At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the development of our backend game engine and mentor fellow developers.
- Company: Join tombola, a unique tech company focused on in-house game development.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive pay, flexible working, and a supportive team culture.
- Other info: Embrace inclusivity and grow your career in a dynamic environment.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on gaming systems while leading a passionate team.
- Qualifications: Strong C#, SQL, AWS skills and experience with real-time systems.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
We’re looking for a Lead Developer to join our Game Engine team here at tombola. This is one of those roles where you genuinely get the best of both worlds. You’ll be hands-on leading the development of our backend game engine, shaping how we build, scale and evolve the systems that power our games.
Our Game Engine sits right at the heart of what we do. It’s where performance, player experience and regulatory compliance all come together. So if you enjoy solving complex problems, working on real-time systems and having a real say in technical direction, this one’s worth a look.
You’ll be in the office 3 days a week, working closely with the team, with the flexibility to focus from home the rest of the time.
What you’ll be doing:
- Leading the design and development of core game engine systems and APIs
- Owning architectural decisions to ensure performance, scalability and compliance
- Getting stuck into hands-on coding alongside your team
- Supporting and mentoring developers, helping them grow and do their best work
- Running code reviews and driving high engineering standards
- Working closely with Product, QA, Infrastructure and Compliance to bring everything together
- Making sure our systems are robust, auditable and ready for regulatory certification
- Leading sprint planning, shaping priorities and managing technical risk
- Monitoring performance in production and driving improvements where needed
- Contributing to technical roadmaps and long-term platform direction
What we’re looking for:
- Strong experience with C#, SQL, AWS and Redis
- A background in real-time or state-driven systems (game engines, gambling platforms or similar)
- Solid understanding of system design and scalable architecture
- Experience working with REST APIs, Git and agile environments
- Knowledge of real-money gaming (RNG, RTP, game state) would be a big plus
- Someone who can balance hands-on coding with leading a team
It’d be great if you also have:
- Experience integrating with front-end games, wallets or external APIs
- Exposure to performance tuning, load testing or observability tools
- Familiarity with cloud-native or containerised environments
The kind of person you are:
- You enjoy leading but still love being close to the code
- You’re confident making decisions and owning technical direction
- You naturally support and develop others around you
- You’re collaborative and enjoy working across different teams
- You care about building quality products and strong teams
Why tombola?
We’re not your typical tech company. Everything we build is in-house, giving you real ownership and the chance to make an impact. You’ll be part of a team that genuinely cares about:
- Doing things the right way
- Supporting each other
- Building products we’re proud of
Plus… we’ve got some great benefits too - take a look here to find out more.
At tombola we know that our differences make us stronger and that thinking differently is key to long term success. We work hard to create a culture of inclusivity where everyone can celebrate our Free to be me value. We are committed to creating opportunities for everyone here at tombola, we welcome applications from all backgrounds and encourage individuals to apply, even if you don’t meet every requirement.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Developer (Backend) - Game Studio (Sunderland)
✨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 Tombola 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 Tombola.
✨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 Tombola.
✨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 Tombola 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 Lead Developer (Backend) - Game Studio (Sunderland)
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 Tombola.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Tombola 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 Tombola
✨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 Tombola 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.
