At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the design and development of a scalable payments platform using modern technologies.
- Company: Exciting London-based fintech start-up with strong leadership backing.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, equity potential, and hybrid working options.
- Other info: High ownership, autonomy, and opportunities for career growth.
- Why this job: Shape the future of payments while driving innovation in a fast-paced environment.
- Qualifications: Strong experience in React Native, Node.js, and AWS infrastructure.
The predicted salary is between 90000 - 105000 € per year.
We're partnering with an ambitious London-based payments start-up looking to hire a hands-on Lead Software Engineer to help shape the next generation of their platform as they scale. This is a high-impact opportunity for a senior engineering leader who enjoys operating across architecture, platform engineering, product delivery, and technical strategy in a fast-moving environment. You’ll play a key role in defining engineering standards, influencing product direction, and building scalable systems capable of supporting rapid growth within a modern payments ecosystem.
The Opportunity
Joining at an exciting stage of growth, you’ll work closely with founders, product teams, and engineers to design and deliver a highly scalable payments platform using modern cloud-native technologies. This role combines hands-on engineering, technical leadership, architecture ownership, and mentoring responsibilities. You’ll be expected to remain close to the code while driving best practice across the wider engineering function.
Key Responsibilities
- Define and evolve platform architecture across mobile, backend, and cloud infrastructure
- Lead engineering design decisions and establish scalable development standards
- Build and optimise high-performance backend services using Node.js
- Drive mobile architecture and delivery using React Native
- Own AWS infrastructure strategy, scalability, reliability, and security
- Work closely with product and leadership teams to shape technical roadmap
- Champion engineering excellence, DevOps culture, CI/CD, and automation
- Explore and implement modern AI-assisted engineering tooling and workflows
Required Experience
We’re looking for a strong technical leader with experience building scalable products within start-up or high-growth environments.
Essential Skills
- Strong experience with React Native
- Deep backend engineering expertise using Node.js
- Strong knowledge of AWS infrastructure and cloud-native architecture
- Experience working with PostgreSQL and scalable data design
- Proven experience operating at Technical Architect, Principal Engineer, or Staff Engineer level
- Experience building scalable distributed systems and APIs
- Strong understanding of modern software engineering best practices
Desirable Experience
- Payments, fintech, or regulated environment experience
- Exposure to AI-assisted development tooling such as Claude, GitHub Copilot, Cursor, or similar
- DevOps and infrastructure-as-code experience
What’s on Offer
- Opportunity to shape architecture from an early stage
- High ownership and autonomy
- Modern engineering environment
- Fast-growing fintech business with strong leadership backing
- Competitive salary + equity potential
- Hybrid working in London
Lead Software Engineer employer: Franklin Bates
Join a dynamic and innovative payments start-up in London, where you'll have the opportunity to shape the future of their platform as a Lead Software Engineer. With a strong focus on employee growth, a collaborative work culture, and the chance to work closely with founders and product teams, this role offers high ownership and autonomy in a fast-paced environment. Enjoy competitive compensation, equity potential, and the flexibility of hybrid working while contributing to a modern engineering landscape that embraces best practices and cutting-edge technologies.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Software Engineer
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the fintech space, especially those who might know someone at the company you're eyeing. A personal introduction can make all the difference in getting your foot in the door.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! If you’ve got a portfolio or GitHub with projects that highlight your expertise in Node.js or React Native, make sure to share it during interviews. It’s a great way to demonstrate your hands-on experience and technical prowess.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for technical interviews by brushing up on your architecture and design skills. Be ready to discuss how you would approach building scalable systems and optimising backend services. We want to see your thought process!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take the initiative to engage directly with us.
We think you need these skills to ace Lead Software Engineer
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that match the Lead Software Engineer role. Highlight your hands-on engineering experience, especially with Node.js and React Native, as well as any leadership roles you've had in the past.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Use your cover letter to tell us why you're excited about this opportunity. Share specific examples of how you've shaped platform architecture or led engineering teams in fast-paced environments. We love a good story!
Showcase Your Technical Skills:Don’t just list your skills; demonstrate them! If you’ve worked with AWS, PostgreSQL, or modern AI-assisted tools, give us a sneak peek into your projects. We want to see how you’ve applied your knowledge in real-world scenarios.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to keep track of your application and ensure it gets the attention it deserves. Plus, it shows us you’re keen on joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Franklin Bates
✨Know Your Tech Inside Out
Make sure you’re well-versed in the technologies mentioned in the job description, especially Node.js and React Native. Brush up on your AWS knowledge too, as you'll likely be asked about cloud infrastructure and how it relates to scalable systems.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples of how you've led engineering teams or projects in the past. Highlight your experience in defining architecture and driving best practices, as this role requires a strong technical leader who can influence product direction.
✨Understand the Payments Ecosystem
Familiarise yourself with the payments landscape and any relevant regulations. Being able to discuss trends and challenges in fintech will show that you’re not just a techie but also understand the business context of your work.
✨Ask Insightful Questions
Prepare thoughtful questions about the company’s technical roadmap, team dynamics, and their approach to engineering excellence. This shows your genuine interest in the role and helps you assess if the company is the right fit for you.
