At a Glance
- Tasks: Build innovative software that transforms financial operations for global companies.
- Company: Join a dynamic team at Light, redefining finance with cutting-edge technology.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, stock options, 25 days leave, and exciting socials.
- Other info: Great career growth opportunities in a fun, innovative environment.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in fintech while working with AI and modern tech.
- Qualifications: 3-7 years of experience in software development and a passion for AI.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
Retire the ERP. Light exists to replace factory-era ERPs with software that feels alive. Our Smart Financial Platform gives modern, global companies superpowers—automated accounting, real-time reporting, and financial flows that move at the speed of the business. We build with our customers, ship fast, and obsess over craft. In a short time, Light has gone from idea to the operating core for leading companies like Lovable, Legora, and Keyshot. People don’t just use Light—they enjoy it.
We’re an early team defining a new software category. Think engineers who love debits and credits, designers who care about reconciliation states, and operators who treat finance as a product. If you’re excited to modernize how the world runs money—one workflow at a time—you’re in the right place. Backed by world-class investors and advised by industry titans, we’re building category-defining products with the freedom to ship ambitiously and own outcomes. Come help us make Light the global default for next-gen finance.
This Senior Software Engineer role is for builders who can take a customer problem from idea to production, wherever in the stack it lives. At Light, AI writes code and the bottleneck has shifted from writing to thinking, so we want engineers who work end-to-end and ship things that matter. We are primarily hiring at mid-level for this role. Junior candidates who are exceptional and genuinely AI-native are welcome. Senior candidates will be considered by exception; we have strong technical leadership and the bar is high.
Your qualifications:
- 3-7 years of experience ideally, plus...
- You build things. Not prototypes, not demos. Working software in production, doing something real for real users. This is the non-negotiable.
- You're genuinely AI-native. You've changed the way you work because of AI tooling, not just added it to your workflow. You have an instinct for where it helps, where it misleads, and how to use it without losing ownership of the outcome.
- You've built with LLMs. You have hands-on experience building products or features on top of large language models. Agents are a bonus, but working knowledge of how LLMs behave in production is a must.
- You're comfortable across the stack. You don't need to be a specialist in everything, but you can't have a lane you refuse to leave. Our stack is Kotlin and React. If you're strong in one and curious about the rest, that works. If you need someone else to handle the other side of the feature, it doesn't.
- You care about the product. You think about the person on the other end. You notice when something feels clunky, even if it technically works. You have opinions about what good software feels like and you act on them.
- You ship early and often. Small batches. Learn. Go again. You're not precious about your work. You'd rather put something real in front of a customer than spend another week perfecting it in isolation.
Bonus points:
- Experience in fintech or systems where data integrity is non-negotiable
- Familiarity with accounting concepts: debits, credits, reconciliation
- Background in high-growth startups where everything was still being figured out
Our Tech Stack:
We build on AWS, with a Kotlin backend, a React frontend, and infrastructure managed in Terraform. It's a real production system that global finance teams depend on every day. You don't need to have used every piece of it. You do need to be comfortable in this kind of environment: real scale, real customers, real stakes.
The good stuff:
- A competitive salary + potential stock options
- 25 days of annual leave + public holidays in the country where you are based.
- Regular socials and company off-sites
- A huge opportunity for career growth as you'll help shape a market-defining product.
The famous last words:
Working at Light means you're embarking on an exciting journey to reshape the future of multinational financial operations. Our cheat-code is that we've built something like this before - and are now doing it again, only better. Our goal is to make global finance effortless and empower companies to make informed decisions. Join the rocket ship while it's taking off.
Senior Software Engineer in London employer: Light
At Light, we pride ourselves on being an innovative employer that values creativity and collaboration. Our remote work culture fosters a supportive environment where you can thrive, with ample opportunities for personal and professional growth as we redefine the finance function together. Join us in shaping the future of finance while enjoying competitive benefits, including a competitive salary, potential stock options, and generous annual leave.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Software Engineer 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 Light 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 Light.
✨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 Light.
✨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 Light 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 Software Engineer 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 Light.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Light 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 Light
✨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 Light 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.