Lead Back End Engineer
Lead Back End Engineer

Lead Back End Engineer

City of London Full-Time 43200 - 72000 £ / year (est.) No home office possible
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At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead backend engineering, set technical vision, and drive improvements in tools and processes.
  • Company: Join a dynamic tech company with a supportive culture and innovative products.
  • Benefits: Enjoy 23 days holiday, hybrid working, performance bonuses, and personal development opportunities.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact by leading backend architecture and mentoring talented engineers.
  • Qualifications: Strong experience in Java, Spring Boot, and cloud environments like AWS.
  • Other info: Work in a fast-paced environment with excellent career growth potential.

The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 £ per year.

Job Description

About the job

Reporting to a Software Engineering Manager or Head of Engineering, we are seeking a Lead Back End Software Engineer to be the go-to authority for backend engineering, setting the technical vision, guiding architecture, and driving improvements in tools, processes, and delivery practices. You’ll remain hands-on for critical work, but your greatest impact will come from technical leadership, enabling teams to deliver robust, scalable, and secure services.

With a strong foundation in backend technologies, including Java and Spring Boot, and event-driven systems such as Kafka, you’ll influence systems well beyond your own code, ensuring architectural integrity and high engineering standards across multiple teams. You’ll play a pivotal role in aligning technical strategy with business goals and ensuring our backend capabilities are future-ready.

What it's like working at mkodo ✨

📝 What You'll Be Doing…

Technical Leadership

  • Define and evolve backend architecture to ensure scalability, maintainability, and performance.
  • Set coding standards and champion secure development practices (e.g. OWASP).
  • Influence technology choices, frameworks, and tools to support engineering excellence.
  • Oversee improvements to CI/CD pipelines, build processes, and operational workflows.
  • Can clearly and confidently articulate risk of technical problems to non technical stakeholders (e.g legal, product owner, designer)
  • Leads projects and features to good outcomes, ensuring appropriate engineering decisions are made to factor in technical debt, systems design, stability/reliability, monitoring/observability and business need.

Hands-On Guidance

  • Contribute to key backend systems when your expertise is needed.
  • Review and refine critical code, ensuring alignment with architectural goals and best practices.
  • Provide technical oversight for major initiatives, ensuring architectural soundness.

Mentoring & Collaboration

  • Coach, mentor, and develop engineers, raising capability across the backend discipline.
  • Facilitate design discussions, code reviews, and collaborative problem-solving sessions.
  • Build consensus for architectural and technical decisions across teams and stakeholders.

Check out the full details, including day-to-day duties and responsibilities on our website: mkodo careers

🤩We’d love to hear from you if…

  • You have strong backend engineering experience, ideally including Java (Java 11+) and Spring Boot.
  • You have proven ability to design and lead backend architectures for complex systems.
  • You are familiar with cloud environments (AWS is mandatory) and container orchestration (Kubernetes).
  • You are experienced in event-driven architectures and messaging platforms such as Kafka.
  • You have strong understanding of RESTful APIs, microservices, and distributed system design.
  • You have knowledge of SQL and NoSQL databases.
  • You are experienced in CI/CD pipelines, automated testing, and modern deployment practices.
  • You are a skilled mentor with the ability to influence technical direction across teams.
  • You have strong problem-solving skills, balancing technical, product, and delivery considerations.
  • You are comfortable in agile environments using Git-based SCM and tools like Jira or Redmine.
  • You are aware of compliance frameworks such as ISO27001 and PCI.

🙌What’s in it for you?

🌴Annual Leave – 23 days holiday, plus all bank holidays, increasing by 1 day per year of service, after 3 years (up to 29 days), Birthday Day-Off, Extra day-off over Christmas, Annual volunteer day.

💰Recognition & Rewards – Annual Performance Bonus and Profit Share Scheme, Tech Loan, Length of Service rewards – 5 & 10 year clubs!

📍Hybrid Working (2-4 days per month office-based minimum) either in our London or Newcastle office;

💸Group Income Protection

❤️Life Insurance

💰Salary Sacrifice Pension, with 5% employer contribution match

🏃🏽Health & Wellbeing – Employee Assistance Programme, 24/7 Smart Health GP Access, Cycle to Work scheme, Bi-Annual Health Check

🌎 Digital Nomad policy – allowing you to work from anywhere for 4 weeks per year.

📚Growth and Development Relevant individual training budget and the opportunity to grow within a dynamic and supportive team.

👌Generous refer a friend scheme.

➕ Plus lots more! Read our full list of benefits.

About us

We have an open, supportive, dynamic culture where talented people are trusted to contribute to the team and company by carrying out their roles in a professional, collaborative, and skilled manner. We value the expertise of our team members and offer opportunities for personal development and career progression within the company.

👉If this is the opportunity you have been waiting for, to work in a fast-paced company with innovative products and cutting-edge technology, please apply now.

📢The candidates must be eligible to work in the UK as no visa sponsorship can be provided.

Lead Back End Engineer employer: mkodo

At mkodo, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a vibrant work culture that fosters collaboration and innovation. With generous benefits such as 23 days of annual leave, a profit share scheme, and a commitment to employee growth through training budgets, we empower our team members to thrive in their careers. Our hybrid working model and unique perks like a Digital Nomad policy make mkodo an attractive place for talented individuals seeking meaningful and rewarding employment in the tech industry.
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Contact Detail:

mkodo Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

We think this is how you could land Lead Back End Engineer

Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections on LinkedIn or at meetups. Let them know you're on the hunt for a Lead Back End Engineer role, and who knows? They might just have the perfect lead for you.

Tip Number 2

Show off your skills! Create a portfolio showcasing your backend projects, especially those using Java, Spring Boot, or Kafka. This will give potential employers a taste of what you can do and set you apart from the crowd.

Tip Number 3

Prepare for interviews by brushing up on your technical knowledge and soft skills. Be ready to discuss your experience with CI/CD pipelines and cloud environments like AWS. Practice articulating complex ideas simply, as you'll need to communicate with non-technical stakeholders too!

Tip Number 4

Don't forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, we love hearing directly from candidates who are excited about joining our team!

We think you need these skills to ace Lead Back End Engineer

Java (Java 11+)
Spring Boot
Event-Driven Architectures
Kafka
Cloud Environments (AWS)
Container Orchestration (Kubernetes)
RESTful APIs
Microservices
Distributed System Design
SQL Databases
NoSQL Databases
CI/CD Pipelines
Automated Testing
Agile Methodologies
Git-based SCM

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that match the Lead Back End Engineer role. Highlight your backend engineering experience, especially with Java and Spring Boot, to show us you’re the right fit!

Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Use your cover letter to tell us why you’re passionate about backend engineering and how your technical leadership can drive our projects forward. Be genuine and let your personality shine through!

Showcase Your Projects: If you've worked on any relevant projects, don’t hesitate to mention them! We love seeing real examples of your work, especially if they involve cloud environments or event-driven architectures.

Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity!

How to prepare for a job interview at mkodo

Know Your Tech Inside Out

Make sure you’re well-versed in backend technologies like Java and Spring Boot. Brush up on event-driven systems such as Kafka, and be ready to discuss how you've used these in past projects. This will show that you can not only lead but also contribute hands-on when needed.

Showcase Your Leadership Skills

Prepare examples of how you've defined and evolved backend architecture in previous roles. Be ready to discuss how you've set coding standards and championed secure development practices. This is your chance to demonstrate your ability to influence technical direction and mentor others.

Communicate Clearly with Non-Techies

Practice articulating complex technical concepts in simple terms. You’ll need to explain risks and decisions to stakeholders who may not have a technical background. Think of scenarios where you’ve successfully communicated with product owners or designers and be ready to share those stories.

Be Ready for Problem-Solving Scenarios

Expect to tackle some real-world problems during the interview. Prepare to discuss how you balance technical, product, and delivery considerations. Think through examples where you’ve solved complex issues, especially in agile environments, and be ready to walk the interviewer through your thought process.

Lead Back End Engineer
mkodo
Location: City of London

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