(Senior-Staff) Backend Engineer - Routing Squad in London

(Senior-Staff) Backend Engineer - Routing Squad in London

London Full-Time 59400 - 72600 £ / year (est.) Hybrid
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At a Glance

  • Tasks: Design and implement innovative routing systems for sustainable parcel delivery.
  • 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: Collaborate with a diverse team and enjoy excellent career growth opportunities.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact on the future of delivery with cutting-edge technology.
  • Qualifications: Degree in Computer Science or related field; strong coding skills in Python or Go.

The predicted salary is between 59400 - 72600 £ 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.

From our drivers to our data engineers, we are constantly working to improve this customer experience that makes us deliver better.

Already trusted by leading international brands such as John Lewis, Nespresso, Uniqlo, H&M brands and more, we are solidifying our position as the leaders in Europe to tackle this growing market.

Our tight-knit team is made up of ex-Revolut, Bain, Hello Fresh, ASOS, Apple and Google employees, and we are backed by some of Europe’s leading investors and VCs in climate-tech, logistics and mobility including

  • Planet A Ventures ,
  • Maersk Growth ,
  • Pale Blue Dot VC ,
  • Eka Ventures ,

Nordic Ninja VC and the British government. We’re passionate about driving innovation and redefining the future of delivery.

In a nutshell 📝

We are looking for a Senior and/or Staff Backend Engineer with a passion for solving complex, high-impact operational problems.

As part of HIVED’s Routing Squad, you’ll tackle some of the most intellectually demanding challenges in computer science – building systems that power optimisation and forecasting at scale, enabling efficient route planning and supply-demand matching.

Your work will directly enhance our core delivery engine and help create a competitive edge through technology.

You'll collaborate within a cross-functional team of engineers, data analysts, and data scientists to build production-grade optimisation systems that are robust, scalable, and deeply integrated into HIVED’s operations.

This is an opportunity to combine theoretical rigour with real-world application and see the tangible impact of your work every day.

  • What you’ll be doing 🚀
  • Design and implement distributed systems for routing, supply-demand matching, and other core logistics challenges.
  • Work closely with optimisation engineers, data scientists, and analysts to integrate algorithms and solvers into production.
  • Lead the exploration and evaluation of new approaches to solve complex business problems.
  • Partner with product and operational stakeholders to understand business needs and translate them into technical solutions.
  • Contribute to forecasting and planning systems that power strategic and tactical decisions across the business.
  • Continuously improve the performance, scalability, and robustness of our routing and optimisation stack.
  • What we’re looking for 🔎
  • A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related technical field.
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with experience architecting and building distributed systems.
  • Proven ability to translate complex requirements into production-grade solutions with measurable business impact.
  • Solid coding skills (Python or Golang preferred, though experience in other languages like Java or C++ is also valued).
  • Experience working with cloud infrastructure (AWS preferred) and event-driven architectures.
  • Curiosity, creativity, and a strong sense of ownership – you enjoy solving open-ended problems and shipping solutions that matter.
  • Technologies we use 💻
  • Backend languages: Python, Go
  • Tech infrastructure: AWS, CDK (Type Script), Lambda, SQS, Event Bridge, RDS, Dynamo DB
  • Data tooling: GCP, Big Query, 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
  • Mac Book Air or Windows Laptop (depending on your preference)

🔍 Want to learn more?

• 🎥 Meet the team in 60 seconds

  • Behind the scenes with HIVED
  • HIVED is
  • B Corporation certified
  • We are named as
  • UK Start Up of the Year 2024
  • Read how
  • HIVED raised $42M to transform parcel delivery with AI and all-electric logistics network
  • Check the
  • Impact Report 2024
  • Keep up with HIVED ✨ here

(Senior-Staff) Backend Engineer - Routing Squad in London employer: Hived

HIVED is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic and inclusive work environment in the heart of London, where innovation meets sustainability. As a rapidly growing startup, we provide ample opportunities for professional development and career progression, alongside generous benefits such as subsidised private medical insurance, flexible holiday allowances, and a supportive culture that values kindness, tenacity, curiosity, and resourcefulness. Join our passionate team and be part of a mission to redefine parcel delivery while enjoying unique perks like community volunteer days and a dog-friendly office.

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Contact Details:

Hived Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land (Senior-Staff) Backend Engineer - Routing Squad in London

✨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 Hived 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 Hived.

✨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 Hived.

✨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 Hived 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-Staff) Backend Engineer - Routing Squad in London

Distributed Systems Design
Routing Algorithms
Supply-Demand Matching
Optimisation Engineering
Data Analysis
Cloud Infrastructure (AWS)
Event-Driven Architecture

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 Hived.

Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Hived 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 Hived

✨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 Hived 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.