At a Glance
- Tasks: Design and build scalable systems for a cutting-edge logistics platform.
- Company: Join AnyVan, the UK's favourite moving service with a mission to reduce wasted miles.
- Benefits: Highly competitive salary, 25+ days off, and a collaborative work environment.
- Other info: Opportunity to mentor others and influence technical direction.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in logistics while working with innovative technologies.
- Qualifications: Strong backend engineering skills and experience in fast-paced environments.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 € per year.
Got Drive? Join AnyVan as we make moving anything, anywhere miles better and build a career that moves just as fast. Back in 2009, our CEO Angus saw half-empty vans everywhere and knew there had to be a better way! That’s how AnyVan began. He set out to create the world’s most efficient logistics technology and help halve the number of wasted miles by filling those empty vans. Since then we’ve become the nation’s favourite way to move, with over 150k five-star reviews and 5 million customers in the UK and Europe. Our team of 400 AnyVanners across London, Cape Town and Bogota is proving that moving doesn’t have to cost the earth by helping save 8,520 tonnes of Carbon each year.
At the heart of our business is a sophisticated optimisation platform that connects customer demand with real-time driver availability — helping us deliver a world-class service at market-beating prices. By intelligently matching jobs to vans already on the road, we reduce wasted miles, cut emissions, and ensure drivers earn fairly. It’s logistics, pricing, and marketplace dynamics — all driven by software.
Over the next few years, we’re evolving our platform from a strong foundation into a truly intelligent logistics marketplace. You’ll help design and build systems that:
- Model true job-level costs in real time, enabling smarter, more dynamic pricing
- Deepen our driver platform, embedding into their daily workflows and unlocking new revenue opportunities
- Create a two-sided marketplace, including buying and selling non-core jobs between drivers to maximise utilisation
- Scale reliably, as we grow volume, complexity, and ambition
This is a role for engineers who enjoy solving ambiguous, high-impact problems and shaping how a platform evolves at scale.
We’re a product-led, agile organisation. Most teams run Scrum with two-week sprints, but we care far more about outcomes than rituals. Engineers are trusted to adapt processes, challenge assumptions, and improve how we work. Senior engineers here are not heads-down implementers, you’ll:
- Work closely with product, data, and commercial stakeholders
- Influence technical direction and architectural decisions
- Balance speed with long-term sustainability
- Regularly ship meaningful improvements to production
Our Technology: We’re pragmatic and cloud-first, choosing the right tools for the problem:
- Cloud: AWS
- Backend: Java (Spring), Python
- Frontend: JavaScript (Vue.js)
- Other: TypeScript where it makes sense
- Legacy: A PHP stack we’re actively migrating away from
You don’t need experience in everything - we value strong fundamentals and good engineering judgement over keyword matching.
What you’ll be doing:
- Designing, building, and operating production-grade systems that scale
- Tackling complex technical challenges across backend, infrastructure, and data flows
- Writing clean, pragmatic, well-tested code with long-term maintainability in mind
- Collaborating with technical and non-technical stakeholders to shape solutions
- Championing testing, observability, and quality improvements
- Mentoring engineers and raising the technical bar across the team
You’ll thrive here if you have:
- Experience in a scale-up or fast-growing product environment
- Strong backend engineering skills (Java, Python, or similar)
- A solid understanding of distributed systems, scalability, and performance
- Experience with CI/CD, modern deployment practices, and cloud infrastructure
- Comfort working with ambiguity and evolving requirements
- A bias toward action — shipping value quickly, then iterating
- A collaborative mindset and the ability to influence beyond your code
Bonus points for exposure to marketplaces, logistics, pricing, or e-commerce systems.
Location and Eligibility: UK-based, able to commute to Hammersmith. Happy to be onsite at least 3 days per week. Unfortunately, we’re unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role at this time.
What we offer: Highly Competitive Salary, Time Off - 25 days +
Senior Software Development Engineer in London employer: AnyVan
At AnyVan, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that fosters a dynamic and collaborative work culture. Our London-based team enjoys a highly competitive salary, generous time off, and the opportunity to work on innovative projects that make a real impact on the environment. With a strong focus on employee growth and development, we empower our engineers to influence technical direction and shape the future of logistics technology in a fast-paced, agile environment.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Software Development Engineer in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in the industry, attend meetups, and connect with AnyVan employees on LinkedIn. You never know who might give you the inside scoop on job openings or even refer you directly!
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews by practising common questions and showcasing your problem-solving skills. Think about how you can demonstrate your experience with backend systems and scalability — that’s what AnyVan is all about!
✨Tip Number 3
Don’t just apply anywhere; focus on roles that excite you! Use our website to find positions that match your skills and interests. Tailor your approach to show how you can contribute to AnyVan's mission of reducing wasted miles.
✨Tip Number 4
Follow up after interviews! A quick thank-you email can go a long way. It shows your enthusiasm for the role and keeps you fresh in the interviewer's mind. Plus, it’s a great chance to reiterate why you’re a perfect fit for the team!
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Software Development Engineer in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion:When you're writing your application, let your enthusiasm for the role shine through! We want to see that you’re genuinely excited about building innovative logistics solutions and making a real impact.
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV is tailored to the job description. Highlight your experience with backend engineering, distributed systems, and any relevant projects that showcase your skills. We love seeing how your background aligns with our needs!
Be Clear and Concise:Keep your application clear and to the point. Use straightforward language to describe your experiences and achievements. We appreciate when candidates can communicate effectively, especially in a tech-driven environment.
Apply Through Our Website:Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows you’re keen on joining the AnyVan team!
How to prepare for a job interview at AnyVan
✨Know Your Tech Stack
Familiarise yourself with the technologies mentioned in the job description, like Java, Python, and AWS. Be ready to discuss your experience with these tools and how you've used them to solve complex problems in previous roles.
✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills
Prepare examples of ambiguous, high-impact problems you've tackled in the past. Highlight your thought process and the steps you took to arrive at a solution, as this role requires engineers who can navigate uncertainty.
✨Understand the Business Model
Research AnyVan's logistics platform and how it operates. Being able to discuss how your work can contribute to their mission of reducing wasted miles and improving efficiency will show that you're genuinely interested in the company.
✨Emphasise Collaboration
Since the role involves working closely with various stakeholders, be prepared to discuss your experience in collaborative environments. Share examples of how you've influenced decisions beyond just coding, showcasing your ability to communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical teams.
