At a Glance
- Tasks: Design and develop scalable web applications while collaborating with a talented engineering team.
- Company: Join FutureLearn, a leader in online education with a passion for lifelong learning.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, flexible working, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team committed to inclusion and cutting-edge technology.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on learners worldwide by shaping innovative educational technology.
- Qualifications: Strong experience in Ruby and building large-scale web applications.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
Location: Hybrid / London (with flexible working)
Salary: Competitive
At FutureLearn, we’re passionate about the power of lifelong learning. We help learners from all over the world progress in their careers and invest in their futures. We truly believe that up‑skilling is a worthy investment, and we hope to empower our learners to take control of their careers through personalised learning pathways.
About The Role
We’re looking for a Senior Software Engineer to join our small, highly capable engineering team and play a key role in shaping the technology that powers FutureLearn. This is an opportunity to take real ownership—from early‑stage ideas through to deployment—working across the stack and contributing to every stage of the product lifecycle. You’ll collaborate closely with engineers and stakeholders to build scalable, high‑impact features, while influencing how we design, develop and deliver software. You’ll be operating in a modern engineering environment, with frequent deployments to a large‑scale, cloud‑based platform and a strong commitment to quality through unit, integration, and acceptance testing.
What You Will Be Doing
- Designing, developing and maintaining high‑quality, scalable web applications
- Taking ownership of features from concept through to deployment
- Collaborating with engineers and cross‑functional stakeholders to deliver impactful product improvements
- Improving system performance, reliability, and scalability across a large‑scale cloud‑based platform
- Writing and maintaining robust automated tests to ensure code quality and stability
- Contributing to architecture and system design decisions
- Conducting code reviews and championing best practice across the team
- Troubleshooting production issues and delivering timely, effective resolutions
- Exploring and applying AI tooling to enhance engineering workflows and delivery speed
About You
You’re an experienced, curious engineer who enjoys solving complex problems and building high‑quality products at scale.
We’re Particularly Interested In Candidates Who Have
- Strong experience building and maintaining large‑scale, interactive web applications
- Solid experience with Ruby (essential), alongside technologies such as Rails, JavaScript, React, TypeScript, GraphQL or Next.js
- A strong understanding of software design principles, testing practices, and clean code
- Experience working with cloud infrastructure and DevOps tooling (AWS, Terraform, CI/CD via GitHub Actions)
- The ability to balance delivery pace with technical depth and quality
- Experience working with or a strong interest in AI‑assisted development workflows—with a thoughtful approach to where these tools add value
Nice to Have
- Experience within education technology platforms (LMS, LXP, MOOC)
- Familiarity with standards such as LTI, SCORM, or xAPI
- Exposure to LLM integration, AI tooling, or agentic systems
Why Join Us?
At FutureLearn, you’ll be part of a collaborative, forward‑thinking engineering team working on a platform that reaches learners globally. You’ll have the autonomy to make meaningful technical decisions, contribute to the evolution of our engineering practices, and shape how we leverage emerging technologies like AI—without losing sight of strong engineering fundamentals.
Diversity Statement
We value all the great benefits that diversity brings and encourage everyone to bring their whole self to work. At FutureLearn we are proud to have Diversity and Inclusion at the centre of everything we do. We are committed to Equal Employment Opportunity regardless of race, colour, national origin, ethnicity, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or religion.
Senior Software Engineer employer: FutureLearn
At FutureLearn, we are dedicated to fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration, making us an exceptional employer for Senior Software Engineers. Our hybrid working model in London offers flexibility, while our commitment to lifelong learning empowers employees to grow their skills and careers. Join us to work on impactful projects that leverage cutting-edge technologies, all within a diverse and inclusive environment that values every individual's contribution.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior 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 FutureLearn 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 FutureLearn.
✨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 FutureLearn.
✨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 FutureLearn 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 Senior 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 FutureLearn.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at FutureLearn 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 FutureLearn
✨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 FutureLearn 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.
