Lead Software Engineer - Gaming

We're partnering with a fast-growing sports/entertainment business looking to hire a Senior Backend Engineer on a 6-month contract (outside IR35), with potential to convert to permanent (£95k). This is a hands-on tech lead role with ownership of core platform systems powering multiple websites and internal services.

You'll take full technical ownership of the Next Gen CMS and Master Data (MDM) systems, designing, developing, and mentoring a small team of engineers. This role is perfect for someone who thrives in complex, high-scale environments and wants real impact from day one.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead development across CMS and MDM systems

• Maintain and expand complex backend systems (not standard CMS)

• Mentor engineers and set engineering standards/patterns

• Drive architecture, integrations, and system scalability

• Work closely with stakeholders to deliver features and improvements

Team Environment:

• 5 Backend, 3 Frontend engineers, 1 Delivery Manager

• Supported by 1 Architect;
  Product hire joining soon

• Distributed across UK & Poland; hybrid working with optional Holborn office

• Node.js & Type Script in production systems

• AWS or other cloud at scale

• Experience owning large, complex backend systems

• Proven mentorship or tech lead experience

• Strong system design & architecture experience

• Integration-heavy environments

Nice-to-Have:

• Experience with high-scale platforms (gaming, sports, fintech, marketplaces)

• Dev Ops/SRE awareness

Soft Skills:

• Excellent communicator, proactive and collaborative

• Leadership mindset with ability to influence technical decisions

• Commercially aware and solution-focused

• Contract:
  
  6 months (potential perm conversion)

• Rate: £575/day (flex for exceptional candidates)

• IR35:
  Outside

• Start: ASAP (before end of February ideal)

• Take technical ownership of core backend systems

• Mentor and shape a growing engineering team

• Work on complex, high-impact platforms with real influence

• Opportunity to convert to permanent role