At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead backend engineering, set technical vision, and drive improvements in tools and processes.
- Company: Join mkodo, a forward-thinking tech company with a focus on innovation.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, health benefits, and a pension plan with employer contribution.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by shaping backend architecture and mentoring future tech leaders.
- Qualifications: Strong experience in backend technologies like Java, Spring Boot, and event-driven systems.
- Other info: Dynamic work environment with opportunities for professional growth and development.
The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 Β£ per year.
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\βll 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\βll influence systems well beyond your own code, ensuring architectural integrity and high engineering standards across multiple teams. You\βll play a pivotal role in aligning technical strategy with business goals and ensuring our backend capabilities are future-ready.
What it\βs like working at mkodo
What You\βll Be Doingβ¦
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\βd love to hear from you ifβ¦
- 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\βs in it for you?
Annual Leave β 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 β Annual Performance Bonus and Profit Share Scheme, Tech Loan, Length of Service rewards β 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 β Employee Assistance Programme, 24/7 Smart Health GP Access, Cycle to Work scheme, Bi-Annual Health Check
Digital Nomad policy β allowing you to work from anywhere for 4 weeks per year.
Growth and Development
β
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
Contact Detail:
mkodo Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice π€«
We think this is how you could land Lead Back End Engineer
β¨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry, attend meetups, and engage in online forums. The more people you know, the better your chances of landing that Lead Back End Engineer role.
β¨Tip Number 2
Showcase your expertise! Create a portfolio or GitHub repository that highlights your backend projects, especially those using Java, Spring Boot, and Kafka. This will give potential employers a taste of your skills and technical leadership.
β¨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on your technical knowledge and soft skills. Be ready to discuss architectural decisions, coding standards, and how youβve influenced teams in the past. Confidence is key!
β¨Tip Number 4
Donβt forget to apply through our website! Itβs the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about their job search.
We think you need these skills to ace Lead Back End Engineer
Some tips for your application π«‘
Show Your Technical Leadership: When writing your application, make sure to highlight your experience in leading backend projects and teams. We want to see how you've influenced architecture and coding standards in your previous roles.
Be Hands-On: Donβt forget to mention your hands-on experience with backend technologies like Java and Spring Boot. We love candidates who can dive into the code when needed, so share specific examples of your contributions.
Communicate Clearly: Since you'll be working with non-technical stakeholders, it's crucial to demonstrate your ability to articulate complex technical issues simply. Use your application to show us how youβve successfully communicated risks and solutions in the past.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. Itβs the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you donβt miss out on any important updates during the process!
How to prepare for a job interview at mkodo
β¨Know Your Tech Inside Out
Make sure youβre well-versed in backend technologies like Java and Spring Boot. Brush up on event-driven systems such as Kafka, as youβll need to demonstrate your expertise and how it aligns with the companyβs tech stack.
β¨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples of how you've led technical projects or teams in the past. Be ready to discuss how you set coding standards and champion secure development practices, as this role requires strong technical leadership.
β¨Communicate Clearly with Non-Techies
Practice explaining complex technical concepts in simple terms. Youβll need to articulate risks and solutions to stakeholders who may not have a technical background, so being clear and confident is key.
β¨Demonstrate Problem-Solving Abilities
Think of specific challenges youβve faced in previous roles and how you overcame them. Highlight your ability to make engineering decisions that balance technical debt with business needs, showing that you can think strategically.