Software Engineer Tech Lead in Bristol

Software Engineer Tech Lead in Bristol

Bristol Full-Time 70000 - 90000 ÂŁ / year (est.) Home office (partial)
Imperial Civil Enforcement Solutions

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead technical direction and guide teams in delivering high-quality software products.
  • Company: Join a forward-thinking tech company based in Bristol with a hybrid work model.
  • Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, health benefits, and opportunities for professional growth.
  • Other info: Dynamic environment with a focus on AI-assisted development and career progression.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact by driving innovation and mentoring the next generation of developers.
  • Qualifications: Proven experience in technical leadership and strong software architecture skills required.

The predicted salary is between 70000 - 90000 ÂŁ per year.

The Technical Lead is responsible for setting the technical direction, ensuring engineering excellence, and guiding development teams in delivering secure, scalable, high‑quality software products. This role combines architectural ownership, hands‑on technical leadership, and people development to drive consistent engineering standards across the organisation. The Technical Lead acts as the authority on technical decisions and owns the long‑term technical roadmap.

This is a hybrid role based in Bristol.

Responsibilities
  • Technical Architecture
    • Define, document, and maintain the overarching technical architecture across all products.
    • Evaluate and recommend technology choices aligned with business goals and long‑term scalability.
    • Ensure architectural consistency, interoperability, and adherence to best practices across teams.
    • Establish and maintain design patterns, coding standards, and architectural guidelines.
  • Security & Quality
    • Lead security architecture, including vulnerability remediation strategies and secure‑by‑design principles.
    • Define and enforce code review standards, practices, and quality gates.
    • Establish quality metrics, measurement frameworks, and continuous improvement cycles.
    • Provide guidance on performance optimisation, scalability strategies, and system reliability.
  • DevOps & Automation
    • Architect and evolve CI/CD pipelines to support efficient, reliable delivery.
    • Define standards for test automation frameworks and ensure adoption across teams.
    • Champion infrastructure‑as‑code practices and modern deployment automation.
    • Oversee deployment, release management, and environment strategy.
  • AI Strategy & Tooling
    • Lead the adoption and effective use of the organisation’s AI‑assisted development tool-chain across all engineering teams.
    • Define best practices, standards, and guardrails for AI‑assisted development, including code generation, automated code review, and intelligent testing.
    • Establish policies for responsible AI use within engineering workflows, aligned with organisational governance frameworks (e.g. ISO/IEC 42001).
    • Drive measurable productivity improvements through consistent, disciplined use of AI tooling.
    • Champion AI literacy and up-skilling across development teams, ensuring capability keeps pace with tooling.
  • People & Team Development
    • Provide technical mentoring, coaching, and support for developers at all levels.
    • Facilitate knowledge sharing, engineering communities of practice, and cross‑team collaboration.
    • Identify skills gaps, training needs, and development opportunities within engineering teams.
    • Support technical hiring, including interviews, assessments, and on-boarding.
    • Guide career development for technical staff, helping shape progression pathways.
  • Decision Authority
    • Hold decision‑making authority on technical architecture and design.
    • Enforce coding standards, quality expectations, and engineering best practices.
    • Mandate technical practices such as test coverage thresholds, documentation standards, and review processes.
    • Own the technical roadmap, including technical debt prioritisation and long‑term platform evolution.
  • Other Duties
    • Assist in ad‑hoc projects.
    • Travel to Company sites (Northampton and Bristol) and for events as required.
    • Any other duties assigned by your line manager.
Skills and Experience
  • Essential
    • Proven experience in a senior engineering or technical leadership role.
    • Strong background in software architecture, system design, and modern engineering practices.
    • Deep understanding of DevOps, CI/CD, cloud platforms, and automation tooling.
    • Expertise in secure coding, performance optimisation, and scalable system design.
    • Demonstrated ability to mentor, influence, and lead technical teams.
    • Excellent communication skills, able to translate complex technical concepts for diverse audiences.
    • Proven ability to lead adoption of AI‑assisted development practices, embedding best practice and driving consistent usage across engineering teams.
    • Hands‑on experience with AI‑powered development tools and a clear understanding of their effective and responsible use in professional software delivery.
    • C#/Java and Azure.
  • Desirable
    • Experience working in multi‑product or platform‑based environments.
    • Familiarity with compliance frameworks, security standards, or regulated industries.
    • Exposure to agile delivery models and cross‑functional team leadership.
    • Experience defining AI governance policies aligned with frameworks such as ISO/IEC 42001.
    • Track record of driving measurable productivity gains through AI tooling in CI/CD and development workflows.
    • Strong prompt engineering skills and practical understanding of LLM capabilities and limitations in a software engineering context.

Software Engineer Tech Lead in Bristol employer: Imperial Civil Enforcement Solutions

As a Software Engineer Tech Lead at our Bristol location, you will thrive in a dynamic work culture that prioritises innovation and collaboration. We offer competitive benefits, including professional development opportunities and a commitment to work-life balance, ensuring you can grow your skills while contributing to impactful projects. Join us to lead technical excellence and shape the future of our engineering teams in a supportive environment that values your expertise and fosters career progression.
Imperial Civil Enforcement Solutions

Contact Detail:

Imperial Civil Enforcement Solutions Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

We think this is how you could land Software Engineer Tech Lead in Bristol

✨Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the tech industry, especially those who work at companies you're interested in. A friendly chat can lead to referrals, which can significantly boost your chances of landing that Technical Lead role.

✨Tip Number 2

Show off your skills! Prepare a portfolio or a GitHub repository showcasing your best projects, especially those that highlight your experience with software architecture and AI tooling. This gives potential employers a tangible sense of what you can bring to the table.

✨Tip Number 3

Ace the interview! Research common technical questions for Software Engineer Tech Leads and practice your responses. Be ready to discuss your approach to mentoring and leading teams, as well as how you handle architectural decisions and coding standards.

✨Tip Number 4

Apply through our website! We make it easy for you to submit your application directly, ensuring it gets into the right hands. Plus, it shows you're genuinely interested in joining our team at StudySmarter!

We think you need these skills to ace Software Engineer Tech Lead in Bristol

Technical Leadership
Software Architecture
System Design
DevOps
CI/CD
Cloud Platforms
Automation Tooling
Secure Coding
Performance Optimisation
Scalable System Design
AI-Assisted Development Practices
C#
Java
Azure
Excellent Communication Skills

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that align with the Technical Lead role. Highlight your experience in software architecture, DevOps, and mentoring, as these are key aspects of the job.

Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Use your cover letter to tell us why you're the perfect fit for this role. Share specific examples of how you've led teams, made technical decisions, and driven engineering excellence in your previous positions.

Showcase Your Technical Skills: Don’t shy away from listing your technical proficiencies, especially in C#/Java and Azure. We want to see your hands-on experience with AI-powered development tools and your understanding of secure coding practices.

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 this exciting opportunity at StudySmarter!

How to prepare for a job interview at Imperial Civil Enforcement Solutions

✨Know Your Tech Inside Out

As a Software Engineer Tech Lead, you need to be well-versed in software architecture and modern engineering practices. Brush up on your knowledge of C#/Java and Azure, and be ready to discuss how you've applied these technologies in past projects.

✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills

This role requires strong technical leadership, so prepare examples of how you've mentored teams or influenced technical decisions. Think about specific instances where your guidance led to improved engineering standards or successful project outcomes.

✨Be Ready to Discuss AI Integration

With the emphasis on AI-assisted development, come prepared to talk about your experience with AI tools. Share how you've driven their adoption in previous roles and any best practices you've established for responsible use within engineering workflows.

✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions

Expect questions that assess your problem-solving skills and decision-making authority. Practice articulating your thought process when faced with architectural challenges or when prioritising technical debt, as this will demonstrate your strategic thinking.

Software Engineer Tech Lead in Bristol
Imperial Civil Enforcement Solutions
Location: Bristol

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