At a Glance
- Tasks: Design and develop scalable backend systems for innovative AI projects.
- Company: Stealth-mode AI lab with a team of top-tier tech talent.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, equity, 28 days holiday, and professional growth opportunities.
- Why this job: Join a dynamic team tackling real-world challenges in AI technology.
- Qualifications: 5+ years in backend development and cloud technologies.
- Other info: High-ownership environment with a focus on impact and collaboration.
The predicted salary is between 81000 - 108000 £ per year.
Team: Backend
Location: UK Remote
Employment Type: Full-time and Permanent
Remuneration (UK – Remote): £81–108k Base Salary + Discretionary Bonus + Equity
We are a stealth-mode AI laboratory researching and developing Machine Learning models. The founding team consists of Cambridge graduates and former engineers at Google, Meta, Bloomberg, Microsoft and Amazon. We are backed by prominent investors from the US and the UK, including institutional VC funds and C-level executives of global technology companies.
The role involves the design and development of backend services and infrastructure for Machine Learning workloads. You will be working closely with the Machine Learning team; however, you are not required or expected to have a background in Machine Learning. This is an applied role, and we are looking to hire a software engineer with experience in cloud computing and distributed systems.
In this role, you will:
- Design and develop highly-scalable, fault tolerant and event driven systems that directly power our core products.
- Lead projects from inception to launch and beyond, having a high degree of autonomy and ownership over your work.
- Work closely with the founding team and contribute towards best practices, standards, and culture of the company.
- Mentor colleagues and lead by example, raising the bar for the whole company.
- Help hire future colleagues and shape the team you want to work with.
Our tech stack:
- We use and leverage AWS as much as possible and manage it with Terraform.
- Services are written in C# (.NET 9) and deployed to ECS or Lambda via GitHub Actions.
- We use Postgres, SNS/SQS and Redis.
- We have good end-to-end test coverage and are confident in our deployments.
What we are looking for:
- Back-end development: 5+ years of industry experience building reliable and scalable back-end systems with an object-oriented language.
- Cloud-native technologies: Experience in architecting and deploying in cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, GCP or Azure), an understanding of containerisation (e.g., Docker), infrastructure-as-code software (e.g., Terraform), and observability platforms (e.g., Datadog or Grafana).
- Strong ownership mindset: You naturally take responsibility for outcomes, not just tasks, and care deeply about the quality of what you ship.
- Product-oriented thinking: You think beyond implementation details, proactively suggesting improvements that balance customer value with business impact.
- Leadership: A track record of leading complex projects and influencing technical direction.
- Problem solving: Strong analytical problem-solving skills and attention to detail. You have the ability to break down complex projects into actionable tasks.
- Collaboration and communication: Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with technical and non-technical stakeholders.
We would like to acknowledge that almost no candidate checks every box – and that is perfectly fine. If you are passionate about solving complex challenges and open to learning new technologies, we would love to hear from you.
How we work:
We are a small, early-stage team with big ambitions. We move quickly, care deeply about what we build, and take pride in doing things well. This is a high-ownership environment where people who are proactive, curious, and motivated by impact tend to thrive.
Nice to have:
- Machine Learning: Experience in generative models, LLMs, multi-modal models and Deep Learning more generally.
- Open-source: Contributions to and experience in open-source projects.
- Startup experience: Experience in an early-stage startup environment.
Why join us?
- Work in an environment conducting cutting-edge research in AI.
- Competitive salary, equity and benefits package.
- 28 days + public holidays allowance.
- Opportunities for professional growth and progression with your career.
- Work on challenging engineering problems that have a real impact on the industry.
- Work with high-profile customers and technology partners.
Senior Software Engineer - Backend in Newcastle upon Tyne employer: Zettafleet
Contact Detail:
Zettafleet Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Software Engineer - Backend in Newcastle upon Tyne
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in your industry on LinkedIn or at tech meetups. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio or GitHub repository showcasing your projects, especially those related to cloud computing and backend systems. This gives potential employers a taste of what you can do.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on common technical questions and system design scenarios. Practice explaining your thought process clearly, as communication is key when working with both technical and non-technical teams.
✨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 hearing from passionate candidates who are eager to tackle complex challenges.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Software Engineer - Backend in Newcastle upon Tyne
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that align with our job description. Highlight your back-end development experience, especially in cloud-native technologies, to show us you’re the right fit!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Use your cover letter to tell us why you're passionate about this role and how your background makes you a great candidate. Share specific examples of projects you've led or contributed to that demonstrate your ownership mindset.
Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills: In your application, don’t shy away from discussing complex challenges you've tackled in the past. We love candidates who can break down problems and come up with actionable solutions, so give us the details!
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’re considered for this exciting opportunity in our stealth-mode AI lab!
How to prepare for a job interview at Zettafleet
✨Know Your Tech Stack
Make sure you’re familiar with the technologies mentioned in the job description, especially AWS, Terraform, and C#. Brush up on your knowledge of cloud-native technologies and distributed systems. Being able to discuss how you've used these tools in past projects will show that you're a great fit for the role.
✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills
Prepare to discuss specific examples where you've tackled complex problems in your previous roles. Think about how you broke down projects into actionable tasks and the impact of your solutions. This will demonstrate your analytical skills and ownership mindset, which are crucial for this position.
✨Emphasise Collaboration and Leadership
Since this role involves mentoring and leading projects, be ready to share experiences where you've successfully collaborated with both technical and non-technical stakeholders. Highlight any leadership roles you've taken on and how you influenced project direction or team culture.
✨Ask Insightful Questions
Prepare thoughtful questions about the company’s culture, the team dynamics, and the challenges they face in developing their AI products. This shows your genuine interest in the role and helps you assess if it’s the right fit for you. Plus, it gives you a chance to engage with the interviewers on a deeper level.