Software Engineer - Route Optimisation

ZeroNorth; København; On-site; DKK 520,000 - 760,000; Full time

Job summary

ZeroNorth in Copenhagen is seeking a Software Engineer with a foundation in algorithms and optimisation to join our routing team. You will work on an algorithm-heavy system that powers route decisions for freight ships, with real impact on emissions and efficiency.

We value production-ready code, curiosity, and collaboration with product managers and domain experts. Candidates typically have 1–2 years building production systems, with Python or C++ as a plus, and fluent English.

Qualifications

• Solid foundation in graph algorithms or combinatorial optimization.
• Experience building production systems.
• Fluent English in spoken and written form.
• Strong problem-solving and collaborative skills.
• Background in Python or C++ is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Learn and apply optimisation and search algorithms to real-world routing.
• Improve and extend route optimisation algorithms.
• Engage in general software engineering across services and tooling.
• Analyse route quality using real routes and data.
• Contribute to production reliability through monitoring and triage.

Skills

Graph algorithms

Combinatorial optimization

Fluent English

Problem solving

Team collaboration

Education

CS degree with algorithms focus

Tools

Python

C++

Job description

At ZeroNorth, we are at the forefront of transforming the shipping industry through digital innovation. Our solutions go beyond optimising business operations, they are designed to lead the industry in sustainability by significantly reducing CO2 emissions.

Our core mission of making global trade greener drives everything we do. Your contributions will play a crucial role in reducing emissions, aligning commercial success with sustainability, and delivering benefits for both profitability and the environment.

ZeroNorth is powered by a diverse team of 550+ professionals with more than 38 nationalities, operating out of global hubs including Copenhagen (our headquarters), Athens, Chennai, Mumbai, Singapore, Sofia, and Tokyo.

We are leading the industry's green transition, enabling our partners to leverage data for actionable decarbonisation efforts.

Software Engineer at ZeroNorth

ZeroNorth's Routing team builds and operates the route optimisation engine for freight ships. It solves the problem of finding the most efficient way of sailing from A to B, considering the weather, safety constraints and many other parameters. The service runs in production and underpins several of ZeroNorth's major products, so the code you write will directly affect the many vessels using our platform, helping them make better navigation decisions and reduce emissions.

We are looking for a Software Engineer with a strong algorithms/optimisation foundation to join the team. You will work on an algorithm-heavy system alongside some very experienced engineers, with good learning opportunities and a real chance to help contribute to a more efficient global trade.

This is a role for an algorithms/optimisation person who is also a capable software engineer, or well on the way to becoming one. It is not the right fit for a generalist full-stack software engineer.

Key responsibilities:

• Learn a lot about applying optimisation and search algorithms to the very practical real-world problem of navigating large vessels safely and efficiently.
• Improve and extend our route optimisation algorithms, and contribute to designing new capabilities.
• General software engineering across the team's services and tooling.
• Analyse route quality: dig into real routes and data to determine whether a change actually makes routes better, and under which circumstances.
• Help run the system in production: monitoring, log triage, and investigating user-reported issues

Your profile:

• A real foundation in graph algorithms, combinatorial optimisation, or similar, from education (e.g. mathematics, operations research, or CS with an algorithms focus) or prior work.
• Around 1–2 years of experience building production systems.
• You write solid code and can tell good code from bad, whether you are reviewing a PR or directing an AI agent. Python or C++ experience is a plus.
• Creative problem solver: you come up with solutions and ideas rather than only implementing specified ones, and you like to contribute in team discussions.
• A pragmatic mindset: you can find the right balance between perfection and quick-n-dirty, depending on the circumstances.
• Ambitious about AI tooling: you want to become great at AI-assisted development and keep up with best practices, while staying critical about quality.
• Curious about the domain: You don't need experience from the shipping industry, but you should be interested in learning more, and you don't mind analysing routes and other data to identify improvement opportunities.
• You have a sense of ownership of the work you do, and it matters to you if what you do makes a difference or not.
• You collaborate well, not only with other software engineers, but also with product managers, non-technical domain experts and other stakeholders.
• You are fluent in oral and written English.

About ZeroNorth

At ZeroNorth, we aim to make global trade sustainable by steering the maritime industry toward zero emissions. Using advancedtechnology and trusted data, our platform delivers real-time insights to optimize operations and align commercial success with environmental impact.

We partner with customers on their journey toward sustainability, solving complex challenges and empowering informed decisions that benefit both the planet and their bottom line.

Our culture thrives on growth, inclusion, and collaboration. We value honesty, trust, and the unique contributions of every team member, driving meaningful change together.

Let's make global trade green.