At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a team to architect and build scalable systems for a live-service MMO.
- Company: Join a dynamic gaming company shaping the future of online multiplayer experiences.
- Benefits: Remote-first culture, high ownership, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with a focus on innovation and team development.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by building foundational systems for an exciting live-service game.
- Qualifications: 7+ years in software development with leadership experience and strong technical skills.
The predicted salary is between 48000 - 72000 £ per year.
Are you an experienced Lead Full-Stack Developer who wants to architect the web and platform systems behind a large-scale live-service MMO? We’re hiring a Lead Full-Stack Developer to own the architecture, engineering standards, and team growth for the web and platform layer of an online multiplayer game. This includes account systems, social features, community tools, content delivery, and the services that connect the live experience beyond the game client.
About the role
This is a foundational leadership role in early production. You’ll report to the CTO and manage a growing team of web and platform engineers while staying hands-on with architecture and code. You’ll make key decisions around backend services, frontend architecture, cloud infrastructure, deployment pipelines, and data modelling. The systems you build will support player accounts, social features, marketplace functionality, live-service integrations, and long-term scalability. This is not a maintenance role. You’ll be building and scaling systems from the ground up.
What you’ll do:
- People leadership and team development
- Lead and grow a team of full-stack and platform engineers
- Set priorities, assign work, and balance workload across production cycles
- Run regular 1:1s, performance reviews, and development plans
- Represent web engineering in cross-discipline planning and resourcing discussions
- Foster a culture of code quality, ownership, and continuous improvement
- Support hiring through technical reviews and interviews
- Backend architecture and services
- Architect and build scalable backend microservices using TypeScript, Node.js, and Express
- Design systems using MongoDB for persistence and Redis for caching, session management, and pub/sub messaging
- Define service boundaries, API contracts, and data models for long-term scalability
- Build services supporting player accounts, authentication, social systems, marketplace, inventory, and integrations
- Implement observability and monitoring practices using tools such as Grafana and similar platforms
- Cloud infrastructure and DevOps
- Own CI/CD pipelines using Azure Pipelines (or equivalent)
- Deploy and orchestrate services using Docker and Kubernetes on Azure (or similar cloud platforms)
- Establish deployment strategies that enable rapid iteration while maintaining stability
- Design for high availability, performance, and reliability in a live-service environment
- Frontend engineering
- Build responsive, accessible interfaces using TypeScript, React, and Next.js
- Implement state management solutions such as Redux
- Ensure frontend systems are built for internationalisation, performance, and accessibility
- Collaborate closely with UI/UX design for clean implementation workflows
- Platform integration
- Define integration points between web systems and the game client (authentication, account management, analytics, social systems)
- Collaborate with gameplay and online services teams to ensure seamless cross-platform experiences
- Partner with production on milestone planning, sprint scoping, and capacity forecasting
What we’re looking for:
- Experience
- 7+ years of professional software development experience
- At least one shipped product or live service
- 2+ years in a senior or lead role with direct team leadership experience
- Proven experience making architectural decisions in cross-functional teams
- Technical skills
- Strong backend experience with TypeScript, Node.js, and Express
- Production experience with MongoDB and Redis
- Strong frontend experience with React and Next.js
- Experience designing and maintaining CI/CD pipelines
- Experience with Docker and Kubernetes
- Experience working with Azure Cloud or equivalent cloud platforms
- Strong understanding of scalable, service-oriented architecture
- Nice to have
- Experience building backend systems for games, social platforms, or real-time applications
- Experience with event-driven architectures, WebSockets, or pub/sub at scale
- Familiarity with OAuth2/JWT authentication flows
- Experience with observability tools such as Grafana
- Additional backend language experience (e.g., Go)
- Contributions to open-source projects or technical writing
Why join
- Shape the foundational platform architecture of a live-service MMO
- Lead and grow a high-impact engineering team
- High ownership in early production with long-term technical influence
- Remote-first culture with autonomy and collaborative decision-making
If you’re a hands-on engineering leader who enjoys building scalable systems from scratch and guiding teams through early architectural decisions, we’d love to hear from you. Apply now, or email Jack Baxter - jb@skillsearch.com
Lead Full-Stack Developer employer: Skillsearch
Join a dynamic and innovative team as a Lead Full-Stack Developer, where you'll have the opportunity to shape the architecture of a large-scale live-service MMO. Our remote-first culture promotes autonomy and collaboration, allowing you to lead a high-impact engineering team while enjoying significant ownership in early production. With a focus on continuous improvement and professional growth, we offer a supportive environment that values your contributions and encourages you to push the boundaries of technology.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Full-Stack Developer
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the gaming and tech industry. Attend meetups, webinars, or even online forums where you can chat with folks who are already in the game development scene. You never know who might have a lead on that perfect Lead Full-Stack Developer role!
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio that highlights your best projects, especially those involving scalable systems or multiplayer games. Make sure to include links to any live services you've worked on. This will give potential employers a taste of what you can bring to their team.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for technical interviews by brushing up on your architecture and coding skills. Practice explaining your thought process while solving problems, as this is key for roles like Lead Full-Stack Developer. We recommend using platforms like StudySmarter to refine your knowledge and get ready for those tricky questions!
✨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 and contributing to the exciting world of MMO development!
We think you need these skills to ace Lead Full-Stack Developer
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that match the Lead Full-Stack Developer role. Highlight your leadership experience, technical skills, and any relevant projects you've worked on that showcase your ability to build scalable systems.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Use your cover letter to tell us why you're the perfect fit for this role. Share your passion for game development and how your background aligns with our mission to create a live-service MMO. Be sure to mention specific technologies you’ve worked with that are relevant to the job.
Showcase Your Projects:If you have any personal or professional projects that demonstrate your full-stack capabilities, don’t hesitate to include them. We love seeing real-world applications of your skills, especially if they relate to gaming or large-scale systems.
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. Plus, we can’t wait to see what you bring to the table!
How to prepare for a job interview at Skillsearch
✨Know Your Tech Stack Inside Out
Make sure you’re well-versed in TypeScript, Node.js, and Express, as well as MongoDB and Redis. Be ready to discuss your past projects where you’ve used these technologies, especially in a lead role. This will show that you not only understand the tools but can also apply them effectively.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples of how you've led teams in the past. Discuss your approach to team development, performance reviews, and how you foster a culture of code quality. Highlight any specific instances where your leadership made a significant impact on project outcomes.
✨Architectural Decisions Matter
Be prepared to talk about architectural decisions you've made in previous roles. Discuss the thought process behind your choices, especially regarding scalable service-oriented architecture. This is crucial for the role, so demonstrate your ability to think critically about system design.
✨Engage with Cross-Discipline Collaboration
Since this role involves working with various teams, be ready to share experiences where you collaborated with UI/UX designers or other disciplines. Emphasise your communication skills and how you ensure seamless integration between different systems, which is key for a live-service environment.
