Job Description
Senior Java Engineer
* Java, AWS, SQL
* Manchester (Hybrid - 3 days in office)
* £95,000 - £145,000 + 5-20% annual bonus + equity options
* Must be eligible for NPPV3 clearance (UK residency typically 5+ years) - please apply only if you meet this criterion
About the Role We're partnering with a fast-growing public safety SaaS organisation that's building its UK engineering presence from the ground up. This is one of the first senior technical hires in the UK, and it's an important role in shaping architecture, influencing engineering culture, and driving future growth.
As the UK team scales, this position offers a clear path to more responsibilities, whether that's stepping into a Tech Lead role to own technical direction and mentor engineers, or moving into People Management to help build and lead a high-performing team.
You'll work on scaling distributed systems and integrating with external providers, all within a modern, agile environment that values autonomy and innovation.
What You'll Do
* Own Back End development across Java, SQL, AWS stack
* Design and enhance interfaces, frameworks, and infrastructure pipelines
* Deliver API integrations and solve scaling challenges
* Tackle brownfield development and Legacy plumbing while driving modernisation
* Collaborate with US-based leadership and UK peers to ensure platform scalability
What We're Looking For
* 8+ years' experience in software engineering, ideally in SaaS or large-scale environments
* Strong Java Back End expertise; SQL and AWS proficiency
* Experience with AI-assisted development tools like Cursor, Claude Code or similar
* Experience with scaling systems and solving growth-related problems
* Familiarity with Agile delivery and impact-driven development
* React knowledge is a plus (not essential)
* Ability to articulate impact and outcomes in your work
Security Eligibility - you must be eligible for NPPV3 clearance, which involves:
* Detailed security questionnaire
* Criminal record checks (spent & unspent)
* Credit and financial history checks
* MI5 records checks
* UK residency (typically 5+ years; often combined with SC requiring 5 years)