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# Lead Software Engineer

- **Company:** Searchland
- **Location:** London, UK (Remote available)
- **Experience:** Expert
- **Salary:** £95,000.0 - £110,000.0
- **Contract:** Permanent contract
- **Skills:** Query Performance, Artificial Intelligence, Software as a Service, Code Review, Elasticsearch, PostgreSQL, Node.Js, Next.js, Software Engineering, Tailwind, ReactJS, Backend, Production Code, Front End Software Development
- **Published:** July 10, 2026
- **Apply:** https://uk.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=1ed4d1a5aa623380

## About the Role

* Right to work in the UK - we cannot offer sponsorship for this role
 * 7+ years in software engineering, with at least 2-3 years operating at a lead, staff, or senior-plus level
 * Demonstrable experience building and scaling SaaS products - ideally in a small, fast-moving team
 * Strong hands-on experience with our stack or close equivalents:
*

 + Frontend: React, Tailwind
 + Backend: Next.js, Node.js, tRPC
 + Databases: PostgreSQL, Elasticsearch
 * Comfortable owning complex technical problems end-to-end, without needing a large team around you
 * A genuine preference for doing over directing - you're most energised when you're solving hard problems in code

Nice to Have

 * Experience building AI agents within SaaS platforms

## Description

We're looking for a Lead Engineer who wants to spend the majority of their time in the codebase - building, shipping, and solving hard problems in a complex, data-heavy product. This isn't a people management role. You won't be running a team or sitting in planning meetings all day. You'll be a senior individual contributor who takes real ownership of technical problems end-to-end, from schema design to production, and who cares deeply about the quality of what ships., + Write high-quality, production-ready code across the full stack - this is where the majority of your time goes

 + Build performant, accessible features using Next.js, tRPC, React + Tailwind
 + Own PostgreSQL schema design, migrations, and query performance
 + Work alongside our data team on Elasticsearch-driven search and filtering architectures
 + Take complex features from discovery through to deployment and monitoring - you own the whole journey
 + Partner closely with product and design to shape features with strong technical input
 + Translate technical constraints and opportunities into clear language for non-technical teammates
 + Support more junior engineers through code review and pairing where needed - but this is not a people management role
 + Own delivery of complex projects from discovery through deployment and monitoring

This role is for someone who wants to build. You'll have real influence over technical direction, but deep individual contribution is the job. If you're looking to step back from the codebase into team leadership or architectural oversight, this isn't the right fit., Culture & Perks - We work hard and we celebrate together - food, fun and plenty of team moments including a monthly free lunch and team activities & events


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