Staff Software Engineer (Team Lead) - Engine by Starling in Southampton

Staff Software Engineer (Team Lead) - Engine by Starling in Southampton

Southampton Full-Time 75600 - 92400 £ / year (est.) Home office (partial)
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At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead and mentor a high-performing engineering team while delivering innovative solutions.
  • Company: Join Engine by Starling, a dynamic fintech company transforming banking technology.
  • Benefits: Enjoy 33 days holiday, private medical insurance, and flexible working options.
  • Other info: Diverse and inclusive workplace with excellent career growth opportunities.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact in the fintech space with cutting-edge technology and a supportive culture.
  • Qualifications: Experience in leading teams and delivering complex projects; coding excellence is a must.

The predicted salary is between 75600 - 92400 £ per year.

Overview

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.

Our technologists are at the very heart of Engine and enjoy working in a fast‑paced environment that is all about building things, creating new stuff, and disruptive technology that keeps us on the cutting edge of fintech.

We operate a flat structure to empower you to make decisions regardless of what your primary responsibilities may be, innovation and collaboration will be at the core of everything you do.

Help is never far away in our open culture, you will find support in your team and from across the business, we are in this together!

The way to thrive and shine within Engine is to be a self‑driven individual and be able to take full ownership of everything around you: From building things, designing, and discovering to sharing knowledge with your colleagues and making sure all processes are efficient and productive to deliver the best possible results for our customers.

Our purpose is underpinned by five values: Listen, Keep It Simple, Do The Right Thing, Own It, and Aim For Greatness.

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 is our software platform that powers banks worldwide. Our engineers build the core platform and tooling that other teams use.

  • Staff Engineer Responsibilities
  • 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.
  • Lead multiple complex projects from inception through to run.
  • Get hands‑on when needed, using 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.
  • Engineer Responsibilities
  • 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 are open‑minded when it comes to hiring and we care more about aptitude and attitude than specific experience or qualifications.

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 through your own work.
  • 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.
  • Backend Tech Stack
  • Java, which makes up the majority of our backend codebase.
  • AWS & GCP – we are cloud‑native.
  • Microservice based architecture.
  • Kubernetes (EKS).
  • Team City for CI / CD (with multiple production releases per day).
  • Terraform and Grafana.

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

We may have come from different backgrounds and experiences, but we work together to solve problems. Our team is diverse, inclusive, and highly collaborative.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Engine by Starling is an equal opportunity employer, and we're proud 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 data, and the rights you can exercise over our use of your personal data.

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Staff Software Engineer (Team Lead) - Engine by Starling in Southampton employer: Starling

Starling Bank is an exceptional employer that prioritises employee well-being and professional growth, offering a vibrant work culture in Manchester. With a commitment to flexible working, comprehensive benefits, and a focus on innovation, employees are empowered to make a meaningful impact in the banking industry while enjoying a supportive and inclusive environment. Join us to be part of a forward-thinking team dedicated to doing the right thing and shaping the future of banking.

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Contact Details:

Starling Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Staff Software Engineer (Team Lead) - Engine by Starling in Southampton

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 Southampton

Leadership
Mentoring
System Design
Architectural Decision Making
Technical Ownership
Process Improvement
Collaboration

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.