At a Glance
- Tasks: Join us in building innovative banking solutions and transforming the fintech landscape.
- Company: Starling, the UK's leading digital bank with a tech-driven culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy 25 days holiday, private medical insurance, and flexible working options.
- Other info: Open culture that values collaboration, innovation, and personal growth.
- Why this job: Be part of a mission to reshape banking and make a real impact.
- Qualifications: 7+ years Java experience; AWS and Postgres knowledge is a plus.
The predicted salary is between 59400 - 72600 £ per year.
Starling is the UK's first and leading digital bank on a mission to fix banking! We built a new kind of bank because we knew technology had the power to help people save, spend and manage their money in a new and transformative way. We're a fully licensed UK bank with the culture and spirit of a fast-moving, disruptive tech company. We employ more than 3,000 people across our London, Southampton, Cardiff and Manchester offices.
Our technologists are at the very heart of Starling 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.
The way to thrive and shine within Starling is to be a self-driven individual and take full ownership of everything around you: from building things, designing, discovering, to sharing knowledge with your colleagues and ensuring all processes are efficient and productive to deliver the best possible results for our customers. Our purpose is underpinned by five Starling 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 Starling - our preference is that you're located within a commutable distance of one of our offices so that we're able to interact and collaborate in person. In Technology, we're asking that you attend the office a minimum of 1 day per week.
Our Engineering Environment
Starling engineers are excited about helping us deliver new features, regardless of what their primary tech stack may be. We value people being engaged and caring about customers, the code they write, and the contribution they make to Starling. People with a broad ability to apply themselves to a multitude of problems and challenges, who can work across teams, do great things here at Starling.
Requirements
We're seeking a highly motivated and experienced engineer to play a key role in our Customer Service Engineering Group. You should have a strong understanding of delivering robust and scalable code, applying best practices, and a proven track record of delivering high-quality software. Experience with AWS and Postgres is highly desirable. We're open-minded when it comes to hiring and we care more about aptitude and attitude than specific experience or qualifications. 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.
The main part of our Tech Stack includes:
- Java, which makes up the majority of our backend codebase
- Postgres
- AWS & GCP - we're cloud-native
- Distributed service-based architecture
- Kubernetes (EKS)
- TeamCity for CI / CD
- Terraform and Grafana
Our 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 phone call - ~45 minutes
- Take home technical test to be discussed in the technical interview - ~3 hours
- Technical interview - ~1.5 hours
- Final Interview - ~40 minutes
Benefits
25 days holiday (plus take your public holiday allowance whenever 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 VitalityHealth including mental health support and cancer care, partner benefits include discounts with Waitrose, Mr&Mrs Smith and Peloton, generous family-friendly policies, 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. Starling is an equal opportunity employer, and we're proud of our ongoing efforts to foster diversity & inclusion in the workplace.
Senior Java Software Engineer - Intelligent Operations in Cardiff employer: Starling
Starling is an exceptional employer that fosters a culture of collaboration and innovation, making it an ideal place for engineers to thrive. With a hybrid working model, employees enjoy flexibility while benefiting from comprehensive support for professional growth and development. The positive work environment, coupled with a commitment to clean coding practices, ensures that team members are empowered to tackle complex challenges and contribute meaningfully to the future of banking.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Java Software Engineer - Intelligent Operations in Cardiff
✨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 Senior Java Software Engineer - Intelligent Operations in Cardiff
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.