Staff Software Engineer - Back and Frontend

Syngenta AG; Bracknell; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension scheme

Bonus scheme

Private medical & life insurance

Flexible working

Job summary

Syngenta Crop Protection is seeking a Staff Software Engineer to lead backend and frontend initiatives in Bracknell. You will set technical direction for analytics and AI-assisted services, code in Python/Java, and collaborate with product teams to deliver scalable solutions.

You will mentor engineers, drive reliability, and contribute to cross-functional engineering standards in a global, innovative environment.

Responsibilities

• Establish and enforce the technical direction and architectural decisions for analytics, insights, prediction services, and their product integrations.
• Code directly in Python or Java, reviewing and prototyping complex problems with rigor and precision.
• Mentor engineers and lead cross-functional teams to deliver high quality software.
• Drive performance, scalability, and reliability improvements across backend and frontend services.
• Lead incident response and post‑mortem processes to improve system resilience and operational excellence.
• Align engineering work with product priorities and regulatory requirements.

Skills

Python

Java

Analytical thinking

Code reviews

AI/ML

Tools

Git

CI/CD

Job description

Company Description

Syngenta Crop Protection is a leader in agricultural innovation, bringing breakthrough technologies and solutions that enable farmers to grow productively and sustainably. We offer a leading portfolio of crop protection solutions for plant and soil health, as well as digital solutions that transform the decision-making capabilities of farmers. Our 17,900 employees serve to advance agriculture in more than 90 countries around the world. Syngenta Crop Protection is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, and is part of the Syngenta Group.

Company Description

Syngenta Crop Protection is a leader in agricultural innovation, bringing breakthrough technologies and solutions that enable farmers to grow productively and sustainably. We offer a leading portfolio of crop protection solutions for plant and soil health, as well as digital solutions that transform the decision-making capabilities of farmers. Our 17,900 employees serve to advance agriculture in more than 90 countries around the world. Syngenta Crop Protection is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, and is part of the Syngenta Group.
Our employees reflect the diversity of our customers, the markets where we operate and the communities which we serve. No matter what your position, you will have a vital role in safely feeding the world and taking care of our planet. Join us and help shape the future of agriculture.

Job Description

**Staff Software Engineer - Back and Frontend**

Key Responsibilities

• Establish and enforce the technical direction and architectural decisions for analytics, insights, prediction services, and their product integrations.
• Engage directly in the codebase to develop, review, prototype, and investigate complex technical problems with rigor and precision.
• Establish and maintain rigorous engineering quality standards, including sound design principles, comprehensive testing protocols, thorough documentation, and exacting code review practices.
• Collaborate with Product Managers, engineers, and stakeholders to define priorities, identify constraints, and identify technical risks at the earliest stages.
• Provide authoritative technical leadership across relevant teams through decisive decision-making, practical guidance, and credible hands‑on technical involvement.
• Contribute to the development of cross‑functional engineering standards and disseminate proven technical patterns across Staff Engineers and teams.
• Participate actively in technical discussions and governance processes, providing rigorous analysis of risks, trade‑offs, and system maintainability.
• Drive resolution of critical technical challenges while maintaining alignment with broader product objectives and business context.
• Direct performance optimization initiatives, scalability improvements, and system reliability enhancements across backend and frontend services.
• Mentor and develop junior and mid-level engineers through rigorous code reviews, technical discussions, and structured knowledge‑sharing sessions.
• Assess emerging technologies and frameworks relevant to analytics and AI‑assisted engineering, providing evidence‑based recommendations for adoption.
• Lead incident response and post‑mortem processes to systematically improve system resilience and operational excellence.
• Assume full technical ownership of the Knowledge Management area, including technology selection, integration patterns, data access architecture, API design, and AI‑assisted document ingestion and retrieval systems.
• Execute hands‑on engineering work (50–60% of time), coding and reviewing in Python or Java, owning the most complex and highest‑risk technical initiatives while rigorously evaluating AI‑generated code.
• Define and enforce the engineering quality bar for the area, establishing test coverage expectations, documentation standards, agent‑consumable interface compliance, and code review rigor.
• Align technical standards and best practices across engineering groups through active cross‑functional engagement and pattern‑sharing.
• Serve as the primary technical counterpart to Product Management, translating roadmap priorities into precise technical delivery estimates, surfacing technical risks proactively, and engaging with regulatory specialists as required.

Syngenta has been ranked as a top 5 employer and number 1 in agriculture by Science Journal.

Additional Information

What we offer

• Extensive benefits package including a generous pension scheme, bonus scheme, private medical & life insurance.
• Up to 31.5 days annual holiday.
• Flexible working
• We offer a position which contributes to valuable and impactful work in a stimulating and international environment.
• The opportunity to develop and apply your science within the chemical industry.
• The chance to work as part of a global team to address the current and future needs of the agricultural sector.
• Learning culture and wide range of training options.

Syngenta is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or any other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status. Learn more about our D&I initiatives here: https://www.syngenta.com/careers/working-syngenta/diversity-and-inclusion