At a Glance
- Tasks: Build scalable backend systems for hotel inventory and enhance customer experience.
- Company: On the Beach, a leading travel tech company in Manchester.
- Benefits: 25 days holiday, discounts on holidays, and access to professional development.
- Other info: Flexible hybrid working model with great career growth opportunities.
- Why this job: Join a dynamic team and make a real impact in the travel industry.
- Qualifications: Experience in scalable backend systems and cloud-native platforms like AWS.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
As a Senior Software Engineer in Hotels Acquisition you will build scalable backend systems and platforms that ingest, process and distribute hotel inventory across On the Beach. You will work on systems that support supplier connectivity, inventory acquisition, pricing and availability freshness, cache optimisation and search distribution. This backend and platform focused role emphasises distributed systems, cloud‑native technologies, operational excellence and high performance at scale, while collaborating closely with engineers, product managers, analysts and commercial teams to deliver reliable, commercially impactful solutions.
Responsibilities
- Acquire, optimise and distribute hotel inventory from multiple suppliers to ensure customers can discover the right holiday at the right price with accurate availability.
- Maintain systems that sit behind hundreds of thousands of searches every day, ensuring scale, data freshness, supplier reliability and customer experience are deeply connected.
- Design, build and operate distributed services that support supplier connectivity, inventory acquisition, pricing and availability freshness, cache optimisation and search distribution.
- Work closely with engineering, product and commercial teams to deliver reliable and commercially impactful solutions.
Qualifications
- Experience building scalable backend systems and distributed services.
- Proficiency in designing and operating cloud‑native platforms, particularly AWS.
- Strong background in large‑scale, data‑intensive applications and messaging infrastructure, streaming technologies, and event‑driven architectures.
- Experience building reliable and observable production systems, with a focus on APIs, integrations and external suppliers.
- Ability to solve scalability, latency and operational resilience challenges.
- Collaborative mindset across engineering, product and commercial teams.
- Pragmatic technical decision‑making in fast‑moving environments.
- Curiosity to learn new technologies and continuously improve engineering practices.
- Interest in AI‑assisted engineering, agentic coding workflows and modern developer tooling.
- Experience with .NET, C#, Kubernetes, APIs, observability tooling and modern cloud‑native engineering practices is highly desirable.
Interview Process
The interview process consists of three stages, conducted via Microsoft Teams:
- Hiring Manager meet & greet – 30 minutes.
- Behavioural & ways of working – 60 minutes.
- Tech pairing & system design – 90 minutes.
Working Hours
Full‑time hours: 37.5 per week. Core working hours: 10:00‑16:00. Hybrid model: one day in office every two weeks, with the option for additional in‑office days.
Benefits
- 25 days holiday plus birthday off.
- Generous discount on holidays and 2 extra days annual leave when booking via On the Beach package.
- Access to Leaderbly learning platform, workshops, courses and professional qualifications.
- Enhanced maternity, paternity, shared parental leave and adoption pay, plus other family‑friendly support.
- Employee Assistance Programme and free access to counselling.
- Simplyhealth Optimise Health Plan and Company Sick Pay scheme.
- Regular wellbeing events, gym discount, Share Incentive Plan (SIP) and death‑in‑service cover.
- On‑site subsidised coffee shop, The Sandbox bar, food and drink discounts across Manchester venues, and cycle‑to‑work scheme.
Senior Software Engineer - Flight Acquisition at On the Beach in Manchester employer: On the Beach
On the Beach is an exceptional employer located in Manchester, offering a dynamic work culture that prioritises collaboration and innovation. As a Senior Software Engineer, you will benefit from a generous holiday allowance, professional development opportunities through the Leaderbly learning platform, and a supportive environment that values employee wellbeing. With a hybrid working model and unique perks like discounts on holidays and local venues, On the Beach fosters a rewarding and engaging workplace for those looking to make a meaningful impact in the travel industry.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Software Engineer - Flight Acquisition at On the Beach in Manchester
✨Join Local Tech Meetups
Get out there and mingle with fellow developers by joining local tech meetups. It’s a fantastic way to meet people who might be working at On the Beach or know someone who does. Plus, you can pick up some trendy tech skills and trends while you're at it!
✨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 On the Beach.
✨Tap into Online Developer Communities
Don’t underestimate the power of online developer communities like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and even Reddit. Participate in discussions, share your projects, and build your visibility. We can often find opportunities through these channels that can lead to a full-time gig at companies like On the Beach.
✨Explore Job Boards Specifically for Tech Roles
Keep your eyes peeled on job boards that focus on tech roles. Sites like TechCareers or Stack Overflow Jobs can often have listings for companies like On the Beach that might not show up on broader job sites. Make it a habit to check these regularly, and don’t hesitate to apply directly through our website!
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Software Engineer - Flight Acquisition at On the Beach in Manchester
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 On the Beach.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at On the Beach 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 On the Beach
✨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 On the Beach 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.
