At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a team of Senior iOS Engineers on a banking app, shaping its technical direction.
- Company: Join hedgehog lab, a certified Great Place to Work with 20 years of experience.
- Benefits: Remote-first work, competitive pay, and the chance to influence a major app.
- Other info: Opportunity for career growth in a dynamic, supportive environment.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on a widely-used banking app while mentoring talented engineers.
- Qualifications: Extensive iOS experience, leadership skills, and knowledge of Swift frameworks required.
The predicted salary is between 63000 - 77000 £ per year.
Come and join the hedgehog lab team for a six-month contract on a well-known UK bank's i OS app, leading two Senior i OS Engineers and setting the technical direction from day one.
The contract
Six-month contract, starting 4th January 2027.
Outside IR35.
Remote first, with some time on site.
Why you'll want this
Principal contracts often mean being dropped into a client team with a big title and little say.
On this one you'll lead the i OS side of a hedgehog lab team, working on a banking app customers use every day.
What's in it for you
You’ll help set the technical direction of a large, established Swift codebase, including where its architecture goes next.
You’ll lead two Senior i OS Engineers and help them do their best work.
You’ll stay hands-on, shaping the code as well as the decisions.
With a 4th January start, you can line up your next contract before Christmas.
Who you’ll be doing it for hedgehog lab is a digital product consultancy with 20 years of experience.
We're B Corp and Great Place to Work certified, with around 100 people working remote first across the UK.
This engagement is with a well-known UK bank, on its customer-facing i OS app.
You’ll lead the i OS work in a team with two Senior i OS Engineers, three Android engineers and two QAs.
What you’ll be doing
Agreeing the app’s architectural direction with the bank’s engineers, including any further move from Clean Swift towards MVVM and where Swift UI fits.
Setting standards for testing, security and code review across the i OS team.
Mentoring the Senior engineers and helping the team make sound technical decisions.
Building features and refactoring safely, with tests protecting existing behaviour.
Leading on tricky defects and performance problems.
What you’ll need
Extensive commercial i OS experience with Swift and deep knowledge of core i OS frameworks.
Experience leading i OS engineers and owning technical decisions on large, established apps.
A strong understanding of MVVM, MVC and Clean Swift, and the trade-offs between them.
Unit testing experience, including mocking, dependency injection and asynchronous code.
Practical mobile security knowledge, including secure storage, secure networking and certificate pinning.
Experience profiling and improving performance with Instruments.
It would help if you’ve worked on banking, fintech or other regulated apps, supported production releases, or led a move to Swift Concurrency or Swift UI.
Principal iOS Engineer (Contract, Outside IR35) 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 Principal iOS Engineer (Contract, Outside IR35)
✨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 Principal iOS Engineer (Contract, Outside IR35)
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.
