Staff/Lead Python Engineer (Data Platform/Ops) in London

Staff/Lead Python Engineer (Data Platform/Ops) in London

London Full-Time 80000 - 100000 £ / year (est.) Working from home possible
Mimica

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Develop robust Python applications and enhance ML systems for impactful automation.
  • Company: Join a fast-growing tech company focused on transforming work efficiency.
  • Benefits: Generous salary, stock options, remote work, flexible schedules, and ample paid time off.
  • Other info: Fully remote role with opportunities for career growth and team collaboration.
  • Why this job: Shape the future of work with cutting-edge technology and innovative projects.
  • Qualifications: 8+ years in software engineering with strong Python and backend skills.

The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 £ per year.

Mimica's mission is to empower enterprises, teams, and individuals to reclaim their most precious resource — time and work more efficiently, with greater purpose and impact. Our AI-powered task mining observes employee actions across the desktop and categorises them into detailed process maps. Mimica’s process intelligence highlights inefficiencies, prioritises improvements based on ROI, recommends the optimal technology for automation (RPA, intelligent document processing, GenAI), and provides a blueprint for building new automations and transforming work.

We’ve achieved strong product-market fit and are now scaling with intention. You’ll join a 45-person team of Senior+ engineers and Product leaders who prioritise product impact over mere headcount. We have 8 cross-functional teams, including a dedicated Platform team focused on infra & developer experience. We started building proprietary ML before the LLM boom, so we don't just consume models - we train them from the ground up.

Our approach to engineering:

  • We prioritise customer needs first
  • We work in small, project-based teams
  • We have flexibility in terms of the problems we work on
  • We own the full lifecycle of our projects
  • We avoid silos and encourage taking up tasks in new areas
  • We balance quality and velocity
  • We have a shared responsibility for our production code
  • We each set our own routine to maximise our productivity

What you will own:

In this role, you will own and support the development of backend systems that interface with ML models. You will build apps and core components of our ML systems, deliver new AI features and drive improvements to our infrastructure and services.

We are currently looking for an Engineer to join one of our teams:

  • Data Intelligence Team, whose goal is to provide ML-enriched data for downstream tasks and ensure user data privacy. You would support our data orchestration and processing pipeline, as we build with scalability in mind.
  • Maker Team, a team responsible for building out the automation engine, as one of its founding members. We're building a new product from scratch and that means being a part of the design of its architecture, experimentation and development.

In both cases, we're looking for a Lead/Staff-level engineer who will have the opportunity to shape our technical direction, architecture processes and culture, and level up the team when it comes to development practices.

What you will be doing:

  • Write Python applications that are resilient, robust, and integrate well with other apps in a service architecture. Furthering Developer Experience (DevEx) by mentoring others in writing code that is intuitive, clear, and easy to test.
  • Developing observability for new and existing ML applications and GenAI/LLM integrations, making use of the Grafana Stack (Prometheus, Loki, Tempo).
  • Develop integrations and services that communicate with Google Services.
  • Working closely with Data Scientists and ML Engineers throughout the lifecycle of productionising their models.
  • Being responsive to incidents regarding ML applications - including an understanding of how to triage and resolve issues relating to CPU, memory, and GPU utilisation.
  • Documenting procedures and guides to facilitate knowledge sharing and help other engineers level up through pairing and mentoring.
  • Participating in hiring and onboarding new team members; taking on end-to-end project management responsibilities as we grow.

What we're looking for:

  • At least 8 years of experience and above as a Software Engineer, and previous Lead/Staff/Principal level of responsibilities.
  • Strong proficiency with Python and Backend-Engineering.
  • Strong experience with async/concurrent programming.
  • Experience owning projects from start to finish, including speccing, architecture, development, testing, deployment, release and monitoring.
  • Strong skills in building maintainable tests.
  • Strong experience with observability and tracing.
  • Knowledge of best practices for performance optimisation, memory management.
  • Experience mentoring others, especially in good software development practices, patterns, and fundamentals.
  • Drive to continually develop your skills, improve team processes and reduce technical debt.
  • Fluency in English and ability to effectively communicate abstract ideas, complex concepts and trade-offs.

Nice to have:

  • Having been a founding/early member of an Engineering team.
  • Experience working within a fast-growing Scale-up environment – delivering value quickly and iteratively.
  • Experience with GCP.

Who you are not:

  • Junior, Mid-level engineers. While we value mentoring, coaching and curiosity, at this stage we're looking for Senior+ Engineers for help level up the team in good practices, before expanding to juniors.
  • You use Python, but you're not familiar with the fundamentals of how Python works. We have a high technical bar, as we're building with scalability in mind, so we'd like to avoid a shallow understanding of architecture, networking and fundamentals.

Recruitment Stages:

  • Stage 1 | Recruiter Screen with Technical Recruiter
  • Stage 2 | Take-home Challenge (async) + Follow-up (Live) - with Engineering Manager + colleague in an equivalent role
  • Stage 3 | System Design (Live) - with Engineering Manager + someone you'd work closely with
  • Stage 4 | Founders/Behavioural Interview - with TL + Co-founder/CTO

Location:

This is a fully remote position. You can be based anywhere in the UK, Europe, or the Americas within a UTC-7 to UTC+3 timezone.

What we offer:

  • Generous compensation + stock options - aligned with our internal framework, market data, and individual skills.
  • Distributed work: Work from anywhere - fully remote, in our hubs, or a mix.
  • Company-issued laptop, remote setup stipend, and co-working budget.
  • Flexible schedules and location.
  • Ample paid time off, in addition to local public holidays.
  • Enhanced parental leave.
  • Health & retirement benefits.
  • Annual learning & development budget.
  • Annual workaways and regular virtual & in-person socials.
  • Opportunity to contribute to groundbreaking projects that shape the future of work.

Note: Some benefits may vary depending on location and role.

Mimica will only contact candidates from an @mimica.ai email address. We do not request banking or sensitive personal information during the recruiting process.

Staff/Lead Python Engineer (Data Platform/Ops) in London employer: Mimica

Mimica is an exceptional employer that prioritises employee growth and well-being, offering a fully remote work environment that allows for flexibility and a healthy work-life balance. With generous compensation packages, ample paid time off, and a strong focus on professional development, employees are empowered to contribute to innovative projects that redefine the future of work. The collaborative culture fosters mentorship and shared responsibility, making it an ideal place for experienced engineers to thrive and make a meaningful impact.

Mimica

Contact Details:

Mimica Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Staff/Lead Python Engineer (Data Platform/Ops) in London

Join Local Tech Meetups

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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 Mimica.

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We think you need these skills to ace Staff/Lead Python Engineer (Data Platform/Ops) in London

Python
Backend Engineering
Async Programming
Project Management
Observability
Performance Optimisation
Memory Management

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 Mimica.

Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Mimica 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 Mimica

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 Mimica 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.