Tech Lead

Next Ventures; Apeldoorn; On-site; EUR 30,000 - 54,000; Part time

Job summary

Next Ventures is seeking an experienced Technical Lead to guide architectural direction and hands-on delivery for digital platforms. You will collaborate with product, engineering, and architecture teams to deliver secure, scalable, and reusable solutions across multiple use cases.

The role combines architectural leadership with hands-on engineering, emphasizing modern tech, governance, and continuous improvement in an Agile environment.

Qualifications

• Degree-level qualification or equivalent professional experience.
• 5-8 years of software engineering, solution architecture, or technical leadership experience.
• Experience designing modular web-based applications and digital platforms.
• Strong understanding of software architecture principles and scalable system design.
• Knowledge of containerised environments and CI/CD practices, including Kubernetes.
• Experience working with APIs, integrations, data models, and data flows.
• Knowledge of privacy-by-design and security-by-design principles.
• Understanding of accessibility standards and inclusive digital development practices.
• Experience working with Agile delivery methodologies in fast-paced environments.
• Strong stakeholder management, communication, and leadership skills.
• Self-motivated, proactive, and able to work independently while collaborating effectively across teams.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and implement end-to-end technical solutions across the full application lifecycle.
• Define solution architectures and technical requirements aligned with enterprise standards.
• Provide technical leadership and guidance to development teams and third-party suppliers.
• Collaborate with Product Owners, Product Managers, Scrum Masters, Architects, and Engineering teams to ensure alignment on infrastructure, security, and standards.
• Identify emerging technologies and drive innovation and continuous improvement.
• Establish, maintain, and improve processes in line with ISO 27001 and security best practices.
• Support scalable, reusable platform capabilities and modular components.
• Ensure solutions are robust, maintainable, accessible, and fit for long-term support.
• Drive integration between systems, services, APIs, and data sources.
• Contribute to proof-of-concept initiatives and iterative product development.

Skills

Leadership

Architectural design

Agile delivery

APIs

Security-by-design

Accessibility standards

Stakeholder management

Communication

Self-motivation

Independent working

Education

Degree-level qualification

Tools

Kubernetes

CI/CD

Job description

Technical Lead

• Start: 1 September 2026
• End: 31 December 2026
• Workload: 20 hours per week
• Location: Hybrid

Overview

We are seeking an experienced Technical Lead to play a key role in designing and delivering innovative digital platforms and services within a collaborative, multidisciplinary environment. This position combines hands‑on technical leadership with architecture, stakeholder engagement, and strategic technology development.

The successful candidate will help drive the transition towards reusable platform services, generic backend solutions, and scalable portal architectures. You will work closely with product, engineering, and architecture teams to develop modern, secure, and user-focused digital solutions that can be adapted across multiple use cases.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and implement end‑to‑end technical solutions across the full application lifecycle.
• Define solution architectures and technical requirements aligned with existing and evolving enterprise architecture standards.
• Provide technical leadership and guidance to development teams and third‑party suppliers.
• Collaborate with Product Owners, Product Managers, Scrum Masters, Architects, and Engineering teams to ensure alignment on shared infrastructure, security, open‑source practices, and development standards.
• Identify emerging technologies, industry trends, and relevant standards, driving innovation and continuous improvement.
• Establish, maintain, and improve processes in line with ISO 27001 and security best practices.
• Support the development of scalable, reusable platform capabilities and modular application components.
• Ensure solutions are robust, maintainable, accessible, and fit for long‑term operational support.
• Drive successful integration between systems, services, APIs, and data sources.
• Contribute to proof‑of‑concept initiatives, validation activities, and iterative product development.

The Role

As Technical Lead, you will work within a multidisciplinary Agile team alongside developers, product specialists, and delivery stakeholders. You will play a central role in translating user and business requirements into practical technical solutions while maintaining a strong focus on scalability, security, usability, and maintainability.

You will collaborate across multiple teams and technology domains, helping to align technical direction and ensure successful delivery of shared objectives. The role requires both strategic thinking and hands‑on technical expertise, balancing innovation with operational excellence.

Required Skills & Experience

• Degree‑level qualification or equivalent professional experience.
• 5-8 years of relevant experience in software engineering, solution architecture, or technical leadership roles.
• Experience designing and developing modular web‑based applications and digital platforms.
• Strong understanding of software architecture principles and scalable system design.
• Knowledge of containerised environments and CI/CD practices, including platforms such as Kubernetes.
• Experience working with APIs, integrations, data models, and data flows.
• Knowledge of privacy‑by‑design and security‑by‑design principles.
• Understanding of accessibility standards and inclusive digital development practices.
• Experience working with Agile delivery methodologies in fast‑paced and innovative environments.
• Strong stakeholder management, communication, and leadership skills.
• Self‑motivated, proactive, and able to work independently while collaborating effectively across teams.
• Results‑driven mindset with a focus on delivering value to end users.

Desirable Skills

• Experience working within education, research, public sector, or highly regulated environments.
• Knowledge of industry standards, protocols, and interoperability frameworks.
• Experience contributing to or working with open‑source technologies and communities.
• Familiarity with enterprise integration patterns and platform engineering principles.

What We're Looking For

• A strong technical leader who can balance strategic architecture with hands‑on delivery.
• Someone passionate about innovation, digital transformation, and building scalable services.
• A collaborative team player who can bring together diverse stakeholders and drive technical excellence.
• An individual who thrives in iterative environments, enjoys solving complex challenges, and remains focused on delivering high‑quality user experiences.