Senior Backend Engineer in London

Who we are: Buying, leasing or renting a vehicle should feel straightforward. Not complicated or hard work. Drive brings everything together in one place, with multiple ways to get on the road. It combines choice, simplicity and guidance, helping people explore their options and move in the way that makes sense for their life. Backed by the expertise of Volkswagen Financial Services, Drive offers a flexible, modern experience designed to support better decisions, without pressure or complexity.

More recently, we’ve been on a journey. In June 2025 we were acquired by Volkswagen Financial Services UK (VWFS UK) and our mission is simple: build the right tech solutions for Volkswagen Group UK and its retailers, so they can deliver the best possible experiences to their customers. We’re a mix of problem-solvers, innovators, and team players who care about doing great work and making a difference. We thrive on collaboration, innovation, and a shared commitment to excellence. We deliver impactful solutions at pace that put the customer at the centre.

About the role: Join the team and play a pivotal role in designing and building highly scalable and maintainable backend services. You’ll have the opportunity to leverage and suggest the latest tools and techniques, collaborating closely with Product, Design, and Sales teams. We encourage sharing technical solutions and product ideas through code and design reviews, pair programming, and presentations, all while continuously improving our Agile processes.

What you’ll do:

• Hands on building highly scalable and maintainable backend services
• Turn intricate business needs into robust technical designs and high-level architecture
• Use appropriate tools for development and being proactive in suggesting new tools, frameworks or techniques
• Collaborate across functional teams including Product, Design and Sales
• Share technical solutions and product ideas through code and design reviews, pair programming, and presentations
• Highlight areas we can improve on as a team practising Agile processes
• Offer expert technical leadership and support while mentoring our developing engineering talent

Our Tech Stack:

• Python
• Django
• FastAPI
• AWS
• ElasticSearch
• Postgresql
• Kafka
• Github
• Kubernetes
• Redis

What you’ll need:

• Strong technical skills to design and build scalable backend services, primarily in Python (in any framework)
• Analytical skills: a love for problem solving, and improving our working processes. We are always learning
• A good understanding of databases, OO design, data structures, distributed systems and SOLID principles
• Strong desire to work collaboratively with both your peers and business teams
• The ability to communicate technical concepts to other members of the team.

What we’ll give you:

• Compensation: We offer a competitive salary + performance-based bonus
• Holidays: We want you to relax, you’ll have 28 days off (plus bank holidays) throughout the year. We also give you an extra day off to enjoy your birthday!
• Benefits + Perks: With private medical insurance, learning and development opportunities and mental health support, we’ll give you the extra boost.
• Hybrid Working: We have a flexible working culture here at Drive. With hybrid working in our offices in Holborn (London) and working from home days.
• Feedback: You’ll be joining more than just another scale up - our team are at the heart of everything we do; here we don’t leave things unsaid, we encourage honest feedback.
• A Challenge: Fast-paced but not fraught. So we need you to keep up, push back and question where you see fit.
• Fun: We provide a fully stocked kitchen and bar, an awesome office environment and epic socials.

If you’re ready to work with a creative, high-performing group of people we want to hear from you.