Staff Engineer

Fanatics; United Kingdom; Remote; GBP 60,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Join an innovative company at the forefront of sports betting technology as a Staff Software Engineer. In this pivotal role, you will lead the design and development of robust backend systems that are essential for delivering exceptional user experiences. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive architectural direction and influence backend strategies while mentoring fellow engineers. This position offers the opportunity to work in a dynamic, high-growth environment where your contributions will significantly impact the future of sports betting. If you are passionate about technology and eager to shape the future of a global digital sports platform, this role is for you.

Benefits

Flexible working hours

Remote work options

Health insurance

Retirement plan

Professional development opportunities

Team events

Employee discounts

Qualifications

• 8+ years of software engineering experience with backend emphasis.
• Strong Java skills and experience with distributed systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and development of backend services.
• Provide technical leadership and mentor engineers.

Skills

Java (Spring Framework)

Microservices Architecture

API Design

Performance Optimization

Cloud Infrastructure (AWS)

CI/CD Pipelines

DevOps Best Practices

System Design

Data Modeling

Technical Leadership

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Kafka

Job description

Overview
As aStaff Software Engineer at Fanatics Betting & Gaming (FBG), you will lead the design, development, and evolution of backend systems that are foundational to our platform. You’ll operate as a technical leader — driving architecture, mentoring engineers, and setting the standard for engineering excellence. In this role, you will influence cross-team initiatives, guide complex technical decisions, and deliver scalable, high-performance backend services. You bring deep technical expertise, a collaborative mindset, and a passion for building systems that power great user experiences in a dynamic, high-growth environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, testing, and deployment of critical backend services and systems
• Provide technical leadership across teams, setting architecture direction and influencing backend strategy
• Partner with engineering management, product, and design to define and deliver technical solutions that support business goals
• Lead complex incident response, drive root cause analysis, and help build systems that are resilient and observable
• Conduct technical reviews, mentor engineers across levels, and cultivate a strong culture of engineering excellence
• Contribute to long-term technical planning, platform evolution, and investment in shared infrastructure
• Champion continuous improvement across code quality, tooling, performance, and engineering workflows
• Deepen system and domain expertise to drive architectural clarity and product impact
• Occasionally travel to FBG offices or industry events for collaboration and technical alignment
  

Required Qualifications

• 8+ years of professional software engineering experience, with a strong emphasis on backend systems
• Proven experience designing and operating scalable distributed systems using Java (Spring Framework or equivalent)
• Deep understanding of microservices architecture, API design, performance optimization, and system observability
• Experience with cloud infrastructure, CI/CD pipelines, and DevOps best practices (AWS or equivalent)
• Strong system design, data modeling, and architectural decision-making skills
• Track record of leading complex technical projects across teams or organizations
• Exceptional communication and collaboration skills with both technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Mentorship mindset with a passion for elevating the engineering craft of those around you
• Comfortable navigating ambiguity and driving clarity in a fast-paced, evolving environment
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in high-availability, high-scale environments (e.g., gaming, fintech, e-commerce, or similar industries)
• Familiarity with event-driven architectures, Kafka, or real-time processing systems
• Background in influencing technical strategy at a departmental or org-wide level
• Excitement for growing teams, building platforms, and contributing to company-wide technical direction
  

Ready to build the future of sports betting? If you possess some of these skills but not all of them, we still encourage you to apply!Please note thatvisa sponsorship is not available for this position. We are open tofully remote candidates based in the United Kingdom.

About Us

Fanatics is building a leading global digital sports platform. We ignite the passions of global sports fans and maximize the presence and reach for our hundreds of sports partners globally by offering products and services across Fanatics Commerce, Fanatics Collectibles, and Fanatics Betting & Gaming, allowing sports fans to Buy, Collect, and Bet. Through the Fanatics platform, sports fans can buy licensed fan gear, jerseys, lifestyle and streetwear products, headwear, and hardgoods; collect physical and digital trading cards, sports memorabilia, and other digital assets; and bet as the company builds its Sportsbook and iGaming platform. Fanatics has an established database of over 100 million global sports fans; a global partner network with approximately 900 sports properties, including major national and international professional sports leagues, players associations, teams, colleges, college conferences and retail partners, 2,500 athletes and celebrities, and 200 exclusive athletes; and over 2,000 retail locations, including its Lids retail stores. Our more than 22,000 employees are committed to relentlessly enhancing the fan experience and delighting sports fans globally.

About the Team

Launched in 2021, Fanatics Betting and Gaming is the online and retail sports betting subsidiary of Fanatics, a global digital sports platform. The Fanatics Sportsbook is available to 95% of the addressable online sports bettor market in the U.S. Fanatics Casino is currently available online in Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Fanatics Betting and Gaming operates twenty-two retail sports betting locations, including the only sportsbook inside an NFL stadium at Northwest Stadium. Fanatics Betting and Gaming is headquartered in New York with offices in Denver, Leeds and Dublin.

Job Info

• Posting Date 04/23/2025, 04:00 AM
• Locations Richmond House, Leeds, LS16 6QY, GB