Find a job 
Featured Companies 
Featured Universities 
For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a team of engineers to build scalable backend systems and mentor talent.
- Company: Join a dynamic B2B FinTech startup transforming financial advisory with AI-driven solutions.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, equity options, and hybrid remote work flexibility.
- Why this job: Be at the forefront of innovation in FinTech, shaping the future of financial services.
- Qualifications: 5+ years in JVM Engineering and 1+ year leading teams; startup experience preferred.
- Other info: No visa sponsorship available; apply with an impactful CV.
The predicted salary is between 72000 - 108000 £ per year.
Lead Backend Engineer (Kotlin) in a B2B FinTech startup. Hands-on, leading a team of 4. Up to £100,000 + Equity + Benefits. Hybrid Remote: 3 Days in Central London office, 2 days working from home.
Join a B2B FinTech startup backed by a global bank, that is transforming the financial advisory space. They’ve created a unified, scalable, AI-driven platform that’s moving the industry away from using outdated data storage and communication systems like spreadsheets.
As Lead Backend Engineer, you’ll be the technical authority for all backend, architectural and infrastructure decisions. Reporting directly to the CEO, you'll lead and grow a high-performing engineering function, while staying deep in the code as an Engineer.
In this role you will:
- Lead architecture to build scalable, event-driven backend systems
- Own and evolve the cloud and infrastructure stack (Terraform, Kubernetes, GCP)
- Line manage and mentor 4 Engineers, hiring more later in 2025
- Lead daily standups, drive delivery, and maintain a high bar for code quality
- Partner with the CEO on roadmap priorities and hiring strategy
- Be comfortable switching hats. Player/coach, architect, hands-on builder
This isn’t a greenfield 0→1, the foundations are in place. Your challenge is 1→10, 1→100. You’ll be building a system that unlocks the product roadmap, allowing the business to scale with confidence. Think: backend overhaul, introducing messaging layers (Kafka or PubSub), scaling infra, and embedding clean Engineering practices.
Tech Stack: Kotlin, Grails, Vert.x, gRPC, microservices, event-driven architecture, GCP, Kubernetes, Terraform, Kafka, BigQuery, PostgreSQL.
Ideal Candidates will have:
- 5+ years in Backend-focused JVM Engineering
- 1+ year leading engineering teams of 4+ people
- Experience designing event-driven systems, microservices and using gRPC
- Experience in a startup environment: building fast, wearing many hats
- Hands-on DevOps experience: Terraform, GCP, Kubernetes
- Experience building data-heavy products (e.g. CRMs, forms, internal tools)
- AI / FinTech experience a bonus
No Visa Sponsorship Available.
4-stage Interview Process. Please apply with an updated CV displaying your impact & we’ll be in touch!
Contact Detail:
Few&Far Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Backend Engineer (JVM) - FinTech Startup - £100k + Equity
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the specific technologies mentioned in the job description, such as Kotlin, Terraform, and Kubernetes. Being able to discuss your hands-on experience with these tools during interviews will demonstrate your technical expertise and readiness for the role.
✨Tip Number 2
Showcase your leadership skills by preparing examples of how you've successfully managed teams in the past. Highlight any experiences where you’ve mentored junior engineers or led projects, as this will resonate well with the expectations of leading a team of four.
✨Tip Number 3
Research the company’s current products and their impact on the FinTech industry. Being knowledgeable about their platform and how it aims to transform financial advisory services will help you engage in meaningful conversations during the interview process.
✨Tip Number 4
Prepare to discuss your experience with scaling systems and implementing clean engineering practices. The role focuses on taking existing foundations to the next level, so be ready to share specific strategies or methodologies you've used in previous roles to achieve similar goals.
We think you need these skills to ace Lead Backend Engineer (JVM) - FinTech Startup - £100k + Equity
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights your experience with JVM Engineering, particularly in Kotlin. Emphasise your leadership roles and any hands-on experience you have with the tech stack mentioned, such as Terraform, Kubernetes, and GCP.
Showcase Relevant Experience: In your application, detail your experience in building scalable, event-driven systems and microservices. Provide specific examples of projects where you've led teams or made significant architectural decisions.
Highlight Startup Experience: Since this role is in a startup environment, mention any previous experiences where you had to wear multiple hats. Discuss how you adapted to fast-paced changes and contributed to the growth of the engineering function.
Craft a Strong Cover Letter: Write a cover letter that not only outlines your technical skills but also conveys your passion for FinTech and AI. Explain why you're excited about the opportunity to lead a team and contribute to transforming the financial advisory space.
How to prepare for a job interview at Few&Far
✨Showcase Your Technical Expertise
As a Lead Backend Engineer, it's crucial to demonstrate your deep understanding of the tech stack mentioned in the job description. Be prepared to discuss your experience with Kotlin, microservices, and event-driven architecture in detail, as well as any hands-on projects you've led.
✨Emphasise Leadership Skills
Since this role involves leading a team, highlight your leadership experience. Share specific examples of how you've managed teams, mentored engineers, and driven successful project deliveries. This will show that you're not just a technical expert but also a capable leader.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect scenario-based questions that assess your problem-solving skills and decision-making process. Think about challenges you've faced in previous roles, particularly in a startup environment, and how you overcame them. This will help illustrate your ability to thrive in fast-paced settings.
✨Align with Company Vision
Research the company and its mission in the FinTech space. Be ready to discuss how your values align with theirs and how you can contribute to their goals. Showing genuine interest in their vision will set you apart from other candidates.
