KEY SKILLS AND ATTRIBUTES

• Strong backend engineering experience, ideally including Java (Java 11+) and Spring Boot.
• Proven ability to design and lead backend architectures for complex systems.
• Familiarity with cloud environments (AWS preferred) and container orchestration (Kubernetes).
• Experience with event-driven architectures and messaging platforms such as Kafka.
• Strong understanding of RESTful APIs, microservices, and distributed system design.
• Knowledge of SQL and NoSQL databases.
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines, automated testing, and modern deployment practices.
• Skilled mentor with the ability to influence technical direction across teams.
• Strong problem-solving skills, balancing technical, product, and delivery considerations.
• Comfortable in agile environments using Git-based SCM and tools like Jira or Redmine.
• Awareness of compliance frameworks such as ISO27001 and PCI.

THE ROLE - LEAD JAVA SOFTWARE ENGINEER

If this is the opportunity you have been waiting for, to work in a fast-paced company with cutting-edge technology, please send your CV to jobs@mkodo.com

ABOUT THE ROLE

Reporting to a Software Engineering Manager or Head of Engineering, we are seeking a Lead Backend Software Engineer to be the go-to authority for backend engineering, setting the technical vision, guiding architecture, and driving improvements in tools, processes, and delivery practices. You’ll remain hands-on for critical work, but your greatest impact will come from technical leadership, enabling teams to deliver robust, scalable, and secure services.
With a strong foundation in backend technologies, including Java and Spring Boot, and event-driven systems such as Kafka, you’ll influence systems well beyond your own code, ensuring architectural integrity and high engineering standards across multiple teams. You’ll play a pivotal role in aligning technical strategy with business goals and ensuring our backend capabilities are future-ready.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

• Technical Leadership
• Define and evolve backend architecture to ensure scalability, maintainability, and performance.
• Set coding standards and champion secure development practices (e.g. OWASP).
• Influence technology choices, frameworks, and tools to support engineering excellence.
• Oversee improvements to CI/CD pipelines, build processes, and operational workflows.
• Can clearly and confidently articulate risk of technical problems to non technical stakeholders (e.g legal, product owner, designer)
• Leads projects and features to good outcomes, ensuring appropriate engineering decisions are made to factor in technical debt, systems design, stability/reliability, monitoring/observability and business need.
• Hands-On Guidance
• Contribute to key backend systems when your expertise is needed.
• Review and refine critical code, ensuring alignment with architectural goals and best practices.
• Provide technical oversight for major initiatives, ensuring architectural soundness.
• Mentoring & Collaboration
• Coach, mentor, and develop engineers, raising capability across the backend discipline.
• Facilitate design discussions, code reviews, and collaborative problem-solving sessions.
• Build consensus for architectural and technical decisions across teams and stakeholders.
• Continuous Improvement
• Identify and proactively resolve technical debt.
• Introduce new backend technologies and approaches that improve reliability and delivery speed.
• Promote engineering practices that support scalable, secure, and maintainable systems.
• Community & Advocacy
• Proactively stays up to date with technology trends in their area, and uses this knowledge to contribute thoughts on engineering strategy.
• Share knowledge through presentations, workshops, and internal forums.
• Support recruitment by assessing candidates and promoting a strong engineering culture.
• Ensure backend systems comply with relevant standards such as ISO27001 and PCI.