Staff Software Engineer

Explore Group; City of Edinburgh; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative legal-tech company in Edinburgh is seeking a Lead / Staff Engineer to drive the technical vision of its SaaS platform. You will lead a high-performing team to design and implement scalable, API-first systems leveraging React, TypeScript, and AWS. The role requires around 8+ years of experience in distributed systems along with strong mentoring skills. With a competitive salary of up to £85,000 plus bonuses and a hybrid working model, this is an opportunity to influence at scale within a modern tech environment.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Hybrid working model

Influence at scale

Modern tech environment

Collaborative culture

Qualifications

• 8+ years' engineering experience with exposure to distributed or cloud-native systems.
• Ability to lead technical initiatives from design to delivery.
• Understanding of system scalability, observability, and performance optimization.
• Experience mentoring engineers and driving continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

• Architect and evolve complex, distributed frontend and full-stack systems.
• Design and deliver maintainable web applications using React and TypeScript.
• Collaborate across teams for end-to-end feature delivery.
• Drive engineering best practices for code quality and operational excellence.
• Mentor engineers and lead end-to-end delivery on projects.

Skills

Distributed systems

API-first architectures

TypeScript

React

AWS

Kubernetes

Java

Go

Job description

Lead / Staff Engineer

Location: Edinburgh (Hybrid – 2 per week in office)

Salary: Up to £85,000 + Share Scheme

Join an innovative legal-tech and AI-driven software business that’s transforming how law firms and global dispute‑resolution teams operate. The company provides a suite of cloud‑based, AI‑enhanced solutions for litigation, arbitration and case management, trusted by top international law firms. With deep expertise in legal workflows, multi‑tenant SaaS platforms, and emerging generative‑AI features, this is an opportunity to work at the intersection of law, tech and intelligence.

About the Role

We’re seeking a Lead / Staff Engineer to drive the technical vision and execution of our modern, data‑driven digital platform. You’ll be a key technical leader within a high‑performing product engineering team, shaping the architecture, reliability, and scalability of applications used by global clients.

This is a hands‑on leadership role for an engineer who combines deep technical expertise with strategic thinking — someone comfortable designing distributed, API‑first SaaS systems while mentoring others and leading by example. You’ll collaborate across disciplines to deliver exceptional, performant, and intelligent user experiences that leverage emerging AI capabilities.

What You’ll Do

• Architect and evolve complex, distributed frontend and full‑stack systems built on modern, scalable, API‑first SaaS principles.
• Design and deliver performant, resilient, and maintainable web applications using React and TypeScript.
• Collaborate across teams (design, product, backend, DevOps) to deliver end‑to‑end features with strong system reliability and security in mind.
• Contribute to and influence system‑level architecture decisions involving microservices, APIs, and multi‑tenant deployments.
• Drive engineering best practices for code quality, CI / CD pipelines, observability, and operational excellence.
• Mentor engineers, foster technical growth, and build a culture of collaboration and accountability.
• Lead end‑to‑end delivery, ensuring projects meet both product and technical excellence standards.

Tech Stack & Core Expertise

• Deep technical expertise in distributed systems, multi‑tenant SaaS, and API‑first architectures.
• Full‑stack experience with strong TypeScript skills and familiarity with Java or Go.
• Knowledge of AWS serverless architecture and Kubernetes for scalable deployments.
• Proficiency in React for frontend development and Spring for backend services.
• Experience scaling systems, improving operational reliability, and implementing best‑in‑class monitoring and automation.

About You

• Around 8+ years’ engineering experience, including significant exposure to distributed or cloud‑native systems.
• Proven ability to lead complex technical initiatives, from design through delivery.
• Deep understanding of system scalability, observability, and performance optimization.
• Comfortable making architectural trade‑offs and communicating them to both technical and non‑technical stakeholders.
• Experienced in mentoring engineers and driving continuous improvement across teams.
• Passionate about building robust, elegant, and high‑impact software that solves real‑world challenges.

Why Join

• Competitive salary – up to £85,000 + bonus
• Hybrid working model – 2–3 days per week in our Edinburgh office
• Influence at scale – play a key role in shaping the technical evolution of a high‑growth SaaS platform
• Modern tech environment – React, TypeScript, Spring, AWS, and Kubernetes
• Collaborative engineering culture – innovation, trust, and technical excellence at its core