Lead Web Developer in Leeds

Lead Developer (Node.JS)

I\’m looking for an experienced Lead Developer to support API development and backend delivery for a high-traffic consumer platform. You\’ll work alongside front-end engineers to build scalable, secure, and performant systems using modern tools and AI-assisted development.

• This is a fully remote contract for 6 months, outside IR35

You’ll be a good fit if you :

• Deliver production-ready APIs fast and independently
• Have proven experience with consumer-facing platforms
• Use AI coding tools (Cursor, Claude Code, Codex, or similar) to speed up development
• Make confident technical decisions with minimal guidance
• Follow clear architectural standards and established development patterns
• Understand backend performance, scalability, and security at production scale
• Build reliable, maintainable APIs and data systems
• Collaborate effectively with front-end developers to design and implement seamless integrations
• Apply caching and optimization techniques for high-traffic environments

We’re not looking for :

• Developers needing extensive supervision or mentoring
• Anyone without production experience in consumer-facing systems
• Those who avoid AI coding tools

Core Technical Requirements :

• Node.js (extensive production experience) – this is key, you must have
• RESTful API design and development (production experience)
• Database design and optimization (SQL and / or NoSQL)
• Authentication, authorization, and security best practices
• AI coding tools (GitHub Copilot, Claude, Cursor, or similar)

Nice to Have :

• React JS / Next.js (for full stack capability)
• Payload CMS
• Azure
• Microservices architecture