At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead backend engineering, set technical vision, and drive improvements in tools and processes.
- Company: Join mkodo, a dynamic tech company in the global lottery and gaming space.
- Benefits: Enjoy hybrid working, generous holidays, performance bonuses, and a supportive culture.
- Other info: Great opportunities for personal development and career progression await you.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by shaping backend architecture and mentoring future tech leaders.
- Qualifications: Strong experience in Java, Spring Boot, and backend system design required.
The predicted salary is between 70000 - 90000 € per year.
Location: London/Newcastle – Hybrid Office & Home
Who Are We? mkodo builds world class apps, middleware and digital products in the global lottery, betting, and gaming space. 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.
Acquired in February 2020, by Pollard Banknote Limited (PBL), a major supplier to the global lottery industries, brought mkodo strong financial security, access to resources and clients at a global level.
About the role: Reporting to a Software Engineering Manager or Head of Engineering, we are seeking a Lead Backend 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.
Main responsibilities are:
- 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.
- Continuous Improvement
- Identify and proactively resolve technical debt.
- Introduce new backend technologies and approaches that improve reliability and delivery speed.
- Promote engineering practices that support scalable, secure, and maintainable systems.
- Community & Advocacy
- Proactively stays up to date with technology trends in their area, and uses this knowledge to contribute thoughts on engineering strategy.
- Share knowledge through presentations, workshops, and internal forums.
- Support recruitment by assessing candidates and promoting a strong engineering culture.
- Ensure backend systems comply with relevant standards such as ISO27001 and PCI.
Key Skills & Attributes:
- Strong backend engineering experience, ideally including Java (Java 11+) and Spring Boot.
- Proven ability to design and lead backend architectures for complex systems.
- Familiarity with cloud environments (AWS preferred) and container orchestration (Kubernetes).
- Experience with event-driven architectures and messaging platforms such as Kafka.
- Strong understanding of RESTful APIs, microservices, and distributed system design.
- Knowledge of SQL and NoSQL databases.
- Experience with CI/CD pipelines, automated testing, and modern deployment practices.
- Skilled mentor with the ability to influence technical direction across teams.
- Strong problem-solving skills, balancing technical, product, and delivery considerations.
- Comfortable in agile environments using Git-based SCM and tools like Jira or Redmine.
- Aware of compliance frameworks such as ISO27001 and PCI.
We encourage growth and progression because we value our colleagues and know that we best succeed when achieving and developing together.
Benefits:
- Hybrid/Flexible Working
- Quarterly team events
- Birthday Holiday
- Christmas Day-Off
- Generous Holiday Allowance
- Tech Loan Scheme
- Performance bonus & profit share scheme
- Cycle to Work scheme
- Life insurance and income protection
- Travel Loan scheme
- Supplies of fresh fruits, cereals, biscuits, nibbles, etc. in the offices
- Relevant training and training budget.
- Digital Nomad Policy
- Generous refer a friend scheme
Lead Backend Software Engineer in Newcastle upon Tyne employer: mkodo
mkodo is an exceptional employer that fosters a dynamic and supportive work culture, where talented individuals are empowered to excel in their roles. With a strong emphasis on personal development and career progression, employees benefit from hybrid working arrangements, generous holiday allowances, and a range of perks including performance bonuses and a digital nomad policy. Located in London/Newcastle, mkodo offers a unique opportunity to be part of a leading company in the global lottery and gaming industry, backed by the financial security of Pollard Banknote Limited.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Backend Software Engineer in Newcastle upon Tyne
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with folks in the industry. Attend meetups, tech conferences, or even local coding events. You never know who might be looking for a Lead Backend Software Engineer just like you!
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio showcasing your best backend projects. Whether it's a personal project or contributions to open source, having tangible examples of your work can really set you apart from the crowd.
✨Tip Number 3
Don’t shy away from social media! Use platforms like LinkedIn to share your insights on backend technologies, engage with industry leaders, and even post about your latest projects. It’s a great way to get noticed by potential employers.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! We love seeing candidates who are genuinely interested in mkodo. Tailor your application to highlight how your experience aligns with our needs, especially in backend engineering and technical leadership.
We think you need these skills to ace Lead Backend Software Engineer in Newcastle upon Tyne
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV is tailored to the Lead Backend Software Engineer role. Highlight your experience with Java, Spring Boot, and any event-driven systems like Kafka. We want to see how your skills align with our needs!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Share your passion for backend engineering and how you can contribute to our team. Don’t forget to mention your leadership experience and how you’ve influenced technical decisions in the past.
Showcase Your Projects:Include examples of projects you've worked on that demonstrate your backend expertise. Whether it’s a complex system architecture or a CI/CD pipeline you improved, we love seeing real-world applications of your skills!
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother process. It helps us keep track of your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates from us!
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, as well as event-driven systems like Kafka. Brush up on your understanding of RESTful APIs and microservices, as these will likely come up during the interview.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare to discuss your experience in leading technical projects and mentoring other engineers. Be ready to share specific examples of how you've influenced architectural decisions and improved team processes in previous roles.
✨Communicate Clearly with Non-Techies
Since you'll need to articulate technical risks to non-technical stakeholders, practice explaining complex concepts in simple terms. Think about how you can convey the importance of secure development practices and architectural integrity without getting too technical.
✨Demonstrate Continuous Improvement Mindset
Be prepared to talk about how you've identified and resolved technical debt in past projects. Highlight any new technologies or approaches you've introduced that improved reliability and delivery speed, showing that you're proactive about enhancing engineering practices.
