At a Glance
- Tasks: Design and develop backend services in Python, shaping investment products for clients.
- Company: Join a fast-growing fintech in London, making ETF investing accessible.
- Benefits: Remote-first work, unlimited vacation, and opportunities for technical growth.
- Other info: Collaborative team culture with influence on architecture and engineering practices.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on investment products used by over 150,000 clients.
- Qualifications: 5+ years in backend development with strong Python skills and project leadership experience.
The predicted salary is between 56700 - 69300 £ per year.
About InvestEngine
We're a London-based fintech on a mission to make ETF investing simple and accessible. Over 150,000 clients have trusted us with over £3.5 billion in assets — and we're just getting started. We've been featured by MoneyWeek, Finder and Forbes, and we're growing fast with big ambitions.
About the Role
We're looking for a Senior Backend Engineer to join our Portfolio Team and help build the core investment products our clients use every day. The team owns portfolio creation, Managed Portfolios and related portfolio operations. This is product development work: you'll turn product ideas into reliable, well-built backend features that directly shape how clients invest.
What You'll Do
- Design, develop and maintain backend services in Python 3.11 using Django / DRF
- Build features for portfolio creation, Managed Portfolios and portfolio operations
- Lead roadmap projects end-to-end: clarify requirements with Product, propose the technical design, break down the work and ship it
- Design and build RESTful APIs used by our web and mobile apps
- Give constructive, high-quality code reviews and help raise the team's engineering standards
- Take part in architecture discussions and contribute to technical decisions
- Work with MySQL and Redis
- Identify and reduce technical debt
- Collaborate closely with Product, frontend, QA, mobile and design
- Contribute to the evolution of our architecture and engineering practices
What We're Looking For
- 5+ years of experience in backend development
- Strong Python skills and solid software engineering fundamentals
- A good understanding of software architecture and service design
- Solid experience with relational databases and REST API design
- A track record of writing clean, maintainable, well-tested code
- Experience leading projects or features from idea to production
- The ability to pick up new codebases and technologies quickly
- Strong ownership, organisation and a collaborative working style
- Familiarity with Git, CI/CD practices and modern engineering workflows
- Good written and spoken English
Nice to Have
- Experience with Django or Django REST Framework (not required, since strong fundamentals matter more than an exact framework match)
- Experience in fintech, investing, wealth management or another regulated industry
- Familiarity with AWS and Docker
- Experience with RabbitMQ, Kafka or other message brokers
- Experience using AI-assisted development tools in your daily work
- Contributions to open source or personal side projects
How We Work
We're a lean, collaborative team where engineers have real influence on architecture, technical decisions and engineering culture. The Portfolio Team is strong and autonomous. We work in two-week sprints with Product involved throughout, and we have a clear 3–6 month roadmap. You'll have the freedom to make technical decisions and own meaningful parts of the product without micromanagement or unnecessary bureaucracy.
What We Offer
- Impact from day one: work on core investment products used by more than 150,000 clients
- Ownership: lead projects and become the go-to backend owner for key areas of the Portfolio domain
- Technical growth: influence architecture and technical decisions
- Modern tech stack: Python 3.11, Django, MySQL, Redis, AWS, GitHub, TeamCity
- Remote-first and flexible: work from anywhere, at your own pace
- Unlimited vacation: take time off when you need it, with no fixed limits
- Supportive team: thoughtful, skilled colleagues who care about quality and results
Hiring Process
HR interview
Technical interview with the Backend team
Conversation with the Portfolio team leadership
Gamified cognitive assessment to understand how you think and solve problems
Senior Backend Engineer, Portfolio team (Python) in London employer: InvestEngine
InvestEngine is an exceptional employer, offering a unique opportunity to shape the strategic direction of a fast-growing UK investment platform. With a transparent and collaborative culture, employees benefit from hybrid working arrangements and the chance to lead a dedicated team while directly partnering with the CEO. The company prioritises employee growth through hands-on leadership roles and the freedom to design and implement innovative operating models.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Backend Engineer, Portfolio team (Python) 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 InvestEngine 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 InvestEngine.
✨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 InvestEngine.
✨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 InvestEngine 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 Backend Engineer, Portfolio team (Python) in London
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 InvestEngine.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at InvestEngine 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 InvestEngine
✨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 InvestEngine 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.
