At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the evolution of an AI-driven product and enhance user experience.
- Company: Join a mission-led software startup with a dynamic culture.
- Benefits: Hybrid work, equity opportunities, and direct access to founders.
- Other info: Be part of a founding team with significant growth potential.
- Why this job: Shape the future of AI products and make a real impact.
- Qualifications: Strong software engineering skills and experience in fast-paced environments.
The predicted salary is between 70000 - 90000 £ per year.
We are working with an early-stage, mission-led software business looking to hire a Founding Engineer to play a key role in the next evolution of their product. The business already has a live platform and strong market relevance; the next phase is about rebuilding and improving the product for the AI era, with a particular focus on user experience, intelligent workflows, and mobile-first product thinking. This is a rare opportunity to join at a genuinely influential stage, working directly with the founders to help shape what gets built, how it gets built, and where the product goes next. If you are the kind of engineer who enjoys owning product problems, building in ambiguity, and turning ideas into shipped features, this is a very interesting role.
What You’ll Be Doing:
- Taking a hands-on role in the evolution of the core product and mobile experience.
- Building and shipping features using modern AI tooling, including LLMs, prompt engineering, and agent-based workflows.
- Improving and shaping the user experience through better product thinking, architecture, and delivery.
- Working closely with the founders to turn product ideas into scalable, high-quality software.
- Identifying where AI can genuinely improve customer outcomes—not just where it looks good on a roadmap.
- Making practical decisions around architecture, integrations, tooling, and technical direction.
- Helping establish the foundations for the future engineering roadmap and team.
What We’re Looking For:
- Strong hands-on software engineering background.
- Experience building and shipping real product in startup, scale-up, or high-ownership environments.
- Experience working on customer-facing applications, ideally with some exposure to mobile/app-led products.
- Practical experience using AI in production, including areas like: LLMs, prompt engineering, AI-assisted workflows, agent-based functionality.
- Comfortable working across product, engineering, and technical problem-solving.
- A strong builder mindset—someone who enjoys getting things live, improving products, and solving meaningful user problems.
- Comfortable in a fast-moving, founder-led environment.
Nice to Have:
- Experience with consumer products, engagement-led products, or behaviour-driven applications.
- Exposure to open banking, fintech, or data-led products.
- Experience working as an early technical hire or in a Founding Engineer/first product engineer type role.
- Interest in helping shape technical direction as the business grows.
Why Join:
- Founding-level opportunity with genuine ownership.
- Direct access to founders and product direction.
- Opportunity to help shape an AI-native product in a meaningful way.
- High-impact role where you can influence both what gets built and how it gets built.
- Hybrid working in Manchester.
- Equity opportunity as part of the package.
Locations
Lead Software Engineer in Cheshire, Warrington employer: Your Prime Recruitment Ltd
Contact Detail:
Your Prime Recruitment Ltd Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Software Engineer in Cheshire, Warrington
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in your industry, especially those who work at companies you're interested in. A friendly chat can lead to insider info and even referrals, which can give you a leg up in the hiring process.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio or GitHub repository showcasing your projects, especially those involving AI and mobile applications. This gives potential employers a taste of what you can do and how you think about product problems.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by practising common technical questions and scenarios related to AI and user experience. We recommend doing mock interviews with friends or using online platforms to get comfortable with the format.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about their job search!
We think you need these skills to ace Lead Software Engineer in Cheshire, Warrington
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for AI: When you're writing your application, let us see your enthusiasm for AI and how it can transform products. Share any relevant experiences or projects that highlight your hands-on work with AI tooling, as this will resonate with our mission-led approach.
Highlight Your Problem-Solving Skills: We want to know how you tackle product challenges! In your application, give examples of how you've owned product problems in the past and turned them into successful features. This will show us you're the kind of builder we’re looking for.
Tailor Your Experience to Our Needs: Make sure to align your skills and experiences with what we’re looking for in a Founding Engineer. If you've worked on customer-facing applications or have experience in startup environments, shout about it! We love seeing how your background fits with our goals.
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity. Plus, it shows you’re keen to join our team at this pivotal stage.
How to prepare for a job interview at Your Prime Recruitment Ltd
✨Know Your Tech Inside Out
Make sure you’re well-versed in the latest AI tools and technologies, especially LLMs and prompt engineering. Be ready to discuss how you've applied these in real-world scenarios, as this will show your hands-on experience and understanding of the tech landscape.
✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills
Prepare examples of how you've tackled product challenges in previous roles. Highlight your ability to work in ambiguity and how you’ve turned ideas into shipped features. This is crucial for demonstrating that you can thrive in a fast-moving, founder-led environment.
✨Understand User Experience
Familiarise yourself with user-centric design principles and be prepared to discuss how you’ve improved user experiences in past projects. This role focuses heavily on user experience, so showing that you can think from the user's perspective will set you apart.
✨Engage with the Founders' Vision
Research the company’s mission and values, and think about how your personal goals align with theirs. During the interview, express your enthusiasm for contributing to their vision and how you can help shape the product's future. This shows you're not just looking for a job, but a meaningful opportunity.