At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and mentor a high-performing engineering team while delivering impactful solutions.
- Company: Join Engine by Starling, a pioneering tech company reshaping banking.
- Benefits: Enjoy 33 days holiday, private medical insurance, and flexible working options.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team committed to continuous improvement and technical excellence.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in the banking industry with innovative technology.
- Qualifications: Experience in leading teams and delivering complex projects; Java knowledge is a plus.
The predicted salary is between 63000 - 77000 £ per year.
At Engine by Starling, we are on a mission to find and work with leading banks all around the world who have the ambition to build rapid growth businesses, on our technology.
Engine is Starling's software-as-a-service (Saa S) business, the technology that was built to power Starling Bank, and a year ago we split out as a separate business.
Starling has seen exceptional growth and success, and a large part of that is down to the fact that we have built our own modern technology from the ground up.
The Engine technology platform is now available to banks and financial institutions all around the world, enabling them to benefit from the innovative digital features, and efficient back‑office processes that has helped achieve Starling's success.
Hybrid Working
We have a Hybrid approach to working here at Engine - our preference is that you're located within a commutable distance of our offices so that we're able to interact and collaborate in person.
About Engineering at Engine by Starling
Engine by Starling engineers are excited about helping us deliver new features, regardless of what their primary tech stack may be.
Hear more from the team in some case studies, below, and our work with Women in Tech.
- Running a Backend Team
- Day in the Life of a Software Engineer
- Check out our shiny new Engineering careers page
As a Staff Engineer you will
- Coach, mentor, and grow a high‑performing team, ensuring their well‑being as they work on high‑impact solutions that bring value to Engine and our customers.
- Have the opportunity to lead multiple complex projects from inception through to run.
- Get hands‑on when needed, using your strong system design skills to help the team make smart architectural decisions and unblock complex challenges.
- Take ownership of technical challenges critical to the success of the business.
- Identify where existing tooling, applications, or processes can be enhanced and deliver innovative change.
- Collaborate with clients, solution architects, product owners, and other engineers to help meet the client goals.
- Obtain a wide and varied understanding of how banks operate around the world.
- Shape the future capabilities of Engine, including our approach, tooling, automation and architecture.
- Lead by example in your contributions to the codebase, setting a high bar for others to aim for.
- Champion a healthy engineering culture built on continuous improvement, technical excellence, and a focus on the customer.
As an Engineer you will
- Contribute to our award‑winning platform and internal tooling.
- Build new features and products from scratch in a configurable way.
- Share your knowledge with those around you, contributing to our learning culture.
- Own your projects, working in small teams across the bank to collaboratively deliver.
- Aim for greatness in everything you do, staying curious and inquisitive.
- Be part of a scaling team and organisation as we change banking for good.
Requirements
We're open‑minded when it comes to hiring and we care more about aptitude and attitude than specific experience or qualifications.
For the most part we code in Java, but you need not be an expert when you join us!
We believe in clean coding, simple solutions, automated testing and continuous deployment.
If you care enough to find elegant solutions to difficult technical problems, we'd love to hear from you.
As a Staff Engineer you will bring the below experience or knowledge
- Proven experience leading and mentoring high‑performing engineering teams.
- Delivering change to critical systems in a distributed environment.
- Be a highly proficient developer, maintaining a high standard for technical and coding excellence.
- Good understanding of Dev Ops practices.
- Delivering complex outcomes across multiple domains and teams.
- Working cross‑functionally with technologists from other specialties, and non‑technical stakeholders across the business.
- Coaching and mentoring members of a team to upskill and develop them in their career.
- Leading the technical delivery on large scale projects to successful completion.
The main part of our Backend Tech Stack is listed below; we don't ask that you have experience in all of this, but if you do, that's great!
- Java, which makes up the majority of our backend codebase.
- AWS & GCP - we're cloud‑native.
- Microservice based architecture.
- Kubernetes (EKS).
- Team City for CI/CD (with multiple production releases per day).
- Terraform and Grafana.
- Interview process
Interviewing is a two‑way process and we want you to have the time and opportunity to get to know us, as much as we are getting to know you!
Our interviews are conversational and we want to get the best from you, so come with questions and be curious.
- In general you can expect the below, following a chat with one of our
- Talent
Team
- Initial interview with a Staff or Principal Engineer - 45 minutes.
- Take home technical test to be discussed in the next interview.
- Technical & Leadership interview with some Engineers - 1.5 hours.
- Final interview with our CTO / deputy CTO / Engineering Director / Principal Engineer - 45 minutes.
Benefits
- 33 days holiday (including public holidays, which you can take when it works best for you).
- An extra day's holiday for your birthday.
- Annual leave is increased with length of service, and you can choose to buy or sell up to five extra days off.
- 16 hours paid volunteering time a year.
- Salary sacrifice, company enhanced pension scheme.
- Life insurance at 4x your salary & group income protection.
- Private Medical Insurance with Vitality Health including mental health support and cancer care. Partner benefits include discounts with Waitrose, Mr&Mrs Smith and Peloton.
- Generous family‑friendly policies.
- Incentives refer a friend scheme.
- Perkbox membership giving access to retail discounts, a wellness platform for physical and mental health, and weekly free and boosted perks.
- Access to initiatives like Cycle to Work, Salary Sacrificed Gym partnerships and Electric Vehicle (EV) leasing.
About Us
You may be put off applying for a role because you don't tick every box.
Forget that!
While we can't accommodate every flexible working request, we're always open to discussion.
So, if you're excited about working with us, but aren't sure if you're 100% there yet, get in touch anyway.
We're on a mission to radically reshape banking - and that starts with our brilliant team.
Whatever came before, we're proud to bring together people of all backgrounds and experiences who love working together to solve problems.
Engine by Starling is an equal opportunity employer, and we're proud of our ongoing efforts to foster diversity & inclusion in the workplace.
Individuals seeking employment at Engine by Starling are considered without regard to race, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition, ancestry, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
When you provide us with this information, you are doing so at your own consent, with full knowledge that we will process this personal data in accordance with our Privacy Notice.
By submitting your application, you agree that Engine by Starling and Starling Bank will collect your personal data for recruiting and related purposes.
Our Privacy Notice explains what personal information we will process, where we will process your personal information, its purposes for processing your personal information, and the rights you can exercise over our use of your personal information.
We use AI tools to support various parts of our recruitment process, helping our team manage applications and assessments more efficiently.
These tools are strictly used for support and do not replace human judgment with all final hiring decisions being made by our team.
If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please reach out to us.
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Staff Software Engineer (Team Lead) - Engine by Starling in Manchester employer: Starling
At Engine by Starling, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that fosters a collaborative and innovative work culture. With a strong focus on employee growth, we offer extensive benefits including generous holiday allowances, private medical insurance, and opportunities for volunteering, all while working in a hybrid environment that encourages teamwork and personal development. Join us in reshaping the future of banking with cutting-edge technology and a commitment to diversity and inclusion.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Staff Software Engineer (Team Lead) - Engine by Starling in Manchester
✨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 Starling 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 Starling.
✨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 Starling.
✨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 Starling 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 (Team Lead) - Engine by Starling in Manchester
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 Starling.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Starling 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 Starling
✨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 Starling 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.
