Staff Engineer in Manchester

Staff Engineer in Manchester

Manchester Full-Time 36000 - 60000 £ / year (est.) No home office possible
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At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead technical strategy for Point of Sale products and mentor engineers.
  • Company: Zopa, a pioneering bank redefining finance with a customer-first approach.
  • Benefits: Hybrid work model, competitive salary, and the chance to work abroad for 120 days a year.
  • Why this job: Shape the future of finance while working with cutting-edge technologies in a dynamic environment.
  • Qualifications: Strong experience in Kotlin or Java, and familiarity with React or modern JS frameworks.
  • Other info: Join a diverse team focused on collaboration and building inclusive systems.

The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.

Hello there. We’re Zopa. We started our journey back in 2005, building the first ever peer-to-peer lending company. Fast forward to 2020 and we launched Zopa Bank. A bank that listens to what our customers don’t like about finance and does the opposite. We’re redefining what it feels like to work in finance. Our vision for a new era of banking puts people front and centre — we’ve built a business that empowers everyone to aim high, every day, to move finance forward.

We’re looking for a Staff Engineer to help shape the future of our Point of Sale (PoS) products — a core domain at Zopa that connects customers with fair, transparent finance at the checkout. As a Staff Engineer, you’ll play a hands-on technical leadership role across multiple squads. You’ll own the technical strategy for PoS, enabling us to scale our systems and grow our impact. From backend Kotlin services to React frontends, you’ll help drive architectural decisions, mentor engineers, and ensure we’re building things the right way.

This is a unique opportunity to help shape technical culture and capability as we scale up in Manchester. You’ll work in a product-focused environment where engineers own their work end-to-end, deploy to production frequently, and see the real-world impact of what they build. You’ll also get to work with a modern tech stack: Kotlin, Kafka, Kubernetes, Docker, AWS, Aurora Postgres and more.

A typical day will include:

  • Owning and evolving the technical vision for our Point-of-Sale systems
  • Working across teams to drive consistency, scalability and architectural alignment
  • Getting hands-on with code (Kotlin & React) when needed, and enabling others to thrive
  • Championing engineering best practices - from testing and CI/CD to observability and performance
  • Supporting engineers with mentorship, pairing and design guidance
  • Collaborating closely with product managers, designers and other engineering leads
  • Helping define standards for service architecture, frontend quality, and integration patterns
  • Shaping the technical bar and culture of our Manchester engineering hub

About you:

  • You’ve led large-scale technical initiatives across multiple teams or domains
  • You’re a strong Kotlin or Java engineer with experience in modern backend systems
  • You’ve worked with React or modern JS frameworks on customer-facing UIs
  • You love working across boundaries — connecting dots between teams, codebases, and roadmaps
  • You’re comfortable with ambiguity and thrive in fast-moving, scaling environments
  • You bring others with you — explaining technical ideas clearly to both engineers and non-engineers
  • You care about building inclusive teams, scalable systems, and great customer experiences

Zopa is proud to offer a workplace free from discrimination. Diversity of experience, perspectives, and backgrounds leads to better products for our customers and a unique company culture for our people.

We value face-to-face collaboration and a good work-life balance. This hybrid role requires you to come to our Manchester office 2-3 days a week. You'll also have the option of working from abroad for up to 120 days a year! But no matter where you are, we’ll make sure you’ve got everything you need to thrive, both in your work and home life, from day one.

Staff Engineer in Manchester employer: Zopa Bank

At Zopa, we pride ourselves on being a forward-thinking employer that champions innovation and inclusivity in the finance sector. As a Staff Engineer in our Manchester hub, you'll enjoy a collaborative work culture that values your contributions and offers ample opportunities for professional growth, all while working with cutting-edge technology. With a strong emphasis on work-life balance and the flexibility to work remotely, Zopa is committed to ensuring you thrive both personally and professionally.
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Contact Detail:

Zopa Bank Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

We think this is how you could land Staff Engineer in Manchester

✨Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Reach out to current employees at Zopa on LinkedIn or other platforms. Ask them about their experiences and any tips they might have for the interview process. It’s all about making connections!

✨Tip Number 2

Prepare for technical interviews by brushing up on your Kotlin and React skills. Practice coding challenges and system design questions that are relevant to the role. We want you to feel confident and ready to showcase your expertise!

✨Tip Number 3

Showcase your leadership skills during interviews. Talk about past projects where you’ve led teams or initiatives, especially those that involved cross-team collaboration. Zopa values engineers who can connect the dots and drive impact!

✨Tip Number 4

Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in being part of the Zopa team. Let’s make finance better together!

We think you need these skills to ace Staff Engineer in Manchester

Kotlin
Java
React
Backend Development
Frontend Development
Technical Leadership
Architectural Decision-Making
Mentorship
CI/CD
Observability
Performance Optimisation
Collaboration
Scalability
Problem-Solving
Communication Skills

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that match the Staff Engineer role at Zopa. Highlight your experience with Kotlin, React, and any leadership roles you've had. We want to see how you can contribute to our mission!

Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to show us your personality and passion for the role. Share why you're excited about working at Zopa and how you can help shape our Point of Sale products. Keep it engaging and relevant!

Showcase Your Technical Skills: In your application, don’t shy away from mentioning specific projects or achievements that demonstrate your technical prowess. Whether it's a large-scale initiative or a cool feature you built, we want to know how you’ve made an impact in your previous roles.

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 the role. Plus, it shows us you’re keen on joining the Zopa team!

How to prepare for a job interview at Zopa Bank

✨Know Your Tech Stack

Make sure you’re well-versed in the technologies mentioned in the job description, especially Kotlin and React. Brush up on your knowledge of backend systems and customer-facing UIs, as you might be asked to discuss your experience with these during the interview.

✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills

As a Staff Engineer, you’ll need to demonstrate your ability to lead technical initiatives. Prepare examples of past projects where you’ve driven architectural decisions or mentored other engineers. This will show that you can take ownership and guide teams effectively.

✨Emphasise Collaboration

Zopa values teamwork, so be ready to talk about how you’ve worked across different teams in the past. Share specific instances where you connected various stakeholders, like product managers and designers, to achieve a common goal. This will highlight your ability to thrive in a collaborative environment.

✨Prepare for Cultural Fit Questions

Zopa is all about inclusivity and a positive work culture. Think about how you can contribute to this environment and be prepared to discuss your views on building inclusive teams and great customer experiences. Showing that you align with their values will set you apart.

Staff Engineer in Manchester
Zopa Bank
Location: Manchester

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