At a Glance
- Tasks: Design and develop features for our award-winning dog training app.
- Company: Join ZigZag, the top app for dog training, backed by a global petcare leader.
- Benefits: Earn up to ÂŁ70,000, enjoy flexible working, and a ÂŁ1,000 learning budget.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on pet training while working with cutting-edge technology.
- Qualifications: Experience in full-stack development, especially backend systems and APIs.
- Other info: Collaborative culture with opportunities for growth and a dog-friendly office.
The predicted salary is between 42000 - 84000 ÂŁ per year.
About the Role
ZigZag is the #1 app for dog training & life skills, helping pups and their pawrents build a lifelong bond. Too many dogs miss out on the right training, leading to behavioural issues or even abandonment. Our mission is to prevent that by making puppy training accessible and enjoyable for everyone. We’ve been featured as Apple’s App of the Day, highlighted in New Apps We Love, and shortlisted for multiple industry awards. Backed by a major global petcare organisation, we’re a growing product‑led company with big ambitions and a close‑knit team.
Our engineers build and maintain the ZigZag Puppy Training mobile app (iOS and Android), with meaningful work across the full stack, and particular responsibility for helping raise the bar on backend systems, APIs, and data‑driven product development. The app is built using Nest.js and TypeScript on the backend, with an Angular (v20) UI and Ionic for cross‑platform mobile delivery. We deploy multiple times per day via CI/CD in Azure, enabling small, frequent releases and fast feedback. This is a hands‑on senior individual contributor role. You’ll work across the full stack, contributing to both backend services and the mobile app. As a senior engineer, you’ll also help guide backend and infrastructure design decisions and best practices. There’s scope to grow into broader technical leadership over time, if that’s something you’re interested in.
We work collaboratively through pair programming, peer review, and regular learning sessions, and partner closely with product and design to ship high‑quality features at pace.
What You’ll Do
- Design and ship features across the full stack, writing high‑quality, maintainable code
- Take a leading role in backend design, data modelling, and API quality, helping ensure the platform scales safely and reliably
- Feed into decisions around infrastructure and CI/CD, contributing to improvements in our Azure‑hosted pipelines
- Work closely with the Head of Engineering, product, and design to plan and deliver roadmap initiatives
- Ensure our code meets security, privacy, and performance best practices
- Share knowledge with teammates through collaboration, mentoring, and code review
- Take part in interviews and pairing sessions to help us build a strong, inclusive engineering team
What You’ll Bring
This role is ideal for a full‑stack engineer who enjoys working across the stack and brings particular strength and experience on the backend. We’re particularly interested in candidates who bring:
- Experience delivering production features across a modern web or mobile stack
- Depth of experience in backend development, including APIs, data modelling, and system design
- Comfort moving between backend and frontend codebases in a collaborative team
- A pragmatic approach to reliability, performance, and security
- Clear communication skills and a learning mindset
Helpful experience (not required)
- Experience with modern UI frameworks such as Angular, React, or Vue
- Exposure to CI/CD pipelines and cloud platforms (Azure, AWS, or GCP)
- Experience with mobile, hybrid, or cross‑platform app development
- A passion for dogs is optional but highly appreciated!
We know no one meets every requirement perfectly. If you’re excited about our mission and feel you could grow into this role, we encourage you to apply.
What We Offer
- Salary up to ÂŁ70,000, reviewed annually
- Annual 8 % bonus, increasing with tenure
- Pension: 5 % employer / 3 % employee contribution
- Referral bonus
- Hybrid working (UK‑based) with 1 day per week in our London Victoria office
- Flexible working arrangements
- Work from abroad for up to 2 weeks per year
- 25 days holiday (increasing to 27), plus your birthday off
- Dog‑friendly office
- ÂŁ1,000 annual learning budget
- 1 paid volunteering day per year
We’re happy to discuss flexible arrangements and reasonable adjustments throughout the hiring process.
Values, Inclusion & Diversity
Equal opportunity runs through every aspect of ZigZag. We’re building a workplace where a diverse mix of people can do their best work and be their authentic selves. Our values guide how we work every day:
- User‑led, data‑informed: We test and measure to ensure we’re delivering real value
- Own your patch: Engineers have autonomy and responsibility over what they build
- Paw‑positive collaboration: Pairing, learning together, and shared ownership
If you require any adjustments during the interview process, please let us know.
Location: London, United Kingdom
Seniority level: Mid‑Senior level
Employment type: Full‑time
Job function: Information Technology
Industries: E‑Learning Providers
Senior Software Engineer employer: Zigzag Dog Training | B Corp
Contact Detail:
Zigzag Dog Training | B Corp Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Software Engineer
✨Tip Number 1
Get your networking game on! Reach out to folks in the industry, especially those who work at ZigZag or similar companies. A friendly chat can open doors and give you insider info that could help you stand out.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! If you’ve got a portfolio or GitHub with projects that highlight your backend prowess or full-stack capabilities, make sure to share it. Real-world examples of your work can speak volumes.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for those technical interviews! Brush up on your coding skills and be ready to discuss your past projects. ZigZag values collaboration, so be ready to demonstrate how you work well with others.
✨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 genuinely excited about our mission!
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Software Engineer
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion: Let your love for tech and maybe even dogs shine through in your application. We want to see your enthusiasm for the role and how you can contribute to our mission of making puppy training accessible and enjoyable!
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights your experience with backend systems, APIs, and full-stack development. We’re looking for specific examples that showcase your skills and how they align with what we do at ZigZag.
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your cover letter or application, keep it straightforward. We appreciate clear communication, so make sure to articulate your thoughts well and avoid any fluff!
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 from our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Zigzag Dog Training | B Corp
✨Know Your Tech Stack
Make sure you’re familiar with the technologies ZigZag uses, like Nest.js, TypeScript, and Angular. Brush up on your backend development skills, especially around APIs and data modelling, as these will be key topics during your interview.
✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills
Be prepared to discuss how you've tackled challenges in previous projects. ZigZag values a pragmatic approach to reliability and performance, so share specific examples of how you’ve ensured code quality and system design in your past roles.
✨Emphasise Collaboration
Since the role involves working closely with product and design teams, highlight your experience with pair programming and peer reviews. Discuss how you’ve contributed to team dynamics and knowledge sharing in your previous positions.
✨Express Your Passion for Learning
ZigZag appreciates a learning mindset, so don’t hesitate to talk about any recent technologies or methodologies you’ve explored. Mention how you stay updated with industry trends and how you plan to grow within the role.