Lead Developer (Backend) - Game Studio (Sunderland)

Job Description

hackajob is collaborating with Tombola to connect them with exceptional professionals for this role.

\n

Sunderland – Hybrid – PermanentWhat this role looks like

\n

We’re looking for a Lead Developer to join our Game Engine team here at tombola.

\n

This is one of those roles where you genuinely get the best of both worlds. You’ll be hands-on leading the development of our backend game engine, shaping how we build, scale and evolve the systems that power our games.

\n

Our Game Engine sits right at the heart of what we do. It’s where performance, player experience and regulatory compliance all come together. So if you enjoy solving complex problems, working on real-time systems and having a real say in technical direction, this one’s worth a look.

\n

You’ll be in the office 3 days a week, working closely with the team, with the flexibility to focus from home the rest of the time.

\n

What you’ll be doing \n

\n
• \nLeading the design and development of core game engine systems and APIs\n

\n

• \nOwning architectural decisions to ensure performance, scalability and compliance\n

\n

• \nGetting stuck into hands-on coding alongside your team\n

\n

• \nSupporting and mentoring developers, helping them grow and do their best work\n

\n

• \nRunning code reviews and driving high engineering standards\n

\n

• \nWorking closely with Product, QA, Infrastructure and Compliance to bring everything together\n

\n

• \nMaking sure our systems are robust, auditable and ready for regulatory certification\n

\n

• \nLeading sprint planning, shaping priorities and managing technical risk\n

\n

• \nMonitoring performance in production and driving improvements where needed\n

\n

• \nContributing to technical roadmaps and long-term platform direction\n

\n\n

What we’re looking for \n

\n
• \nStrong experience with C#, SQL, AWS and Redis\n

\n

• \nA background in real-time or state-driven systems (game engines, gambling platforms or similar)\n

\n

• \nSolid understanding of system design and scalable architecture\n

\n

• \nExperience working with REST APIs, Git and agile environments\n

\n

• \nKnowledge of real-money gaming (RNG, RTP, game state) would be a big plus\n

\n

• \nSomeone who can balance hands-on coding with leading a team\n

\n\n

It’d be great if you also have \n

\n
• \nExperience integrating with front-end games, wallets or external APIs\n

\n

• \nExposure to performance tuning, load testing or observability tools\n

\n

• \nFamiliarity with cloud-native or containerised environments\n

\n\n

The kind of person you are \n

\n
• \nYou enjoy leading but still love being close to the code\n

\n

• \nYou’re confident making decisions and owning technical direction\n

\n

• \nYou naturally support and develop others around you\n

\n

• \nYou’re collaborative and enjoy working across different teams\n

\n

• \nYou care about building quality products and strong teams\n

\n\n

Why tombola? ️

\n

We’re not your typical tech company. Everything we build is in-house, giving you real ownership and the chance to make an impact.

\n

You’ll be part of a team that genuinely cares about:

\n

\n
• \nDoing things the right way\n

\n

• \nSupporting each other\n

\n

• \nBuilding products we’re proud of\n

\n\n

Plus… we’ve got some great benefits too - take a look here to find out more

\n

At tombola we know that our differences make us stronger and that thinking differently is key to long term success. We work hard to create a culture of inclusivity where everyone can celebrate our Free to be mevalue. We are committed to creating opportunities for everyone here at tombola, we welcome applications from all backgrounds and encourage individuals to apply, even if you don’t meet every requirement.