Lead Software Engineer

SR2 | Socially Responsible Recruitment | Certified B Corporation™; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

SR2 is partnering with a FinTech business in London to hire a Lead Software Engineer who still loves coding. The role centers on system architecture, distributed services, and AI-powered tooling, with 2 days a week in the London office.

You will lead a small engineering team, work with a hands-on CTO and Principal Engineer, and drive architecture decisions while tackling real-time tech across Docker and React/TypeScript. GDPR knowledge and finance sector exposure are valued.

Qualifications

• Experience leading engineering teams or mentoring engineers.
• Strong Java background with hands-on coding and architecture oversight.
• Familiarity with AWS and distributed systems in a FinTech context.

Responsibilities

• Lead, support and unblock a small engineering team.
• Make architecture decisions alongside a hands-on CTO and Principal Engineer.
• Get stuck into distributed systems, event-driven services, APIs and AWS.
• Improve CI/CD, testing and releases processes.
• Work across Docker, React/TypeScript and real-time technology.
• Experiment with AI coding agents in the build process.

Skills

Java

AWS

Kafka

React/TypeScript

Distributed systems

CI/CD

AI coding tools

Tools

Docker

Job description

I'm hiring! Lead Software Engineer | Java | AWS | AI | System Architecture | Kafka | 2 days a week in London| £80,000 - £100,000 + Benefits

This is a brilliant role for a Senior looking to take a step up!

Love leading engineers, but not ready to hang up your coding gloves?

I'm partnering with a brilliant FinTech business doing something a little different and building a product that actually lets people experience what it's actually like to work in Trading, Banking and Quantitative Finance.

They're growing, evolving their platform, and looking for a Lead Software Engineer who still really likes being a software engineer.

What will you actually do?

• Lead, support and unblock a small engineering team
• Make architecture decisions alongside a hands-on CTO and Principal Engineer
• Get stuck into distributed systems, event-driven services, APIs and AWS
• Make CI/CD, testing and releases better (and ideally less exciting)
• Work across Docker, React/TypeScript and real-time technology
• Experiment seriously with AI coding agents - they're already part of how this team builds software

Necessary experience with:

• GDPR Knowledge | Experience working in the finance sector
• Experience working in a smaller team or startup/ scale environment would be desirable.

This would be a great role for anyone who knows Java inside and out, had led engineers formally or unofficially and likes solving technical problems. This is a brilliant role for someone who has opinions about good software architecture and can explain why, can actually use AI coding tools and enjoys the autonomy of figuring things out.

A financial background is not necessary, but an interest into how markets work would be great.

£100,000 + Benefits and a flexible working environment within a genuinely tech for good business.