion candidates worldwide and lets you reach out automatically with personalized messages.

Best job boards to find developers in Bristol, United Kingdom

An alternative way to attract development talent is to post a job on a (local) job board.

These are the best local job boards to post your developer job on:

1. LinkedIn
2. Reed
3. CV-Library
4. Indeed
5. Totaljobs
6. Glassdoor
7. Gumtree
8. Jobsite
9. Bristol Jobs
10. Monster

Best remote job boards to find developers in Bristol, United Kingdom

If you are sourcing for remote talent then you can utilize remote specific job boards where you can post your remote job.

These are the best remote job boards to post your developer job on:

1. Upwork
2. Fiverr
3. Freelancer
4. PeoplePerHour
5. LinkedIn
6. Remote.co
7. WeWorkRemotely
8. Toptal
9. FlexJobs
10. AngelList

How to hire software developers from any place without a local office

When you’re hiring software developers you need to be aware of the local average salaries in order to provide a competitive job offer. Below are the average salaries for software developers per experience level.

Average local salaries

Average salary for a junior software developer in Bristol, United Kingdom

The average salary for a junior developer in Bristol, United Kingdom is £34,623. This salary typically includes a base salary of around £27,719, as well as bonuses and other additional compensation. It also takes into account the experience, skills, and work environment of the role. This salary range can vary depending on the specific employer, type of work, and the level of experience of the individual.

Average salary for a senior software developer in Bristol, United Kingdom

The average salary for a senior developer in Bristol, United Kingdom is £49,000 per year. This salary is typically made up of a base salary of £41,000 and an average bonus of £8,000. Senior developers in Bristol are typically responsible for developing software, applications and systems, as well as leading a team of developers. They are expected to have extensive experience in programming languages, databases and software development processes.

Employing software developers (remotely)

Maybe your company doesn't have an office (yet) in Bristol, United Kingdom. But that doesn't mean you can't hire employees in Bristol, United Kingdom. There are several options like EORs which can help employ developers legally according to the regulations in Bristol, United Kingdom.



An Employer of Record (EOR) is a service that helps companies hire staff in countries where they do not have a legal entity. An EOR takes on the liability, payroll and HR responsibilities for the company’s employees in the country they are hiring in. This means the company can hire and manage employees in Bristol, United Kingdom without the need to set up a local legal entity.

To use an EOR in Bristol, United Kingdom, the company should first research and select a reliable EOR provider. Once the provider is chosen, the company must provide all the necessary information about the position and the employee to the EOR. The EOR will then be responsible for the payroll and HR administration, as well as any other employment related tasks.

The company will be responsible for recruiting the employee, as well as providing the EOR with the necessary information about the employee and the position. The EOR will then provide the employee with a local contract, which will outline the employee’s duties, rights and obligations. The EOR will also be responsible for ensuring that the employee is paid correctly, and that all taxes, social security and other deductions are made.

Once the employee is hired, the company will need to communicate regularly with the EOR to ensure that the employee’s needs are met and their requirements are followed. The company should also ensure that all relevant information is provided to the EOR in a timely manner. This will ensure that the employee is paid correctly and on time, and that any necessary paperwork is submitted in a timely manner.

Overall, using an Employer of Record in Bristol, United Kingdom can be a great way for a company to hire and manage employees without the need to set up a local legal entity. By selecting a reliable EOR provider and providing them with all the necessary information about the position and employee, the company can ensure that the employee is paid correctly and on time, and that all the necessary paperwork is submitted in a timely manner.

Use a platform to find and hire the best developers:
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