At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the design and build of client systems, from code to cloud.
- Company: Join hedgehog lab, a certified B Corp and Great Place to Work.
- Benefits: Enjoy 28 days holiday, learning budgets, and wellbeing days.
- Other info: Flexible working with opportunities for career growth and collaboration.
- Why this job: Shape innovative projects and work with AI in a supportive environment.
- Qualifications: Experience in software design, cloud systems, and coding in TypeScript, Python, or Node.
The predicted salary is between 59400 - 72600 £ per year.
Step up and shape how it’s built. You’ll take the lead on how client systems are designed, then help build them yourself, from the code to the cloud it runs on. If you’ve been acting as a lead without the title, or want the chance to, this is a role you can grow into with support.
What’s in it for you:
- You’ll work with clients from the early conversations, alongside delivery and product.
- You’ll be matched to projects on your skills, so you won’t be put on something just because you’re free.
- You’ll learn to build with AI agents alongside engineers who already do it every day.
- How we build with AI has changed a lot in two years, and we’ll help you keep up.
Who you’ll be doing it for:
hedgehog lab is a digital product consultancy with 20 years behind us. We build apps, websites and AI platforms for public and private sector clients in health tech, retail and financial services. Our project teams are 5 to 15 people, made up of agentic engineers, software engineers, QA and designers. We’re a certified B Corp and Great Place to Work certified, with around 100 people across the UK and Europe.
What you’ll be doing:
Most of your time:
- Designing the systems behind client projects, using recognised architecture patterns.
- Writing production code alongside the engineering team.
- Designing and building the cloud infrastructure, pipelines and environments your systems run on.
- Leading the technical side of a workstream, working with tech leads and architects.
Some of your time:
- Building prototypes and proofs of concept with AI agents to test ideas early.
- Supporting engineers with less cloud experience.
- Helping estimate new work.
What comes with the role:
- 28 days holiday plus bank holidays.
- 5 Impact Days for learning, innovation or volunteering.
- 2 wellbeing days and a wellbeing budget.
- Learning budget plus time for training and conferences.
- Enhanced sick pay and parental leave.
- Free counselling, Cycle to Work and a company laptop.
Where you’ll work:
There are no set office days, but we value time together and with clients. You’ll come into our Leeds or Manchester office, or a client site, for important meetings, workshops and key moments, so you’ll need to be within easy reach of one of them.
Experience you’ll need to be considered:
- You’ve designed and built software on commercial projects.
- You know enough cloud or DevOps to build cloud-native systems, ideally on AWS, using recognised architecture principles and design patterns.
- You’ve led the technical side of a project or workstream, even if it wasn’t your job title.
- You’re happy writing production code in TypeScript, Python or Node. Any one of them is fine.
- You’ve got a good grasp of architecture from working alongside architects.
- You care about how well a system is designed, and you enjoy the design work as much as the building.
- You’ve started building with AI agents, beyond asking a chatbot for code. Your own projects count, and a GitHub repo you can walk us through is a good way to show it.
- You’re confident explaining technical decisions to people who aren’t technical.
Your job title today doesn’t matter. You might be a senior software, cloud or DevOps engineer, and you might lean more towards software or cloud. We don’t expect you to be equally strong in both.
Nice to have, but not essential:
- Experience working directly with clients.
- Consultancy or agency background.
Solutions Architect (Hands-on) Engineering · Leeds, Manchester employer: hedgehog lab
Hedgehog Lab is an exceptional employer that fosters a dynamic and innovative work culture, perfect for those looking to make a significant impact in the tech industry. With a focus on employee growth and development, you will have access to cutting-edge technologies and the opportunity to shape data strategies in a fast-paced scale-up environment. Located in a vibrant area, we offer a collaborative atmosphere where your contributions are valued and rewarded.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Solutions Architect (Hands-on) Engineering · Leeds, Manchester
✨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 hedgehog lab 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 hedgehog lab.
✨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 hedgehog lab.
✨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 hedgehog lab 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 Solutions Architect (Hands-on) Engineering · Leeds, Manchester
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 hedgehog lab.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at hedgehog lab 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 hedgehog lab
✨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 hedgehog lab 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.
