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- Tasks: Lead the Routing Squad to optimise parcel delivery and tackle complex engineering challenges.
- Company: Join HIVED, a fast-growing climate and logistics startup in London.
- Benefits: Enjoy a dynamic hybrid work environment, competitive salary, and generous holiday allowance.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team with excellent growth opportunities and fun team events.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on sustainable delivery solutions while working with cutting-edge technology.
- Qualifications: 5+ years in software engineering with strong leadership and system design skills.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 £ per year.
About HIVED
At HIVED, we’re steamrolling forward as one of Europe’s fastest growing startups, and our momentum shows no signs of slowing. Based in London, we are a climate and logistics start-up building the first sustainable parcel delivery network at scale, powered by a 100% electric fleet. In an ever-growing industry where unreliable service has long been the norm, HIVED has been built from the ground-up to meet the demands of modern consumers and disrupt parcel delivery. A tech company at heart, our talent and technology is laser-focused on delivering the best possible delivery experience for end-customers and meeting the needs of our retail partners.
We are looking for a Lead Engineer to take ownership of one of HIVED’s highest-impact technical domains: the planning pipeline that powers supply-demand matching, parcel distribution, and routing optimisation. As part of HIVED’s Routing Squad, you’ll lead the team tackling some of the most complex and intellectually demanding problems in computer science — building systems that decide how parcels move through the city efficiently, reliably, and at scale.
This is a rare opportunity to combine deep engineering expertise, optimisation thinking, and real-world domain understanding to shape a core strategic advantage for HIVED. You’ll own the technical direction of the squad, set a high bar for engineering quality, and lead a team of engineers working closely with data scientists, analysts, product, and operations. Your work will have a direct and visible impact: better routing, stronger planning capabilities, more efficient operations, and a delivery network you can see improving in the city around you.
What you’ll be doing
- Lead the Routing Squad across technical strategy, delivery, team leadership, and execution of squad goals.
- Own the technical direction for systems supporting routing optimisation, supply-demand matching, parcel distribution, forecasting, and planning.
- Translate business priorities and operational needs into clear technical strategy, measurable outcomes, and pragmatic execution plans.
- Guide architecture and system design for scalable, reliable, production-grade optimisation and planning systems.
- Work closely with optimisation engineers, backend engineers, data scientists, analysts, product, and operational stakeholders to turn complex problems into shipped solutions.
- Lead the exploration and evaluation of new approaches across routing, scheduling, optimisation, forecasting, and distributed systems.
- Set and uphold a high engineering bar through technical reviews, architectural guidance, mentoring, and accountability for maintainable software.
- Manage, coach, and develop engineers in the squad, including hiring, performance management, development planning, and resourcing.
- Foster a culture of curiosity, ownership, high performance, and continuous learning within the team.
What we’re looking for
- 5+ years of software engineering experience, including backend or distributed systems development.
- Experience leading engineers, either as a people manager or as a senior technical leader with meaningful ownership over team delivery.
- Proven ability to translate complex, ambiguous business or operational problems into robust technical solutions.
- Strong system design and architectural skills in distributed, production-grade environments.
- An appetite for hard optimisation problems — especially routing, scheduling, forecasting, supply-demand matching, or other constraint-heavy domains.
- Strong analytical thinking and the ability to combine technical depth with practical judgement.
- A track record of setting high engineering standards and helping teams consistently meet them.
- Experience working cross-functionally with product, operations, data scientists, analysts, and senior leadership.
- Strong ownership mindset: you care about the strategy, the system, the team, and the real-world outcome.
Nice to have
- Experience with routing, scheduling, optimisation, forecasting, logistics, mobility, or marketplace systems.
- Experience productionising algorithms, solvers, models, or data-heavy decision systems.
- Familiarity with optimisation techniques such as linear/integer programming, constraint programming, heuristics, or solver-based approaches.
- Experience working in a fast-scaling operational environment where software has a direct physical-world impact.
Technologies we use
- Backend languages: Python, Go
- Tech infrastructure: AWS, CDK TypeScript, Lambda, SQS, EventBridge, RDS, DynamoDB
- Data tooling: GCP, BigQuery, Looker, Looker Studio
- Observability: Loki, Tempo, Grafana, Prometheus
- Event-driven architecture and domain-driven design
How we reward our team
- Dynamic hybrid working environment with a diverse and driven team
- Huge opportunity for learning in a high growth environment, with progression opportunities based on success in the role
- 25 days of holiday allowance plus public holidays
- 1 Birthday Day Off + 2 Tenure-Based Additional Days Off
- Subsidised Private Medical Insurance including dental, vision & mental health therapy
- Bi-annual performance reviews and tailored development plans
- Competitive salary + EMI options scheme
- Annual compensation review
- Team lunch provided once a week
- Quarterly team socials and annual sports day (HIVED Olympics)
- Enhanced maternity/paternity/adoption policy as day 1 right
- Community volunteer days
- Cycle to work scheme
- Dog friendly office and depots
- MacBook Air or Windows Laptop (depending on your preference)
Lead Engineer - Routing Squad employer: HIVED Ltd
Contact Detail:
HIVED Ltd Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Engineer - Routing Squad
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to current employees at HIVED on LinkedIn or other platforms. Ask them about their experiences and any tips they might have for your application process. It’s all about making connections!
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by diving deep into HIVED's mission and values. Understand their tech stack and be ready to discuss how your skills in routing optimisation and system design can contribute to their goals. Show them you’re not just another candidate!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your problem-solving skills! Since the role involves tackling complex engineering challenges, brush up on your optimisation techniques and be ready to demonstrate your thought process during technical interviews.
✨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, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining the HIVED team!
We think you need these skills to ace Lead Engineer - Routing Squad
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion: When you're writing your application, let your enthusiasm for the role and our mission shine through. We want to see that you’re genuinely excited about tackling complex problems in logistics and sustainability.
Tailor Your Experience: Make sure to highlight your relevant experience in software engineering and any leadership roles you've had. We love seeing how your background aligns with the challenges we face at HIVED, so don’t hold back!
Be Clear and Concise: Keep your application straightforward and to the point. We appreciate clarity, so make sure your skills and achievements are easy to spot. Use bullet points if it helps to break things down!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it’s super easy!
How to prepare for a job interview at HIVED Ltd
✨Know Your Tech Inside Out
Make sure you’re well-versed in the technologies mentioned in the job description, like Python, Go, and AWS. Be ready to discuss your experience with distributed systems and optimisation techniques, as these will be crucial for the role.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Since this position involves leading a team, prepare examples of how you've successfully managed engineers or led projects. Highlight your ability to translate complex problems into actionable strategies and how you foster a culture of high performance.
✨Understand the Business Impact
HIVED is all about improving delivery experiences. Be prepared to discuss how your technical decisions can directly impact customer satisfaction and operational efficiency. Show that you understand the bigger picture beyond just coding.
✨Ask Insightful Questions
Prepare thoughtful questions about HIVED’s current challenges in routing and optimisation. This shows your genuine interest in the role and helps you gauge if the company aligns with your values and career goals.