Senior Software Engineer, L5 (Full-stack / Backend) - Recruiting (d/f/m) in London

Senior Software Engineer, L5 (Full-stack / Backend) - Recruiting (d/f/m) in London

London Full-Time 70000 - 90000 £ / year (est.) Home office (partial)
Personio

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Solve complex technical problems and build innovative features for our recruiting platform.
  • Company: Join Personio, a leading HR tech company with a vibrant culture.
  • Benefits: Competitive salary, 28 days vacation, remote work flexibility, and mental health support.
  • Other info: Enjoy a collaborative environment with excellent career growth opportunities.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact on hiring processes while working with cutting-edge AI technology.
  • Qualifications: Strong software engineering skills and a passion for problem-solving.

The predicted salary is between 70000 - 90000 £ per year.

Personio's intelligent HR platform helps small and medium-sized organizations unlock the power of people by making complicated, time‑consuming tasks simple and efficient. Our team of 1,500 Personios is building user-friendly products that delight our 15,000+ customers and their 1.5 million employees. Ready to make an impact from day one?

The Role

This role requires 2 days per week in the office and is based in Munich, Berlin or Dublin. As a Senior Software Engineer in our Recruiting team, you'll own and solve hard technical problems across one of Personio's biggest revenue drivers — the product customers use to run their entire hiring process — alongside Whistleblowing and Workforce Planning. You'll join a large, senior-heavy team that balances mature, high‑traffic systems with new, AI‑led capabilities like AI screening and smart candidate pipelines, taking real ownership of the parts of the product you work on.

What You'll Do

  • Solve hard technical problems end to end — design, build, and ship reliable features across Recruiting and the team's products, owning them from problem to production.
  • Own a meaningful slice of the product at team scope, taking responsibility for its quality, reliability, and the outcomes it drives for customers.
  • Work product‑first — get to the heart of the customer problem and shape the solution, rather than implementing a predefined spec.
  • Contribute to AI‑led capabilities like AI screening and smart candidate pipelines.
  • Balance new build with legacy — modernise and extend existing systems while delivering new capabilities.
  • Raise the bar on engineering quality through design discussions, code review, and pragmatic technical decisions.
  • Collaborate cross‑functionally with Product, Design, and partner teams to deliver cohesive end‑to‑end solutions.

What You Need to Succeed

  • Strong software engineering experience building and operating production systems (full-stack; strong backend or frontend depth both welcome).
  • High autonomy — you can take an ambiguous, team- or product‑scoped problem and drive it to a solution without needing the path drawn for you.
  • Strong ownership — you treat the reliability and outcomes of what you build as yours, well beyond the moment of shipping.
  • A growth mindset — you actively seek feedback, learn quickly, and keep getting better at your craft.
  • Solid system design skills within a team or product scope, comfortable in large codebases and evolving architectures.
  • Product mindset — you care about the customer problem and influence the direction of the solution.
  • Clear communication to explain technical decisions and collaborate effectively across disciplines.

Why Personio

Personio is an equal opportunities employer, committed to building an integrative culture where everyone feels welcomed and supported. We embrace uniqueness and understand that our diverse, values-driven culture makes us stronger. We are proud to have an inclusive workplace environment that will foster your development no matter your gender, civil status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, education level, or race.

At Personio, we value in-person collaboration while also offering flexibility. This role is office-based, with 2 required days in your contracted office location. The remaining days can be worked from home or in the office if you prefer. In addition, you’ll have 20 Flex Days per year to work remotely from other locations. Aside from our people, culture, and mission, check out some of the other benefits that make Personio a great place to work:

  • Receive a competitive reward package – reevaluated each year – that includes salary, benefits, and pre‑IPO equity.
  • Enjoy 28 days of paid vacation, plus an additional day after 2 and 4 years.
  • Make an impact on the environment and society with 1 fully paid Impact Day.
  • Receive generous family leave, child support, mental health support (including 24 sessions per year with Oli for yourself and 10 sessions for a significant other), and sabbatical opportunities.
  • We enjoy gathering for meals, cultural initiatives, and events like local Summer Sessions and year-end celebrations. There's also healthy snacks, drinks, and a weekly catered lunch.

Senior Software Engineer, L5 (Full-stack / Backend) - Recruiting (d/f/m) in London employer: Personio

At Personio, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that fosters a collaborative and inclusive work culture. With a strong focus on employee growth, we offer flexible working arrangements, competitive rewards, and generous benefits, including 28 days of paid vacation and mental health support. Join our dynamic team in Munich, Berlin, or Dublin, where you can make a meaningful impact from day one while enjoying a supportive environment that values diversity and innovation.

Personio

Contact Details:

Personio Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Senior Software Engineer, L5 (Full-stack / Backend) - Recruiting (d/f/m) in London

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 Personio 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 Personio.

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 Personio.

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 Personio 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, L5 (Full-stack / Backend) - Recruiting (d/f/m) in London

Full-stack Development
Backend Development
Frontend Development
Problem-Solving Skills
AI Capabilities Integration
System Design Skills
Code Review

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 Personio.

Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Personio 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 Personio

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 Personio 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.