How we approach software engineering

Sam F, Software Developer

how we approach software engineering at PortSwigger

So how do we approach this?

We work in small cross-functional teams. A typical engineering team might consist of 6-7 developers, a technical product manager, and a UI/UX designer.

Our work is highly collaborative. We do lots of standing around a whiteboard discussing a problem. We work closely with our in-house research team and other stakeholders to understand requirements. We do a lot of pair-programming.

We are extremely focused on quality. We do rigorous test-driven development (TDD). We scope stories precisely and do careful acceptance. We keep our code release ready. We never lose sight of our technical debt, and we will often invest considerable time improving existing code.

We use Kanban to manage delivery of work. We plan our feature roadmap 6-12 months ahead. We define epics on a quarterly cadence, often based around OKRs. We have daily stand-ups and weekly planning sessions. We have monthly team retrospectives where we talk about how we can improve the ways we work.

We mostly work on very interesting and difficult problems - the kind where you can't just search for standard solutions. And since we only hire people who are exceptionally capable, this makes PortSwigger a fantastic environment to learn and develop.

If you are someone who thrives on difficult challenges, and gets a kick out of solving them, then PortSwigger is a highly rewarding place to be.

Our people

Every day, we drive each other on to push the boundaries of what we can accomplish together. We are always growing, learning new skills, and striving to achieve even more.

Jessica H

The sense of community and belonging at PortSwigger is unlike anywhere else. I've never felt as valued as an employee anywhere as I do here.

Jess H Culture Champion Read more
Mohamed H

The working environment and the company culture are awesome. Here at PortSwigger we work very hard while having fun, and we have all we need to be successful.

Mohamed H Software Developer Read more
Mike S

I was approached by an interesting little four-person company in Knutsford. They had a strange name and a well-respected product called Burp Suite. I took the plunge to join them and it turned out to be a great decision - I've been at PortSwigger ever since.

Mike S Software Developer Read more