Senior Backend Developer (1 year fixed term contract)

The Senior Backend Developer is responsible for leading the design, build, testing, and maintenance of server-side applications and services that meet business and user requirements. This role takes technical ownership of backend architecture across the full software development lifecycle, ensuring systems are secure, scalable, and performant, while translating complex functional needs into reliable technical solutions and providing technical leadership and mentorship within cross-functional teams. Key Responsibilities Lead the design, development, testing, and maintenance of backend services, APIs, and data layers, setting and upholding coding standards and architectural best practices across the team. Own the translation of business and functional requirements into robust backend technical designs, acting as the key technical liaison with product owners, analysts, and frontend/other stakeholders. Design and maintain scalable, secure APIs and microservices, ensuring clean integration with frontend, third-party, and downstream systems. Write clean, efficient, and maintainable server-side code, and review the work of other developers to ensure consistent quality, performance, and adherence to standards. Design and optimise data models, database schemas, and queries, balancing performance, scalability, and data integrity across relational and/or non-relational stores. Lead the diagnosis, troubleshooting, and resolution of complex defects across development, test, and production environments, including root-cause analysis for performance bottlenecks and system failures. Drive collaboration with frontend developers, QA, and DevOps teams to shape CI/CD pipelines, deployment strategies, and release practices for backend services. Take ownership of technical debt, system performance, scalability, and security posture across backend applications, proactively identifying and prioritising improvements. Embed secure coding and data-protection practices into backend development (e.g. authentication/authorisation, encryption, input validation), aligned with relevant compliance and security standards. Mentor and coach junior and mid-level developers, supporting their technical growth and conducting code reviews to build team capability. Contribute to architectural decisions around system design, infrastructure, and technology choices, evaluating trade-offs for scalability, resilience, and maintainability. Produce and maintain clear technical documentation (API specs, data models, system architecture), championing knowledge-sharing practices across the team.