Lead Engineer

Lead Engineer

Full-Time 100000 - 120000 ÂŁ / year (est.) No home office possible
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At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead and mentor a team while developing cutting-edge software solutions.
  • Company: Join a high-growth prop-tech company transforming property data access.
  • Benefits: Enjoy hybrid work, 25 days holiday, and a personal growth fund.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact in a dynamic environment with innovative technology.
  • Qualifications: 7+ years in software engineering with leadership experience required.
  • Other info: Be part of a diverse culture that values inclusion and teamwork.

The predicted salary is between 100000 - 120000 ÂŁ per year.

Base Pay Range: ÂŁ100,000 - ÂŁ120,000 dependent on experience

Working Location: Hybrid/ London (2 days a week on site at our Old Street office)

About Searchland

Searchland is a high-growth, B2B prop‑tech company transforming how businesses and individuals access and leverage property data. Our platform empowers property developers, land agents, architects, and planners with real‑time insights, helping them make smarter, data‑driven decisions when acquiring and developing land. In just five years, we’ve built one of the UK’s most advanced property data pipelines, integrating thousands of data sources and processing terabytes of information with less than 24‑hour latency. Our cutting‑edge platform is shaping the future of property intelligence.

About The Role

We’re looking for a Lead Full‑Stack Engineer who will combine deep technical ability with strong leadership and architectural oversight. You will drive technical excellence across the organisation, mentor and develop engineers, and help shape the long‑term direction of Searchland’s platform. This is a hands‑on role—expect to contribute to the codebase daily—but also a highly strategic one. You will influence product direction through technical insight, guide multidisciplinary squads (engineering, data, design), and help build and scale a high‑performing engineering organisation.

What You’ll Do

  • Technical Leadership & Architecture
    • Provide architectural oversight across frontend, backend, data infrastructure, and platform components
    • Set engineering standards and champion best practices in reliability, scalability, and maintainability
    • Lead complex technical design discussions, ensuring trade‑offs between speed, scope, and scale are well balanced
    • Shape Searchland’s technical roadmap in partnership with product and data leaders
  • Team Leadership & Mentorship
    • Mentor senior and mid‑level engineers, supporting growth through coaching, pairing, and design reviews
    • Foster a positive engineering culture built on autonomy, trust, continuous learning, and pragmatic delivery
    • Support multidisciplinary collaboration across data, design, and product teams
  • Delivery & Hands‑On Engineering
    • Lead by example with high‑quality contributions across the full stack
    • Develop performant, accessible front‑end features using React (Vite) + Tailwind
    • Design and ship scalable APIs using Node.js, Express, and tRPC
    • Maintain and improve PostgreSQL database and query performance
    • Work closely with our data team to evolve Elasticsearch‑driven architectures
    • Own delivery of complex projects from discovery through deployment and monitoring
  • Cross‑Functional Impact
    • Work closely with Product to ensure technical input shapes roadmap and feature direction
    • Translate complex technical challenges into clear, actionable insights for non‑technical stakeholders
    • Proactively identify opportunities to improve product performance, reliability, and developer experience

You Are

An experienced engineer who has led teams or initiatives and thrives on pairing technical depth with leadership impact. You think holistically—systems, teams, product—and you influence through clarity, pragmatism, and strong delivery instincts.

You Likely Bring

  • A proven track record leading engineering initiatives or teams in a high‑growth environment
  • Strong communication skills and the ability to influence product direction through technical framing
  • Experience mentoring engineers and helping teams deliver high‑quality software at pace
  • Comfort working with data scientists, designers, and product managers in multidisciplinary squads
  • A proactive, ownership‑driven mindset and a bias toward outcomes

Essential Experience

  • Right to work in the UK
  • 7+ years in software engineering with at least 2–3 years in a lead, staff, or senior‑plus role
  • Demonstrable experience building and scaling SaaS platforms
  • Experience leading technical architecture or system design initiatives
  • Experience mentoring or managing engineers

Strong Experience With Our Stack (or Strong Adjacent Experience)

  • Frontend: React (Vite), Tailwind
  • Backend: Node.js, Express, tRPC
  • Databases: PostgreSQL, Elasticsearch

Desired Experience

  • Working in PropTech or data‑heavy product environments
  • Prior experience building or scaling engineering teams
  • Familiarity with UK planning, property, or geospatial data

Interview Process

  • Initial asynchronous video assessment (Willo) and follow‑up with our internal HR Team
  • Pre‑prepared technical task (React + Tailwind + tRPC + PostgreSQL) with a walkthrough & system design interview with a Senior Engineer
  • In depth technical task
  • Final interview with the Chief Product Officer

Why Join Us?

  • Flexibility: Hybrid working with two days in our Old Street office
  • Wellbeing & balance: 25 days holiday + bank holidays, your birthday off, Christmas office shutdown, and a HealthShield employee cash plan including dental
  • Growth & development: Learn across onboarding, customer engagement, and project work, with mentoring and clear opportunities to progress in SaaS.
  • Tools & support: A MacBook and contribution to a home office setup, EMI scheme, and ÂŁ500 per year personal growth fund.
  • Great culture: Free lunches and team socials (bake‑offs, 3 Peaks challenge, staycations, holidays abroad when targets are hit)

Our Commitment to Inclusion

We are committed to creating an inclusive, diverse workplace where every team member feels valued, heard, and empowered. If you need any accommodations during the recruitment process, we are here to support you. We welcome applications from all backgrounds, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, age, religion, or any other characteristic. If you require any adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know—we are happy to support you.

Lead Engineer employer: Searchland

Searchland is an exceptional employer that fosters a dynamic and inclusive work culture, offering hybrid working arrangements and a strong focus on employee wellbeing with generous holiday allowances and health benefits. With a commitment to professional growth, employees have access to mentoring, a personal growth fund, and opportunities to shape the future of property intelligence in a high-growth environment, all while enjoying team-building activities and a supportive atmosphere in our vibrant Old Street office.
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Contact Detail:

Searchland Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

We think this is how you could land Lead Engineer

✨Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Reach out to current employees at Searchland on LinkedIn or other platforms. Ask them about their experiences and any tips they might have for the interview process. It’s all about making connections!

✨Tip Number 2

Prepare for those technical interviews! Brush up on your skills with React, Node.js, and PostgreSQL. We recommend doing some mock interviews or coding challenges to get comfortable with the format.

✨Tip Number 3

Show off your leadership skills! Be ready to discuss how you've mentored others and led projects in the past. We love seeing candidates who can inspire and guide teams towards success.

✨Tip Number 4

Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining our team at Searchland.

We think you need these skills to ace Lead Engineer

Technical Leadership
Architectural Oversight
Frontend Development (React, Vite, Tailwind)
Backend Development (Node.js, Express, tRPC)
Database Management (PostgreSQL, Elasticsearch)
Mentorship
Team Collaboration
Project Delivery
Communication Skills
Problem-Solving
SaaS Platform Development
Technical Roadmap Development
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Proactive Mindset

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Lead Engineer role. Highlight your experience with our tech stack and any leadership roles you've held. We want to see how your skills align with what we're looking for!

Showcase Your Technical Skills: Don’t just list your skills—demonstrate them! Include specific examples of projects where you’ve used React, Node.js, or PostgreSQL. We love seeing how you’ve tackled challenges and delivered results in your previous roles.

Be Authentic: Let your personality shine through in your application. We’re not just looking for a list of qualifications; we want to know who you are and how you fit into our culture. Share your passion for engineering and any unique experiences that make you stand out!

Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows us you’re genuinely interested in joining our team at Searchland!

How to prepare for a job interview at Searchland

✨Know Your Tech Stack

Make sure you’re well-versed in the technologies mentioned in the job description, like React, Node.js, and PostgreSQL. Brush up on your knowledge of these tools and be ready to discuss how you've used them in past projects.

✨Showcase Leadership Experience

Prepare examples that highlight your leadership skills and experience mentoring others. Think about specific situations where you guided a team through challenges or helped someone grow in their role.

✨Understand the Company’s Vision

Research Searchland and its mission in the prop-tech space. Be ready to discuss how your technical insights can align with their goals and contribute to shaping the future of property intelligence.

✨Prepare for Technical Challenges

Expect to tackle a technical task during the interview process. Practice coding problems related to full-stack development and be prepared to explain your thought process clearly, especially when discussing system design.

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