Senior Software Engineer, Backend - Full or Part Time

Autotrader; Manchester; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Shares programme

Private medical cover

Pension scheme

Hybrid working

Salary sacrifice car

Job summary

Autotrader is seeking a Senior Software Engineer (Backend) in Manchester. You will contribute to a scalable platform powering automotive data, using Spring Boot, RESTful services, and Kafka-driven event processing. The role emphasizes collaboration, code reviews, and pairing in a hybrid work model.

We value senior Java expertise, mentorship, and a structured approach to testing (TDD). Competitive salary and shared ownership options are offered, with comprehensive benefits and flexible working

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in Java/JVM and Spring.
• Designing RESTful APIs and web apps.
• Experience with TDD and test automation.
• Mentoring and coaching teammates in technical skills.
• Knowledge of cloud platforms is a bonus.

Skills

Java/JVM

Spring

RESTful APIs

TDD

Mentoring

Tools

Google Cloud

SQL/Relational DBs

MongoDB

Kafka

Job description

Senior Software Engineer, Backend - Full or Part Time

Manchester

You've probably heard of Autotrader, but do you know what we're all about?We're the most trusted, most visited automotive marketplace in the UK. A heritage brand and a tech innovator.

We bring together vehicle buyers and sellers to give them real choices. Cars may be what we're best known for but we're also the place for pretty much everything else on wheels, from e-bikes to caravans.

In the automotive world, change is a constant, that's why we take our job of untangling the complex car-buying journey very seriously. At our core, we're all about people. We go our own way while embracing diversity and celebrating our differences. We dedicate ourselves to the idea that we work better together.

Autotrader is a beautiful, surprising and vibrant place to work. We might not be for everyone, but we could be perfect for you.

About the role

We're looking for Senior Software Engineers to help us build a technology platform for more than just the needs of Autotrader.co.uk.

Utilising our public-facing web services and additional external data sources means that we'll be able to power businesses across the automotive industry.

Spring Boot, Apache Solr, Cloud SQL and Apache Kafka power our platform and process millions of events per day. As a team, our software developers are responsible for ensuring service availability and responsiveness continue to improve. They work on systems that handle thousands of requests per second, with sub-100 millisecond response times, servicing requests from over 50 client applications.

Our tech community value collaboration and teamwork. Interactions like pairing, code reviews and regular stand-ups mean our software developers stay connected.

You might assume that our name, \"Autotrader,\" means you need to be a car enthusiast to work here. But that's not the case. We're looking for people who are passionate about their work and thrive in a collaborative environment.

What We're Looking For

• In depth understanding of Java and the JVM
• Knowledge of server-side frameworks such as Spring
• Web application design and RESTful API know-how
• A structured approach to programming and testing, such as TDD
• Passionate about mentoring and coaching and sharing technical expertise

Although not a requirement, helpful experience includes:

• Google Cloud
• SQL/Relational databases
• Document/Map based storage (eg: MongoDB)
• Working with Kafka messaging/streaming

During our application process, you will be asked two questions to help us learn more about you and how you align with our values. These will be used as part of our selection criteria, to determine if we progress your application further

Benefits and more

We're offering a salary of £50,000 - £70,000, plus an additional 10% of your salary awarded to you in shares each year. These awarded shares will become yours in yearly instalments over the next three years, and you can choose to either sell them or keep them as shares. And you'll receive 28 days holiday, plus bank holidays and comprehensive private medical cover.

That's not all. You'll be enrolled in our pension scheme, where our standard contributions are 7% and employee contributions are 5%. We also have comprehensive private medical cover, enhanced family leave provisions, a car salary sacrifice scheme, share-save options, and much more.

We always want to give you the support you need and help prioritise your wellbeing, that's why we provide access to 24/7 online GP and dentist, as well as specialist support for assisted fertility, gender dysphoria, menopause, period care plans and lots more.

On top of all that, our hybrid model, Connected Working, combines the best of both worlds - office and home working. You'll spend a minimum of 3 days a week in the office with your team, focused on collaboration and connection.

Additionally, we have our remote-first periods at set times during summer and winter. During these periods, you can work remotely anywhere in the UK and from certain locations abroad.

We are committed to making Autotrader a diverse and inclusive environment for everyone. For us to be successful, we want to attract and build a group of people where everyone is unique in their own way.

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Our minimum part time consideration is 22.5 hours per week

Our minimum part time consideration is 22.5 hours per week

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