Lead Software Engineer | Back-End Focused | $150 – $180K Nz

CGR Services; Auckland; Hybrid; NZD 150,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

CGR Services in Auckland, New Zealand is seeking a Lead Software Engineer to drive backend platform design with a focus on scalability and reliability. Hybrid work arrangement available as you shape architecture and mentor engineers for a global entertainment experience.

You will own API design (REST/GraphQL), cloud infrastructure and DevOps practices, collaborating with Product and Design to deliver high-impact software across the business.

Qualifications

• 10+ years building modern backend platforms.
• Strong Python experience, ideally Django.
• REST and GraphQL API design experience.
• Proficiency with relational databases (PostgreSQL/MySQL).
• Experience with AWS cloud architectures.

Responsibilities

• Design and build scalable backend services.
• Influence architecture and set engineering standards.
• Mentor engineers and collaborate with Product & Design.
• Ensure reliability, performance and observability across platforms.

Skills

Python

Django

REST API

GraphQL

PostgreSQL

MySQL

AWS

Infrastructure as Code

Terraform

Docker

CI/CD

Distributed systems

Reliability

Observability

DevOps

Product-led teams

Tools

AWS CDK

Job description

This Lead Software Engineer job in Auckland, New Zealand pays $150,000 to $180,000 and is your chance to build the platform behind a global entertainment experience.

Some engineers build software. Others build worlds that people keep coming back to.

We’re partnering with an ambitious New Zealand entertainment company that’s investing heavily in its digital future. While they’re not a technology company by definition, they’re building an engineering-first culture where great software is viewed as a competitive advantage, not just a support function.

If you’re passionate about building scalable platforms, influencing architecture and solving interesting engineering problems, this is an opportunity to have genuine impact.

Why this Lead Software Engineer role is different

You’ll join a business where engineering has a real voice. You’ll work alongside Product, Design and Engineering to shape the future of a growing digital platform that supports a passionate global audience. This isn’t about maintaining legacy systems. It’s about building the platform that enables the business to scale over the next decade. You’ll have the opportunity to influence architecture, raise engineering standards and remain deeply hands-on while helping other engineers grow.

Your quest

You’ll design and build modern backend services that are reliable, scalable and built to last. You’ll tackle interesting challenges around:

• Platform architecture
• Distributed systems
• Cloud infrastructure
• API design
• Reliability and performance
• Developer experience
• Engineering standards
• Production operations

What we look for in a Lead Software Engineer

• Thinks in systems, not just features.
• Loves solving complex engineering problems.
• Enjoys balancing speed with long-term maintainability.
• Likes mentoring engineers without moving away from the code.
• Collaborates well with Product and Design.
• Takes ownership rather than waiting for direction.
• Wants to help shape engineering culture.

You’ll probably bring

• 10+ years building modern backend platforms.
• Strong Python experience, ideally Django.
• REST and GraphQL API expertise.
• PostgreSQL or MySQL.
• AWS cloud experience.
• Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, AWS CDK or similar).
• Docker and containerised applications.
• CI/CD and modern DevOps practices.
• Experience designing distributed systems.
• Strong understanding of reliability, scalability and observability.
• Experience working in product-led engineering teams.

Bonus experience

You’ll stand out if you’ve worked in:

• Product companies.
• High-growth environments.
• Entertainment, gaming or digital media.
• Platforms supporting large global user bases.
• Event-driven architectures.
• Developer tooling or platform engineering.

An interest in gaming or interactive entertainment would certainly be welcomed, but isn’t essential.

Why join?

Because you’ll have genuine ownership. Because your technical decisions will matter. Because you’ll work with people who care about building software well. Because you’ll help shape an engineering-first culture inside a creative business that’s investing heavily in technology.

As a Lead Software Engineer here you set the technical bar rather than inherit it. If you’re looking for a role where you can influence architecture, mentor engineers and continue building great software yourself, we’d love to hear from you.

• Location: Auckland, New Zealand (Hybrid)
• Employment Type: Full-time
• Seniority Level: Mid-Senior level