Role: Lead Web Developer
Location: Remote (UK-based only)
Type: Full-time
Salary: £65,000 – £75,000 depending on experience
About Neptune Digital
Neptune Digital is a UK-based digital consultancy delivering software, design, and digital experiences for ambitious organisations. We help teams modernise their systems, build digital products, and grow through elegant technology and design.
The development team works across internal tools, web apps, and customer-facing experiences, using a modern TypeScript-first stack and embracing AI-assisted workflows to move faster without sacrificing quality.
About the Role
As Lead Web Developer, you will own the technical direction of Neptune’s web projects and lead a small but growing team of full stack developers. You will be responsible for setting engineering standards, guiding architectural decisions, and ensuring that the web experiences we ship are robust, performant, and a pleasure to use.
Alongside hands-on engineering, you will champion AI-assisted and “vibe coding” practices (using tools like Cursor and AI-augmented VS Code) to multiply team productivity, embed new methodologies, and keep Neptune ahead of the curve in how modern web products are delivered.
Tech Stack & Tools
You’ll work primarily with:
* Vercel for hosting, CI/CD, and edge deployments
* Next.js as the core framework for SPAs, SSR, and PWAs
* TypeScript across the stack for typed, maintainable code
* React and ShadCN (or similar) for component-based, accessible UI
* Clerk / WorkOS for authentication and user management
* Supabase for data persistence, auth, and real-time features
* PostHog / New Relic / Ingest / DataDog for analytics and observability
* Git-based workflows (e.g. GitHub) for source control and collaboration
* Cursor and/or VS Code with AI tooling (e.g. Copilot, Claude, Gemini integrations) to support AI-assisted coding and vibe coding workflows
Key Responsibilities
* Lead the design and delivery of scalable, maintainable web applications and PWAs using the Neptune stack (Next.js, TypeScript, Supabase, Vercel).
* Define and evolve web engineering standards, patterns, and reusable foundations (design systems, component libraries, API conventions, testing practices).
* Introduce, refine, and champion AI-assisted development workflows (Cursor, VS Code AI, Copilot, etc.), ensuring the team uses AI safely, effectively, and consistently.
* Line manage, mentor, and coach a team of full stack developers, supporting growth plans, regular feedback, and a healthy engineering culture.
* Collaborate with design, strategy, and infrastructure teams to translate complex business processes into simple, performant user experiences.
* Own technical discovery for web projects: validate requirements, propose architectures, estimate work, and communicate trade-offs clearly to non-technical stakeholders.
* Design and optimise database schemas, queries, and security models in Supabase and related services.
* Implement secure authentication, permissions, and session management using Clerk or WorkOS.
* Configure and interpret observability tools (PostHog, New Relic, DataDog, etc.) to monitor performance, reliability, and user behaviour.
* Oversee hosting and deployment workflows on Vercel, including environments, preview deployments, and performance optimisation.
* Lead code reviews, pair/vibe coding sessions, and technical rituals (stand-ups, sprint planning, retros) with an emphasis on learning and continuous improvement.
* Stay ahead of emerging web and AI tooling trends, bringing pragmatic innovations into the team’s day-to-day practice.
About You
You are an experienced full stack web engineer who enjoys leading others, setting direction, and still doing hands-on work. You think in systems and patterns, care deeply about developer experience and end-user experience, and are excited by how AI can augment a modern web team.
Essential experience
* 6+ years of full stack web development, ideally with time in client-facing product or agency environments.
* Strong expertise in Next.js, TypeScript, and the React ecosystem, including SSR/SSG and performance optimisation.
* Proven experience leading or mentoring other developers, including running code reviews and guiding architecture decisions.
* Experience building and deploying PWAs or complex web systems on modern cloud platforms (ideally Vercel).
* Practical use of authentication platforms such as Clerk or WorkOS.
* Hands-on experience with Supabase or comparable modern BaaS (e.g. Firebase, Appwrite).
* Working knowledge of observability/analytics tools (PostHog, New Relic, DataDog, or similar).
* A good eye for UI/UX and experience implementing design systems or using component libraries like ShadCN, Chakra, or MUI.
* Comfortable working with AI-assisted coding tools (e.g. Cursor, VS Code + Copilot) as a daily part of your workflow.
* Eligible to work in the UK and able to work core UK hours.
Nice to have
* Experience in a digital consultancy or multi-client agency setting.
* Familiarity with serverless and edge architectures, caching strategies, and web performance best practices.
* Experience designing AI-augmented developer workflows, internal tooling, or agentic pipelines.
* Exposure to “vibe coding” or AI pair programming approaches (e.g. Cursor plan mode, AI chat-driven refactors).
How You’ll Work
* Remote-first: work from anywhere in the UK, with occasional in-person meetups for workshops and team days.
* Cross-functional collaboration with designers, strategists, and engineers from discovery through to launch and iteration.
* A culture that values craftsmanship, experimentation, and thoughtful use of AI to enhance—not replace—engineering skill.
Why Neptune Digital
* Influence the technical direction of a growing, design-led digital consultancy.
* Lead and shape a modern web team that embraces AI and vibe coding as part of everyday development.
* Work on a variety of ambitious projects, from internal tooling to rich customer-facing web applications.
* Flexible, remote-first working with a focus on autonomy, trust, and continuous improvement.
How to Apply
Please send your CV, portfolio, and/or GitHub profile to careers@neptunedigital.co.uk along with a short note about:
* A complex web project you’re proud of
* How you currently use AI-assisted coding tools (e.g. Cursor, VS Code + Copilot) in your workflow
Applicants must be based in the UK and have the right to work here.