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- Tasks: Develop and enhance back-end features using Python and Django.
- Company: Join Shortlister Solutions, a fast-growing tech company focused on fair hiring.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, 25 days holiday, and fully remote work.
- Why this job: Take ownership of impactful projects and grow into a Technical Lead role.
- Qualifications: 3+ years of back-end development experience with strong Python and Django skills.
- Other info: Be part of a dynamic team with real influence on product direction.
The predicted salary is between 51000 - 68000 £ per year.
Location: York, United Kingdom
Salary: £60,000 - £80,000 /year
Job Type: Full-time
Date Posted: January 16th, 2026
Shortlister Solutions is scaling fast. We build interview and assessment technology that helps employers hire fairly and efficiently. Our platform supports high-stakes recruitment and admissions workflows, so reliability, security and clean engineering decisions matter.
If you’ve worked in agency, consultancy, or contracting environments, you’ll likely thrive here: fast pace, varied problems, high autonomy, direct stakeholder access, and the satisfaction of building a long-term product.
Why this role is a strong step towards Technical Lead:
- Own meaningful parts of the platform and influence technical direction
- Help shape delivery standards (quality, patterns, testing, sensible automation)
- Lead technical discovery for new features and improvements
- Work directly with product and commercial stakeholders, translating real needs into robust solutions
- Mentor others and raise the bar for engineering quality
As the team scales, this role naturally expands into formal technical leadership.
The role:
You’ll join our product and engineering team working on a Django back end and REST API that powers the Shortlister platform. You’ll ship new capabilities, improve reliability and performance, and help evolve how we deliver software.
We have an ambition to leverage AI and automation to accelerate delivery and improve quality, but we use it pragmatically, only where it adds clear value. You’ll be trusted to make good decisions, communicate trade-offs clearly, and drive work through with confidence.
What you’ll be responsible for:
- Design, build, and deploy back-end features that support our roadmap and customer outcomes
- Own and enhance our Django REST API, improving performance, security, maintainability and developer experience
- Improve core services (scalability, observability, resilience and cost efficiency)
- Maintain strong automated testing and contribute to a robust CI/CD pipeline
Practical Automation and AI:
- Use modern tooling, including AI where appropriate, to reduce friction and strengthen the SDLC, such as:
- Rapid prototyping and iteration
- Test generation and coverage expansion
- Refactoring and codebase modernisation
- Debugging support and PR review assistance
- Keeping technical documentation accurate and up to date
- Help standardise repeatable ways of working that improve throughput without sacrificing quality
Leadership-Shaped Contribution:
- Lead technical discovery for initiatives (solution options, risks, estimates, dependencies)
- Suggest and introduce patterns and best practices that make the team faster and safer
- Review PRs with a coaching mindset and consistently raise engineering quality
- Support and mentor junior developers as the team grows
- Become a go-to person in your domain, someone others rely on for clarity and direction
Stakeholder Partnership:
- Work closely with product and commercial stakeholders to shape requirements into strong technical solutions
- Communicate progress, constraints and trade-offs early and clearly
- Challenge assumptions constructively and keep delivery aligned to real outcomes
What we’re looking for:
Must have:
- 3+ years’ back-end development experience
- Strong Python and Django experience (ORM, Django REST Framework, testing)
- Solid understanding of API design and HTTP fundamentals (authentication, headers, CORS, versioning)
- PostgreSQL and data modelling fluency
- Track record of shipping reliable production software end-to-end
- Comfortable in high-autonomy environments with multiple priorities
- Clear communicator who enjoys working with non-technical stakeholders
Nice to have:
- Heroku deployments and operations experience
- AWS exposure (S3, CloudFront, Lambda or similar)
- Familiarity with modern dev tooling (Docker/devcontainers, CI/CD, monitoring)
- Prior agency, consultancy, or contractor experience
- Exposure to system design across multiple services
What success looks like in the first 6–12 months:
- You take ownership of key areas quickly and ship improvements confidently
- You improve the platform, not just features (reliability, test coverage, patterns, tooling)
- You use automation and AI pragmatically to move faster while maintaining quality
- You’re trusted by stakeholders and peers for your judgement, clarity and follow-through
- You begin to lead technical discovery and mentor others naturally
Benefits:
- Competitive Salary based on skills and experience
- 25 days holiday plus bank holidays
- Fully remote / work from home
- Visible impact in a fast-moving product team
- Real runway towards technical leadership as we scale
- Sale Bonus Plan: eligibility for a meaningful bonus linked to a future company sale
We’re looking for a Senior Back-End Developer with strong Python/Django experience who wants to take real ownership of systems and grow towards a Technical Lead role over time. This is a hands-on role with influence, ideal for someone who enjoys shaping how software is built, not just delivering features.
Senior Developer (Python / Django) employer: Shortlister Solutions Limited
Contact Detail:
Shortlister Solutions Limited Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Developer (Python / Django)
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections on LinkedIn or attend local meetups. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can refer you directly to hiring managers.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews! Research the company and its tech stack, especially Python and Django. Be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with their needs and showcase your problem-solving skills.
✨Tip Number 3
Don’t just wait for job postings—be proactive! Reach out to companies you admire, even if they’re not hiring. A well-crafted message can open doors and lead to opportunities that aren’t advertised.
✨Tip Number 4
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 Shortlister.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Developer (Python / Django)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights your experience with Python and Django, as well as any relevant agency or consultancy work. We want to see how your skills align with our needs, so don’t be shy about showcasing your achievements!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you’re excited about the role and how you can contribute to our team. Be sure to mention your experience with back-end development and any leadership aspirations you have.
Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills: In your application, highlight specific examples of how you've tackled complex problems in past projects. We love seeing candidates who can think critically and come up with innovative solutions, especially in high-autonomy environments.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website for the best chance of getting noticed. It’s the easiest way for us to keep track of your application and ensure it reaches the right people!
How to prepare for a job interview at Shortlister Solutions Limited
✨Know Your Tech Inside Out
Make sure you brush up on your Python and Django skills before the interview. Be ready to discuss your experience with the Django REST Framework, API design, and any relevant projects you've worked on. They’ll want to see that you can not only code but also understand the underlying principles.
✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills
Prepare to talk about specific challenges you've faced in previous roles, especially in high-autonomy environments. Think of examples where you had to make tough decisions or innovate solutions, as this role requires someone who can handle varied problems and influence technical direction.
✨Communicate Clearly with Non-Techies
Since you'll be working closely with product and commercial stakeholders, practice explaining complex technical concepts in simple terms. This will demonstrate your ability to bridge the gap between tech and business needs, which is crucial for this position.
✨Emphasise Your Leadership Potential
Even if you're not in a formal leadership role yet, highlight any mentoring or coaching experiences you've had. Discuss how you’ve contributed to team standards or helped junior developers, as they’re looking for someone who can grow into a Technical Lead role.
