Senior Software Engineer - Client Engineering

kraken; City of Melbourne; Hybrid; AUD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity options

Flexible work environment

Office facilities with drinks, snacks,

Job summary

Kraken Engineering is seeking a Senior Backend Engineer to own architectural decisions and drive large milestones. You will work across server, client, and data layers to deliver scalable Python/Django solutions with GraphQL, Celery and PostgreSQL.

The role emphasizes leadership, cross‑team collaboration, and mentorship. We value someone who can balance speed with quality, contribute to design discussions, and help shape our platform across regions while leveraging AWS, Terraform and Kubernetes

Qualifications

• Proficient in Python and Django web frameworks.
• Experience with GraphQL APIs and data modeling.
• Strong SQL skills with PostgreSQL; exposure to Celery tasks.

Responsibilities

• Technical & Architectural Ownership: build robust, fault‑tolerant software using Python, Django, GraphQL, Celery and PostgreSQL.
• Leadership & Execution: drive milestones and cadence to hit target dates while balancing trade‑offs.
• Cross‑Domain Bridge: connect teams on cross‑functional projects and quickl y align on unfamiliar concepts.
• Communication & Risk Management: clearly explain technical points across teams to stakeholders.
• Documentation & Standards: set and enforce coding standards, ensure thorough documentation.
• Mentorship: guide engineers to meet high engineering standards and grow professionally.

Skills

Python

Django

GraphQL

PostgreSQL

Celery

AWS

Terraform

Kubernetes

Job description

Help us use technology to make a big green dent in the universe!

Kraken powers some of the most innovative global developments in energy.

We create the technology that redefines utilities and unlocks a new energy system of the future. By optimising renewable generation, building a more intelligent grid, and empowering utilities to deliver an exceptional customer experience, our operating system is transforming the industry worldwide.

It’s an incredibly exciting time to work in energy. Join us on our mission to improve the lives of ONE BILLION humans within the decade and shape a cleaner, better future for everyone.

Where you'll fit in:

Kraken’s technology is written and maintained by a multi-discipline engineering team of around 1,400 people globally, which includes server-side, client-side, and mobile engineers. We follow an agile way of working, where individual teams are given the freedom to choose the tools that are most appropriate for managing their work.

Kraken is a great place to learn, work with talented engineers and level-up your skills. Some of our coding conventions are open‑source.

Our technology

Our backend developers use Python. Most of our websites are powered by Django and GraphQL (Graphene). Our CircleCI CI/CD pipeline runs tens of thousands of tests, deploying into AWS EKS defined by Terraform over 100 times per day and observed with tools like Sentry and Datadog. This allows us to move fast and at scale, without compromising reliability. Teams work differently but the commitment to quality is the same.

Developers at Kraken are empowered to use cutting‑edge AI tools and models. Any generated code is still owned by a human.

What we do

Kraken Engineering has multiple disciplinary groups with their own management structures and teams working together to create a unified Kraken that can be deployed to any territory in the world to achieve clients’ goals.

Client Engineering is the development arm responsible for making sure our clients receive the best possible experience and their needs are met with high quality solutions.

This covers:

• Implementation: How our core products are configured for the needs of the region, market or client.
• Acceleration: Improving the core product quickly and iteratively to meet the needs of our clients.
• Invention: What new solutions could we build to solve requirements that fall out of scope of our existing product offering.
• Support: Making sure our clients feel supported, responding to incidents, helping client‑facing folk with technical discussions and in general being present and visible.

What you’ll own:

• Senior Engineers have not only strong engineering skills, but the ability to make cross‑team and organizational impacts.
  • Technical & Architectural Ownership: Build robust, fault‑tolerant software using Python, Django, GraphQL, Celery, and PostgreSQL. Apply deep architectural knowledge (e.g., separation of concerns, interfaces and refactoring practices like the Strangler Fig pattern or Chesterton’s Fence) to solve complex domain modeling challenges.
  • Leadership & Execution: Take on large milestones, driving their direction and cadence to consistently hit target dates while managing technical trade‑offs.
  • Cross-Domain Bridge: Connect your team with related teams on cross‑functional projects, quickly catching up on unfamiliar concepts and identifying critical points across domains.
  • Communication & Risk Management: Articulate technical points clearly across domains and to stakeholders at all levels of technical literacy using a "strong opinions, loosely held" approach.
  • Documentation & Standards: Set standards through your code and actions, ensure features and rollouts are thoroughly documented, and raise the engineering bar across the organization.
  • Mentorship: Sponsor and mentor engineers, helping them grow and reach the standards needed for promotion.

What you'll bring to the party:

• Python & Django (or equivalent web framework)
• Domain modeling and architectural design
• GraphQL
• Writing robust and fault‑tolerant software
• Celery and async processing
• PostgreSQL

Bonus points:

• AWS, Terraform, Kubernetes
• Experience with one or more frontend frameworks

What you’ll love about us:

• Flexible working environment- genuine work life balance here, we are in the top 5 companies in the UK, we treat you as a human, and do our best to make work and life merge smoothly together
• Equity Options Scheme- you own your own part of the business, share options in Kraken so we all work together towards success
• Office - have a certain tech requirement? We’ll do our best to get it. We also have drinks, snacks and a coffee machine at the office space on Bourke street.
• Your development is important - we support and help with development including internal and external courses, learning, study support etc, all bespoke to you

Kraken is a certified Great Place to Work in France, Germany, Spain, Japan, Australia, and USA. In the UK we are one of the Best Workplaces on Glassdoor with a score of 4.5. Check out our Welcome to the Jungle site (FR/EN) to learn more about our teams and culture.

Are you ready for a career with us? We want to ensure you have the right tools and environment to unleash your potential. If you have any accommodation requests, please contact us at [e-mail]. We’ll do our best to tailor the experience to your needs so you can feel comfortable, confident and be at your best!

Studies have shown that some groups of people, like women, are less likely to apply to a role unless they meet 100% of the job requirements. Whoever you are, if you like one of our jobs, we encourage you to apply as you might just be the candidate we’re looking for! At Kraken, we're creating a team of genuine, honest, empathetic people. Our people are our strongest asset and the unique skills and perspectives people bring to the team are the driving force of our success. As an equal opportunity employer, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected attribute. We consider all applicants without regard to race, colour, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.

*Our (i) Applicant and Candidate Privacy Notice and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Notice, (ii) Website Privacy Notice and (iii) Cookie Notice govern the collection and use of your personal data in connection with your application and use of our website. These policies explain how we handle your data and outline your rights under applicable laws, including, but not limited to, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). Depending on your location, you may have the right to access, correct, or delete your information, object to processing, or withdraw consent. By applying, you acknowledge that you’ve read, understood and consent to these terms

Please note that, in line with our current recruitment policy, we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this position; applicants must have the right to work in the country that they're applying to, at the time of application.