At a Glance
- Tasks: Create and maintain internal tools that streamline workflows and enhance productivity.
- Company: Join Koffeecup, a dynamic game studio crafting innovative gaming experiences.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, private healthcare, flexible working, and training opportunities.
- Other info: Be part of a creative team with high autonomy and excellent career growth potential.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by transforming tedious processes into efficient software solutions.
- Qualifications: Experience in full-stack web development, particularly with TypeScript and Next.js.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 60000 £ per year.
Koffeecup is a game studio brewing worlds and games. We build creator-first UGC experiences on Roblox, UEFN and Meta Horizon, develop and port for console, and make our own games. Behind every great game studio is a mountain of spreadsheets, repetitive admin and held-together workflows. We need someone whose entire job is to turn the grind into software. You’ll be our internal tools builder, spotting clunky processes, sitting down with the people stuck doing it, and shipping something better - fast. You’ll build the dashboards, apps, integrations and automations that keep Koffeecup moving, then own them, improve them and ensure the whole studio can depend on them.
Role Purpose: The Maker builds and maintains the internal tools that keep Koffeecup running — the dashboards, small web apps, and automations the studio relies on day to day. This role exists to turn recurring problems and manual grind into working software, fast, and then keep it alive. Success looks like a growing toolkit of dependable, well-built internal apps that everyone trusts — all built to the KC house standard so they're consistent, secure, and cheap to run. This is a builder's role: high autonomy, high output, close to the people who use what they make.
Key Responsibilities:
- Own internal tools end to end — from a rough idea to a live, maintained app.
- Build new internal tools and dashboards against the KC standard stack — Next.js (TypeScript, App Router) on Cloud Run, Cloud SQL Postgres via Drizzle, IAP + Google Workspace auth, deployed from GitHub via Cloud Shell.
- Maintain the existing toolset — fix bugs, run schema migrations safely, refresh data, handle incidents, and keep dependencies and costs in check.
- Scope with the people who'll use it — sit with the team, understand the real workflow, and ship the smallest thing that solves it rather than gold-plating.
- Integrate with the tools KC already runs — HubSpot, Notion, HiBob, Slack — pulling and pushing data cleanly and deduping on stable keys.
- Keep it secure and consistent — secrets in Google Secret Manager, one GCP project per app, IAP-gated access, and the KC brand theme applied so every tool looks and behaves the same.
- Broadcast changes — post deploys and notable events (migrations, data refreshes, incidents) with plain-English release notes to #ai-tools-build.
- Improve the foundations — keep the starter template and reference implementation current so the next tool is faster to build.
Skills, Knowledge & Behaviours:
Hard skills:
- Comfortable shipping full-stack web apps in TypeScript / Next.js (App Router, server actions, SSR) — UI and API in one framework.
- Working knowledge of SQL / Postgres and an ORM (Drizzle or similar) — can design a schema, write migrations, and query confidently.
- Hands-on with Google Cloud Platform: Cloud Run, Cloud SQL, IAP, Secret Manager, Cloud Build — or clearly able to get there quickly.
- Fluent with Git / GitHub and command-line deploys; comfortable working in Cloud Shell.
- Able to integrate third-party APIs (e.g. HubSpot, HiBob, Slack webhooks) and handle auth, rate limits, and data hygiene.
- Bonus: comfortable pairing with AI coding tools (Claude / Cowork) to move faster.
Soft skills:
- Pragmatic — ships the useful thing now, not the perfect thing eventually.
- Knows when 'good enough' is done.
- Talks to users directly and translates messy real-world workflows into clean tools.
- Owns the whole lifecycle — build, deploy, maintain — without needing to be chased.
- Comfortable with ambiguity and a broad, self-directed brief.
- Cares about consistency — follows the house standard rather than reinventing the stack per tool.
Koffeecup non-negotiables:
- Proactive ownership — no passengers.
- Spots what's worth building and builds it.
- High-level English storytelling — clear release notes, clear docs, clear updates.
Salary: £30k-£60k dependent on location and experience
What's in it for you?
- Employer funded private healthcare
- Koffee Koupons
- Enhanced family leave packages
- Flexible working options
- Training and development opportunities
- Wellbeing fund to support mental health
Internal Tools Developer employer: Koffeecup
Koffeecup is an exceptional employer that fosters a vibrant and creative work culture, perfect for those passionate about gaming and marketing. With opportunities for professional growth and collaboration with industry leaders in dynamic locations like London, SF, and Bordeaux, employees are empowered to make a meaningful impact while enjoying a supportive environment that values innovation and teamwork.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Internal Tools Developer
✨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 Koffeecup 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 Koffeecup.
✨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 Koffeecup.
✨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 Koffeecup 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 Internal Tools Developer
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 Koffeecup.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Koffeecup 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 Koffeecup
✨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 Koffeecup 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.
