Lead Software Engineer

loveholidays; London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative company is seeking a Lead Software Engineer to drive technical excellence and mentor a dynamic team. This role involves managing high-performance systems, including supplier integrations and real-time pricing solutions, while fostering an inclusive culture that values diverse perspectives. With a focus on cloud technologies and algorithms, you will play a key role in shaping the future of holiday booking experiences. Join a forward-thinking team that prioritizes personal growth and offers exciting perks, including generous leave and training budgets, while making a significant impact in the travel industry.

Benefits

Company pension contributions at 5%

Individualised training budget

Discounted holidays

25 days of annual leave

Cycle-to-work schemes

Season ticket loans

Eye care vouchers

Qualifications

• Proven track record in mentoring and supporting engineering teams.
• Experience with cloud services and high-performance systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical ownership of supplier integration and pricing systems.
• Manage and develop engineering teams, fostering productivity.

Skills

Algorithms

Data Structures

HTTP

Web Services

REST

Containers

Cloud Technologies

Testing

Reliability

Monitoring

TypeScript

Java

Golang

Rust

Python

Job description

We’re supportive, inclusive and collaborative. We’re also on a mission to open the world to everyone, giving our customers unlimited choice, unmatched ease and unmissable value for their next getaway. Essentially, we are our customers’ personal holiday expert, the smart way to get away – and our engineering teams build the technology that makes the holiday happen.

About the team

The work we do in engineering underpins our vision to become the most loved OTA in Europe, providing a best-in-class experience for our customers pre- and post-booking. Our systems process 500 billion holiday offers every day, helping millions of customers find their perfect holiday. Our website serves 7,500 requests per second, backed by more than 100 services hosted on GCP, with deployments happening 600 times a month. Our CCAI-powered contact centre bot handles 70% of all customer chat requests, answering 1.4 million queries in 2022 in less than 1 minute each.

The impact you'll have

Reporting to the Director of Engineering, Lead Software Engineers at loveholidays are the technical owners of:

• Supplier integration systems that process vast amounts of data.
• Industry-shaping, high-performance bespoke search and recommendation systems.
• Sophisticated real-time pricing systems.
• Complex domain modelling and implementation of booking payment, fulfilment and management systems.
• AI-powered solutions to assist customers pre- and post-booking.

Lead Software Engineers are also responsible for their team’s engineers’ line management and career development, building and running services at scale in the cloud, and supporting team productivity and growth. They collaborate with the technical leadership team, communicate technical strategies to stakeholders, and participate in recruitment. A proven track record in mentoring, supporting, and improving engineering teams is essential.

Required technical expertise includes algorithms, data structures, HTTP, web services, REST, containers, cloud technologies, testing, reliability, monitoring, and proficiency in multiple programming languages such as TypeScript, Java, Golang, Rust, and Python.

Perks of joining us

Company pension contributions at 5%, an individualised training budget, discounted holidays, 25 days of annual leave (plus 8 public holidays), with increases based on service, and options to buy or sell leave. Additional benefits include cycle-to-work schemes, season ticket loans, and eye care vouchers.

We focus on creating an inclusive culture that fosters personal growth and collective success, valuing diverse perspectives and ideas to enhance our teams.

The interview journey

Screening call with the talent partner.

First-stage interview with two engineers from the team.

Technical challenge — options for a live or take-home task.

Final stage discussions covering three key areas.

About the company

loveholidays offers a personalized way to search for your next getaway, with flexible holiday options and ATOL protection, ensuring confidence in your booking. We provide various payment options to suit your needs.