At a Glance
- Tasks: Build impactful features and architect scalable solutions for a leading travel commerce platform.
- Company: Join Hopper, a dynamic tech company revolutionising travel experiences.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, equity packages, unlimited PTO, and generous parental leave.
- Other info: Enjoy a collaborative culture with small teams and excellent growth opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in travel tech while working with cutting-edge AI tools.
- Qualifications: Experience in backend development, especially with Scala, and a passion for product innovation.
The predicted salary is between 70000 - 90000 £ per year.
About the role Hopper’s Hopper Technology Solutions (HTS) platform drives travel purchases for major global brands. The platform is a configurable, multi‑tenant travel commerce engine that partners use to launch world‑class hotel and travel booking experiences. As a staff software engineer you will build high‑impact product features, architect scalable solutions, and iterate rapidly using AI‑assisted development tools to grow the network of partner cards and unlock incremental spend.
Tech stack
- Backend: Scala, GCP services
- Frontend: React + TypeScript
- Stack‑agnostic: Experience with Go, Python, Java or similar is welcome.
What your day‑to‑day would look like
- Identify and implement improvements to the codebase to accelerate both human and AI agent development.
- Collaborate with senior engineers in a low‑process, trust‑based environment.
- Drive decisions and consensus asynchronously with thoughtful documentation and specifications.
- Own features end‑to‑end, primarily on the backend, while leveraging AI tooling to move across the stack.
- Architect scalable foundational patterns to launch new partner experiences efficiently.
- Work directly with product managers and business partners to shape and refine the roadmap.
- Collaborate with a diverse group, giving and receiving growth‑oriented feedback.
An ideal candidate has
- A natural drive to dive into unknown codebases and deliver results quickly.
- Strong product thinking focused on customer experience.
- Experience directing AI agents and automated workflows to build and maintain complex systems.
- Experience designing guardrails and feedback loops for reliable AI‑assisted development.
- Mastery or strong willingness to learn distributed system development in Scala.
- Ability to articulate solutions, trade‑offs, and reasoning clearly.
Perks and benefits of working with us
- Competitive salary with pre‑IPO equity packages.
- Hopper covers 100% of the employee premiums for a group insurance plan.
- Automatic smart pension contributions on hire.
- Generous parental leave above industry standards.
- Access to co‑working space on demand and a work‑from‑home stipend.
- Travel stipend for carrot‑cash rewards.
- Unlimited paid time off.
- Entrepreneurial culture encouraging risk‑taking and innovation.
- Open communication with management and leadership.
- Small dynamic teams with high impact.
Staff Backend Software Engineer employer: Drive Capital
Hopper is an exceptional employer that fosters an entrepreneurial culture, encouraging innovation and risk-taking within small, dynamic teams. With a competitive salary, generous benefits including 100% coverage of employee insurance premiums and unlimited paid time off, employees are empowered to thrive both personally and professionally. Located in a collaborative environment, staff backend software engineers will have the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technology while receiving growth-oriented feedback from a diverse group of colleagues.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Staff Backend Software Engineer
✨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 Drive Capital 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 Drive Capital.
✨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 Drive Capital.
✨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 Drive Capital 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 Staff Backend Software Engineer
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 Drive Capital.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Drive Capital 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 Drive Capital
✨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 Drive Capital 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.
