Location: Hybrid 1-2 days/week onsite (Reading or Paddington), rest remote 

Contracting period: 4 months with possibility to extend. 

Role Overview

We are seeking a Senior Backend Engineer with strong Node.js expertise to design, build, and optimise cloud-native microservices. Youll work in a fast-paced, collaborative environment, delivering high-performance APIs and scalable backend systems for digital, telecom, SaaS, or high-transaction sectors. The ideal candidate combines architectural thinking with hands-on coding, thrives in containerised environments, and embraces DevOps practices.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain microservices in production using Node.js and modern frameworks (Fastify preferred; Express, Koa, or Hapi also considered).

• Implement and maintain APIs using REST, GraphQL, OpenAPI, and Swagger standards.

• Build cloud-native solutions using Docker, Kubernetes, and cloud providers (GCP preferred; AWS/Azure also relevant).

• Apply best practices for security (OAuth 2.0, OIDC, CORS, CSRF).

• Work with SQL and NoSQL databases such as PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, and Redis.

• Ensure code quality with unit and functional testing using frameworks like Cypress, Mocha, or Jest.

• Collaborate closely with DevOps teams, leveraging CI/CD pipelines (GitHub, GitLab) and IaC tools (Terraform, Ansible).

• Monitor and optimise services using tools like Splunk, StackDriver, Datadog, or Grafana.

• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to technical knowledge sharing.

Requirements

Technical Skills

• 5+ years of professional backend development experience, with deep hands-on expertise in Node.js asynchronous programming and non-blocking I/O.

• Proven track record of delivering production microservices.

• Solid understanding of cloud-native architectures and containerisation.

• Familiarity with DevOps pipelines, IaC, and monitoring tools.

• Strong database skills (SQL & NoSQL).

Soft Skills

• Clear communicator, able to engage both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

• Pragmatic approach to problem-solving and mentoring.

• Proactive in troubleshooting and root cause analysis.

• Comfortable navigating ambiguity and fast-changing requirements.