At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the evolution of an AI-driven product and enhance user experience.
- Company: Early-stage, mission-led software business with a strong market presence.
- Benefits: Equity opportunities, hybrid working, and direct access to founders.
- Other info: Fast-paced, dynamic role with significant impact on product development.
- Why this job: Join at a pivotal moment and shape the future of innovative technology.
- Qualifications: Strong software engineering background and experience in startup environments.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
Founding Engineer Manchester (Hybrid) AI Product / Mobile / SaaS
The Opportunity
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
Lead Software Engineer in 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 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 that could land you an interview.
✨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.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for the interview by understanding the company's product and its challenges. Think about how your experience aligns with their needs, especially in user experience and AI tooling. Tailor your answers to show you’re the perfect fit!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive and engaged with our platform.
We think you need these skills to ace Lead Software Engineer in 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 Builder Mindset: We love engineers who take ownership of their work! In your application, emphasise your experience in building and shipping real products, especially in startup environments. Tell us about the challenges you faced and how you turned ideas into live features.
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your application to reflect the specific requirements of the Lead Software Engineer role. Mention your experience with customer-facing applications and any exposure to mobile or app-led products, as these are key to what we’re looking for.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates. Plus, it shows you’re keen to join our team!
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. Brush up on your hands-on software engineering skills and be ready to discuss how you've applied these in real-world scenarios.
✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills
Prepare examples of how you've tackled product problems in previous roles. Think about times when you had to build in ambiguity or make practical decisions around architecture and integrations. This will demonstrate your builder mindset.
✨Understand User Experience
Since this role focuses on improving user experience, be ready to discuss your approach to product thinking and how you’ve enhanced customer outcomes in past projects. Highlight any experience with mobile-first products or customer-facing applications.
✨Engage with the Founders' Vision
Research the company’s mission and values, and think about how you can contribute to their vision. Be prepared to discuss how you can help shape the technical direction as the business grows, showing that you’re not just a coder but a strategic thinker.