At a Glance
- Tasks: Join us to build and enhance back-end services using Python and PHP for our innovative school management tools.
- Company: Arbor is transforming education with a focus on staff wellbeing and impactful technology.
- Benefits: Enjoy 32 days holiday, private health insurance, and a dedicated professional development budget.
- Other info: Join a dog-friendly office with a commitment to diversity and mental health support.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in schools while working in a supportive and flexible environment.
- Qualifications: Experience in Python, PHP, and managing large technical projects is essential.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
Location: Remote
At Arbor, we’re on a mission to transform the way schools work for the better. We believe in a future of work in schools where being challenged doesn’t mean being burnt out and overworked. Our MIS and school management tools are already making a difference in over 12,000 schools and trusts, giving time and power back to staff, turning data into clear, actionable insights, and supporting happier working days.
We are looking for an experienced and highly technical Senior Product Engineer to join our Engineering team and help us implement and deliver large projects and advocate for high engineering standards. It’s a broad and exciting role, so we’re looking for someone up for a challenge - if you’re a proactive and collaborative Senior Product Engineer, this is the role for you.
- Build, maintain and scale platform-level back-end services to enhance and serve our Data and AI capabilities for internal and external customers.
- Leverage these Data and AI capabilities to build and ship new features within the core Arbor product suite.
- Own the successful delivery of high-impact features, directly contributing to the advancement of Arbor products.
- Drive the development and implementation of advanced tests for new and existing features, ensuring high test coverage and reliability standards.
- Maintain high code quality standards through thorough, constructive code reviews, ensuring solutions are well-tested, scalable, and maintainable.
- Collaborate closely with the Engineering Manager, Tech Lead, QA Engineer, and Product Manager to address feature requests.
- Support the Engineering Manager with interviews, scrum ceremonies, and the implementation of strategies to improve and optimise product quality and lead time.
- Support the Tech Lead in developing technical roadmap solution designs, identifying areas for improvement, prioritising, and executing technical debt reduction.
- Act as a role model for technical excellence through code reviews, pair programming, and actively mentoring and coaching mid-level and junior engineers in best practices.
Requirements:
- Demonstrable experience building back-end Python-based services.
- Previous experience building features in PHP.
- Demonstrated knowledge of database technologies (SQL and NoSQL) and best practices for data modelling and performance optimisation.
- Proven experience in managing large, technical projects and delivering high-quality, impactful results with minimal supervision.
- Proven experience designing and writing APIs and services within a service-oriented environment.
- Applies best practices and software engineering principles.
- Understands Scrum methodology or other agile development processes.
- Possesses excellent written and spoken English skills, with the ability to communicate clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Benefits:
- ~32 days holiday (plus Bank Holidays).
- Life Assurance paid out at 3x annual salary.
- Comprehensive wellness benefit provided by AIG Smart Health.
- Private Dental Insurance with Bupa.
- Salary sacrifice Pension provided by Scottish Widows.
- Enhanced maternity and adoption leave (20 weeks full pay) and paternity (6 weeks full pay) pay.
- Access to services such as Calm and Bippit (financial wellbeing coaching).
- All of our roles champion flexible working.
- Dedicated professional development training budget.
- Dog friendly offices!
Our goal is for Arbor to be a workplace which represents, celebrates and supports people from all backgrounds, and which gives them the tools they need to thrive.
You can refer a friend, family member or colleague; if they are offered a role with Arbor, we will say thank you with a voucher valued up to £200!
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Remote Senior Product Engineer (Python & PHP) in Wigan
✨Join Local Tech Meetups
Get out there and mingle with fellow developers by joining local tech meetups. It’s a fantastic way to meet people who might be working at Arbor Education or know someone who does. Plus, you can pick up some trendy tech skills and trends while you're at it!
✨Contribute to Open Source Projects
Show off your coding chops by jumping into open-source projects. Not only does this give you practical experience, but it also gets you noticed in the dev community. You'll create a killer portfolio that speaks volumes about your skills to Arbor Education.
✨Tap into Online Developer Communities
Don’t underestimate the power of online developer communities like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and even Reddit. Participate in discussions, share your projects, and build your visibility. We can often find opportunities through these channels that can lead to a full-time gig at companies like Arbor Education.
✨Explore Job Boards Specifically for Tech Roles
Keep your eyes peeled on job boards that focus on tech roles. Sites like TechCareers or Stack Overflow Jobs can often have listings for companies like Arbor Education that might not show up on broader job sites. Make it a habit to check these regularly, and don’t hesitate to apply directly through our website!
We think you need these skills to ace Remote Senior Product Engineer (Python & PHP) in Wigan
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show off your coding skills:When applying for a software engineering role, it's super important to showcase your coding skills. Make sure your CV includes your tech stack, any relevant programming languages you’re comfortable with, and examples of projects you've worked on. If you have a GitHub profile, link it up! We love to see code in action.
Tailor your portfolio:For a full-time role, we’d expect to see some solid examples of your work in your portfolio. Make sure to include at least two or three projects that highlight your problem-solving skills and your ability to work with different technologies. Focus on the projects that are most relevant to the position at Arbor Education.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Arbor Education and how your skills align with the role. Show us your passion for software development. We dig enthusiastic candidates who understand the value of collaboration and continuous learning!
Be clear and concise:When it comes to writing your CV and cover letter, clarity is key. Avoid jargon that could confuse us and stick to simple, direct language. Highlight your achievements with quantifiable results where possible, and keep everything easy to read. A well-organised application goes a long way!
How to prepare for a job interview at Arbor Education
✨Brush Up on Your Coding Skills
For a full-time software engineering role, it's crucial that we stay sharp with our coding abilities. Expect technical questions that might involve solving problems on the spot or discussing algorithms. Practise on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to get comfortable with the types of questions that often come up.
✨Know Your Tools and Frameworks
Make sure we’re well-acquainted with the tools and technologies listed in the job description. Familiarise ourselves with any specific frameworks or programming languages mentioned. If Arbor Education uses React or Node.js, for instance, be ready to discuss how we’ve used them in previous projects or coursework.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Bring along a portfolio that highlights our best work. This could be code samples, GitHub repositories, or any side projects we’ve built. Make sure we can talk through our thought process for each project, especially the challenges we faced and how we solved them—this shows our problem-solving skills in action.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
While technical skills are key, full-time positions also require cultural fit. Be ready to discuss our previous experiences and how we handle teamwork, conflict, and deadlines. Brush up on the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to clearly articulate our past experiences when discussing how we've contributed to a team.
