Lead Backend Engineer (Payments Team)

About InvestEngine

InvestEngine is a fast-growing fintech based in London, on a mission to make ETF investing simple and accessible. Over 150,000 clients have trusted us with more than £3 billion in assets — and we're just getting started.

About the Role

We're looking for a Lead Backend Engineer to join and lead our Payments Team.

This is a hands-on leadership role combining backend engineering, technical ownership, and team leadership. The Payments Team owns one of the most business-critical domains at InvestEngine, responsible for payment flows, external provider integrations, transaction reliability, and operational efficiency.

The team is entering an exciting stage where we are looking for a strong technical leader who can help simplify complex systems, improve reliability, drive architectural improvements, and scale both the platform and the team.

What You'll Do

Design, develop, and maintain backend services in Python 3.11 using Django / DRF

Lead technical initiatives across payments infrastructure and integrations

Drive improvements in system reliability, observability, and operational excellence

Work closely with Product, Operations, Compliance, and external partners

Investigate production issues and identify root causes rather than temporary fixes

Improve legacy systems and reduce technical debt

Lead architectural discussions and technical decision-making

Mentor engineers through code reviews, pairing, and technical guidance

Take ownership of delivery, planning, and execution of complex projects

Help grow and develop the engineering team

What We're Looking For

5+ years of backend development experience

Strong Python and Django experience

Experience leading projects or engineering teams

Strong understanding of distributed systems, integrations, and system reliability

Experience working with complex legacy systems and technical debt

Ability to drive clarity in ambiguous situations

Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills

Strong ownership mindset and proactive approach to problem-solving

English (B2 level or higher) and fluent Russian

Nice to Have

Experience in fintech, payments, banking, or other highly regulated industries

Experience with AWS, Docker, MySQL, Redis, RabbitMQ, or Kafka

Experience leading modernization or system migration initiatives

How We Work

We’re a lean, collaborative team where developers help shape architecture, product direction, and engineering culture. You’ll have real impact, autonomy, and the trust to build solutions that scale with the business — without micromanagement or heavy bureaucracy.

What We Offer

Direct impact — work on business-critical systems and influence core architecture

Strategic leadership opportunities — grow into a central technical role as we scale

Modern tech stack — Python 3.11, Django, MySQL, Redis, AWS, GitHub, TeamCity

Remote-first and flexible — work from anywhere, on your own schedule

Unlimited vacation — take the time you need, when you need it

A supportive, experienced team that values quality, learning, and delivering results

Hiring Process

Intro call with our Talent team

Technical interview with the Backend team

Gamified cognitive assessment to understand how you think and problem-solve

Final conversation with our CTO

Fast and clear process — typically 1–2 weeks from first call to offer.