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- Tasks: Lead and code in a high-velocity AI startup, integrating cutting-edge tech.
- Company: Rapidly expanding SaaS business offering equity and team-building opportunities.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, equity, remote work, and career-defining growth.
- Why this job: Shape the engineering culture and make a real impact in a dynamic environment.
- Qualifications: 4+ years of software engineering experience and startup familiarity.
- Other info: Join a lean team and drive innovation in AI-driven solutions.
The predicted salary is between 50000 - 60000 £ per year.
Are you an experienced software engineer, familiar with Azure, Python and Mongo/Atlas? Are you looking for a rare and exciting permanent software engineer lead role with a rapidly expanding SaaS business who are offering equity and the opportunity to build your own team?
Our client is looking for an experienced software engineer who is looking for the next step in their career or has experience of building or leading a software engineering team. Whilst the role is remote working, the client is initially looking for someone to be based within a commutable distance of London (1 hour). This is a great hands-on coding role where you will be leading and challenging, whilst integrating LLM/Ai into a B2B workflow solution.
More Detail:- Location: UK, greater London area (Hybrid, 1-2 days/week in-person)
- Role Type: Permanent, Full-time
- Reporting to: Founder & CEO
- Team Trajectory: Scaling from 2 to 8 engineers in the next 18 months
- Stage: Early-Stage B2B SaaS
Our client is looking for a code-first leader to take ownership of engineering delivery for a growing AI-driven SaaS product. This is a career-defining "step-up" opportunity for a Senior or Lead Engineer who is ready to be a Head of Engineering. They do not need an enterprise manager, they need a builder who wants to lead, setting the technical tempo, and shipping value fast. You will have full autonomy to shape the engineering culture, keeping it lightweight, modern, and void of unnecessary ceremony. You will not be inheriting a massive legacy team or bureaucratic processes. Instead you will take the reins of a lean, existing unit (1 Engineer + 1 Contractor) and lead the build-out of the engineering function over the next 18 months. You will define the culture, set the standards, and hire the squad that will take us from early traction to Scale-Up.
What You Will Do:- Lead & Code: In the early days you are a player-coach. You will spend 80% of your time on architecture, code reviews, and shipping features, and 20% on strategy and management. As the team grows this ratio will adapt.
- Define the rhythm: Establish a high-velocity shipping cadence. They value iteration over perfection.
- Pragmatic Architecture: Make technical choices that balance speed today with scalability tomorrow. Avoid over-engineering.
- Strategic Partner: Serve as the technical right hand to the Founder/CEO and product. You will translate business vision into technical reality, ensuring they ship fast without breaking the product.
- Pragmatic Modernization: Implement lightweight, effective engineering practices (CI/CD, Code Reviews, QA) that speed us up, not slow them down.
- AI Integration: Lead the engineering side of integrating AI/LLM components into a robust SaaS architecture.
- Build the Engine: Grow the team from its current size to 8 engineers by the end of 2026. You will drive the hiring strategy, spotting talent that fits a high-velocity startup.
- Core: Python and/or TypeScript.
- Infrastructure: Azure (Functions, Containers), Kubernetes (managed simply for deployment, not complexity).
- Data: MongoDB Atlas.
- AI: Integration of LLM/AI components into a B2B workflow. (beneficial)
- Philosophy: Event-driven components, CI/CD automation, "boring" tech where possible to move fast.
- Experience: You will have 4+ years of software engineering experience.
- Startup DNA: You will have ideally spent at least 1 full year inside a true startup (Seed-Series B). Understanding that "process" should serve the code, not the other way around. You know how to operate with limited resources and tight deadlines.
- Technical Authority: You can confidently architect, code, and debug. This is a hands-on role — not a people-management-only position.
- Leadership Potential: You have ideally mentored engineers or led a small squad (2-6 people) and are ready to take full ownership of a function.
- Technically Versatile: You understand modern cloud-native development and can navigate the ambiguity of integrating AI features without needing to be a Data Scientist.
- Transparent: You communicate bad news early and good news often. You don’t hide behind technical debt.
Our client is offering a basic salary of £50,000 - £60,000 (possible more) depending on experience plus equity of the business. If you are looking to join a forward-thinking and rapidly expanding SaaS company then APPLY NOW in complete confidence or contact Dominic Quirke at Advancing People directly.
Advancing People - The Recruitment Specialist Advancing People Ltd is an Equal Opportunities Employer and acts as both an Employment Business and Employment Agency.
Software Engineer Lead employer: Advancing People
Contact Detail:
Advancing People Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Software Engineer Lead
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the tech world, especially those who have experience with startups. A personal recommendation can go a long way in landing that dream role.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Prepare a portfolio or GitHub repository showcasing your best projects, especially those involving Python, Azure, and AI integration. This will give potential employers a taste of what you can bring to the table.
✨Tip Number 3
Ace the interview by being ready to discuss your hands-on coding experience. Be prepared to solve problems on the spot and demonstrate your thought process. Remember, they want a builder, not just a manager!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, we’re all about making the process as smooth as possible for you.
We think you need these skills to ace Software Engineer Lead
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights your experience with Azure, Python, and MongoDB. We want to see how your skills align with the role, so don’t be shy about showcasing relevant projects or achievements!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you’re excited about this opportunity and how your startup experience makes you the perfect fit for leading our engineering team.
Showcase Your Leadership Skills: Since we’re looking for someone who can lead and build a team, share examples of how you've mentored others or taken ownership of projects. We love seeing candidates who can inspire and drive a team forward!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates from our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Advancing People
✨Know Your Tech Stack
Make sure you’re well-versed in Python, Azure, and MongoDB Atlas. Brush up on your coding skills and be ready to discuss how you've used these technologies in past projects. Being able to demonstrate your hands-on experience will show that you're the right fit for a code-first leadership role.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Experience
Prepare examples of how you've led teams or mentored engineers in previous roles. Highlight your ability to set technical standards and build a positive engineering culture. This is crucial as the company is looking for someone who can grow their team from 2 to 8 engineers.
✨Emphasise Your Startup Experience
Since the role is within a startup environment, share your experiences working in similar settings. Discuss how you’ve thrived under tight deadlines and limited resources, and how you understand that processes should serve the code. This will resonate well with the interviewers.
✨Be Ready to Discuss AI Integration
As the role involves integrating AI/LLM components into a SaaS architecture, prepare to talk about any relevant experience you have in this area. Even if you’re not a Data Scientist, showing your understanding of modern cloud-native development and AI features will set you apart.
