At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a talented team to develop innovative software solutions for a sustainable future.
- Company: Join OVO, a mission-driven tech company tackling the climate crisis.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, flexible benefits, and 34 days of holiday.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse community focused on continuous learning and growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact while working with cutting-edge technology in a collaborative environment.
- Qualifications: Expertise in software development, architecture, and team leadership required.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 £ per year.
Role: OVO-View Team: Core Tech API Platform - Customer
Location: Hub Based - Hybrid for all
Salary banding: £80,000 - £100,000
Experience: Expert
Working pattern: Full-Time
Reporting to: Delivery & Growth Lead
Sponsorship: Unfortunately we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role.
This role in 3 words: Technical, Excellence, Influence
Top 3 qualities for this role: Communication, Delivery Expertise, Amplification
Where you’ll work: Depending on the needs of your business area, we expect hub based people to be in the office at least once a week, and to go to OVO Connection events in-person. You’ll be assigned to the closest one of our three hub offices, Bristol, Glasgow, or London; unless your role requires field-based work. Each hub has accessible spaces to park your laptop, is designed to inspire people, help them connect and bring big ideas to life.
Everyone belongs at OVO: At OVO, we are on a mission to solve one of humanity's biggest challenges, the climate crisis. And we know it takes all of us to change the world. That's why we need diverse people from all abilities, gender identities, ethnicities, ages, sexual orientations, life experiences and backgrounds to join us.
Teamworking for the planet: Everything we do here spins around Plan Zero. So, naturally, the team you’ll be joining plays a gigantic role in making that happen.
Here’s how: As a Staff Software Engineer, you are more than a coder; you are the technical cornerstone for a major product area. You will define the roadmap and technical vision, guiding your team to build elegant, scalable, and high-impact solutions. Your role is pivotal in shaping not just the architecture, but the engineering culture itself. You'll lead by example, mentoring engineers, driving best practices, and fostering an environment where innovation and excellence can thrive. This is an opportunity to solve complex challenges, align technical strategy with business goals, and deliver work that truly matters.
This role in a nutshell: As a Staff Software Engineer, you will take technical ownership of a core product area. You will define the architectural vision, guide your team through complex challenges and champion engineering excellence to deliver high-impact solutions that meet our business objectives. This is a key leadership role for an engineer who loves to strategise, code and mentor.
Your key outcomes will be:
- Lead, Mentor & Develop: Lead a talented team of software engineers, fostering a collaborative and high-performance culture while supporting their career growth through mentorship, feedback, and performance reviews.
- Drive Technical Excellence: Take ownership of the team's technical direction, leading the design and architecture of scalable, high-quality software solutions and championing best practices through code reviews and automated testing.
- Innovate & Evaluate: Continuously assess and recommend new technologies, frameworks, and tools to enhance development efficiency and keep our solutions at the cutting edge.
- Collaborate & Influence: Partner closely with product managers, designers, and key stakeholders to align technical strategy with business objectives, acting as the key technical voice in project planning.
- Communicate with Impact: Clearly articulate complex technical concepts, challenges, and trade-offs to both technical and non-technical audiences.
- Champion Improvement: Proactively identify and implement process improvements to boost team productivity and drive a culture of continuous learning and knowledge sharing.
- Build the Community: Actively contribute to our engineering Community of Practice, sharing your expertise and helping to advance our collective craft across the organisation.
You’ll be a successful Staff Software Engineer at OVO if you can demonstrate…
- Project & Team Leadership: Extensive professional experience in software development, with a proven track record of leading teams and successfully delivering complex projects.
- Software Architecture & Development: Expertise in designing and building microservices-based architectures using languages like Node.js, Python, TypeScript/JavaScript, and React.
- Cloud & DevOps: Proficiency with cloud platforms (GCP, AWS), containerization (Docker, Kubernetes), and CI/CD automation.
- System Design & Data: Strong command of database systems, data modeling, software architecture, and design patterns.
- Mentorship & Stakeholder Management: Exceptional leadership and communication skills with the ability to mentor engineers, manage stakeholders, and drive technical consensus.
- Strategic Thinking & Business Acumen: A strategic problem-solver with a strong ability to balance technical trade-offs with business requirements.
Let’s talk about what’s in it for you: We’ll pay you between £80,000 and £100,000, depending on your specific skills and experience. You’ll be eligible for an on-target bonus of 15%. We have one OVO bonus plan that focuses on the collective performance of our people to deliver our Plan Zero goal. We also offer plenty of green benefits and progressive policies to help you feel like you belong at OVO…and there’s flex pay. We'll give you 9% Flex Pay on top of your salary – 4% of this is auto enrolled into your pension, and the remaining 5% is yours to do what you like with. You can use this to buy from our extensive range of flexible benefits, including our green benefits which we've put at the heart of our offering, add to your pension or even take it as cash.
Here’s a taster of what’s on offer: For starters, you’ll get 34 days of holiday (including bank holidays). For your health with benefits like a healthcare cash plan or private medical insurance depending on your career level, critical illness cover, life assurance, health assessments, and more. For your wellbeing with gym membership, travel insurance, workplace ISA, will writing services, dental insurance, and more. For your lifestyle with extra holiday buying, discount dining, home & tech loans, and supporting your favourite charities with give-as-you-earn donations. For your home get up to £400 towards any OVO Energy plan, plus great discounts on solar, smart thermostats and EV chargers. For your commute nab a great deal on ultra-low emission car leasing, plus our cycle to work scheme and public transport season ticket loans.
Want to hear about our full range of flexible benefits and progressive people policies? Our People Team can tell you everything you need to know.
For your Belonging: To find better ways to support our people, we need to listen to each other’s experiences and find ways to build a truly inclusive and diverse workplace. As part of this, we have 8 Belonging Networks at OVO. Led by our people, for our people - so when you join OVO, you can play a part - big or small - with any of the Networks. It's up to you.
Staff Software Engineer (Core Tech API Platform - Customer) employer: OVO
At OVO, we pride ourselves on being an excellent employer that values flexibility and collaboration. Our dynamic work culture fosters growth and innovation, providing employees with opportunities to enhance their skills while contributing to a meaningful mission of delivering exceptional customer service. With competitive salaries, bonuses, and a variety of flexible benefits, OVO is committed to supporting our team members both personally and professionally in a vibrant office environment.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Staff Software Engineer (Core Tech API Platform - Customer)
✨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 OVO 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 OVO.
✨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 OVO.
✨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 OVO 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 Staff Software Engineer (Core Tech API Platform - Customer)
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 OVO.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at OVO 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 OVO
✨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 OVO 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.
