Lead Engineer (Backend Focus)

A well-established SaaS business within the construction technology space is seeking a hands-on Lead Engineer with a strong backend focus to take technical ownership of a proven platform entering its next phase of growth. The company has spent more than eight years building software that is actively used by professionals operating in demanding, real-world construction environments. The platform supports project tracking, cost management, operational workflows, and site delivery across a growing customer base. Following a significant rebuild of the product and strong recent commercial growth, the business is now scaling into larger enterprise-level construction customers. The technical foundations are in place, and the next phase is focused on scalability, system reliability, and continued product evolution.

This role is suited to an experienced engineer who enjoys meaningful ownership and wants to play a central role in shaping how a product and engineering function evolves. You will take primary responsibility for the backend platform, working closely alongside an established frontend team and contributing to a wider ecosystem that includes both web and mobile applications with offline-first functionality.

Key responsibilities include:

• Maintaining platform stability and performance as usage scales
• Leading backend architecture and API design decisions
• Supporting scalability as new customers are onboarded
• Collaborating with product and business stakeholders to guide technical direction
• Balancing feature delivery with long-term technical improvements

The role combines strategic thinking with hands-on engineering. You will have significant influence over how systems are built, improved, and scaled over time.

What We’re Looking For:

Strong backend engineering experience is essential, ideally within modern PHP environments and production SaaS platforms operating at scale. Experience with:

• REST API design and architecture
• SQL schema design and optimisation
• Modern backend frameworks (Symfony preferred)
• Collaborative engineering environments and Git-based workflows

Exposure to frontend technologies such as React and TypeScript is beneficial, although the primary focus of the role remains backend ownership and systems thinking. Most importantly, the business is looking for someone pragmatic, commercially aware, and confident in their technical judgement — someone motivated by ownership and long-term impact rather than simply feature delivery.

Why This Role Stands Out:

This is an opportunity to join a stable, well-funded business with a proven product, genuine market demand, and strong long-term backing. The platform is already embedded within active construction environments and continues to gain traction with larger customers. The company is investing heavily into the next stage of growth, creating an opportunity for the right individual to play a highly influential role in shaping both the technology and engineering culture moving forward. There is also a clear pathway into broader technical leadership as the business expands, alongside long-term incentive alignment through equity participation.

Summary:

This position would suit an engineer looking to move beyond pure development work into a role centred around ownership, technical direction, and long-term product evolution within a growing SaaS environment.