Lead Software Engineer | London | Hybrid | £100,000

SR2 REC LTD; Greater London; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

SR2 REC LTD is partnering with a FinTech business building a product that simulates what it’s actually like to work in trading, banking and quantitative finance. They’re seeking a Lead Software Engineer who still enjoys coding and will lead a small team in London two days a week.

You will write Java/Spring Boot code, help shape system design and architecture, and work with AWS, Kafka, and AI tooling on distributed, real-time services.

Qualifications

• Must have Java/Spring Boot expertise.
• Strong AWS experience.
• Kafka and distributed systems experience.
• Proven ability in system design and microservice architecture.
• Experience with AI tooling in software development.

Responsibilities

• Write Java/Spring Boot code several weeks.
• Lead, support and unblock a small engineering team.
• Make architecture decisions with CTO/Principal Engineer.
• Work with distributed systems, event-driven services, APIs and AWS.
• Improve CI/CD, testing and releases processes.
• Collaborate across Docker and React/TypeScript and real-time tech.
• Experiment with AI coding agents in the build process.

Skills

Java/Spring Boot

AWS

Kafka

System Design & Microservice

AI tooling experience

React/TypeScript

GDPR knowledge

Tools

Docker

Job description

Lead Software Engineer

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

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 let's 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?

• Write Java/Spring Boot code most weeks
• 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:

• Java/ Spring Boot
• AWS
• Kafka
• System Design & Microservice Architecture
• AI tooling experience

Desirable:

• React
• GDPR Knowledge | Experience working in the finance sector

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.

Experience working in a smaller team or startup/ scale environment would be desirable.

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