Lead Software Engineer (Hybrid)

Job Descriptionhackajob is collaborating with 8th Light to connect them with exceptional professionals for this role.\ N\nLead Engineer\ NLocation: Waterloo, London, England, UK | Hybrid (1 day per week in office)\ NWho We Are \nAt 8th Light, we bring life to the best ideas.\ NFounded in 2006 and headquartered in Chicago, we are a technology solutions consultancy that partners with organisations from early-stage startups to the world's largest companies. We take on hard software challenges and turn them into durable results. We build agentic products, the platforms they run on, and the engineering and design at every layer.\ NOur commitment to quality means we deliver solutions we’re truly proud of, while our curiosity sparks innovation and breakthrough thinking. 8th Lights thrive in an environment that champions continuous education, fueling our growth through mentorship and hands-on work. We foster an open, collaborative culture grounded in honesty that builds trust, and believe true success is measured by the outcomes we create for our clients.\ NIf this kind of work and our kind of people energises you, you’ve found the right place.\ NWho You Are\nYou’ve shown long-term repeated success on a variety of projects, typically over the course of 7+ years. You can be the go-to leader for any software development engagement. You have a broad and deep range of expertise that allows you to make an immediate impact on projects. In your previous experience, you have:\ N\nSuccessfully led high-stakes consulting engagements from discovery to production \ NBuilt high-quality, maintainable software collaboratively, incrementally, and through an approach tailored towards the unique needs of the clients you’ve served \ NWritten production-quality code using a variety of languages and frameworks, including but not limited to: Python, Java, JavaScript, TypeScript, React, Ruby, Scala, R, SQL, and Go\ NLeveraged AI-assistive development tools for tasks like scaffolding, refactoring, debugging, test generation, and documentation\ NExperience building or integrating AI/ML-powered features into products or systems (e.G., recommendation engines, NLP models, computer vision, predictive analytics) \ NUsed context-appropriate automated testing to inform software design choices and catch bugs\ NDebugged and refactored pre-existing code to incrementally improve it\ NCollaborated with teams using Git, MacOS/Linux, and CI/CD\ NRemedied architecture-level concerns such as scalability, security, reliability, and performance\ NBrought together people from different functions and perspectives in forums that encourage idea sharing, collaboration, and problem solving\ NMade thoughtful recommendations and set direction in the face of ambiguity\ NMentored and shared knowledge with colleagues\ NActively sought out and effectively given feedback\ NCommunicated empathically with stakeholders and colleagues\ NCollaboratively led stakeholders to balance technical considerations with product and user needs\ N\nWhat You’ll Do At 8th Light\ NAs a lead technologist on projects, you’ll work with a variety of clients, typically one to two in a year, through a variety of technologies and frameworks over the course of your career with us. You’ll lead more complicated projects, leading teams to do so. You’ll work with colleagues who share your passion for technology solutions. You’ll invest time developing your skills and sharing what you know. You’ll be responsible for:\ N\nMaking immediate contributions to projects, rapidly building trust with clients\ NWorking pragmatically to balance technology choices while delivering high-quality work within deadlines\ NLeading architectureand software design discussions\ NCollaborating on systems that involve the full ML lifecycle from data ingestion and preprocessing, to model deployment, integration, and performance monitoring\ NGenerating new potential solutions to challenges (technical and non-technical) in partnership with team members and clients\ NLeading or initiating formal feedback conversations with teams and clients via retrospectives\ NClearly articulatingand documenting outcomes and driving forward action items\ NContributing to the health of your team and 8th Light’s culture by modeling our Values\ NEnsuring your team has a healthy, prioritized, estimated backlog\ NManaging high-level project roadmaps as the team lead for large engagements\ NMaintaining relationships with client technical leaders\ NRegular syncs with the client to provide status updates, and for identifying and evaluating risks and presenting potential solutions\ NIdentifying, mitigating, and resolving blockers to team progress\ NContributing to 8th Light by serving as a mentor, leading or designing workshops internally or for clients, representing 8th Light in the tech community, or supporting our hiring processes\ N\nStrongly Preferred Skills\ NWe work across many areas, and encourage anyone with the experience listed above to apply. We would particularly like to encourage applicants with experience in the following areas:\ N\nMLOps: including tools like LangChain for application development and managing the ML lifecycle\ NData Engineering: including platforms like Databricks for data processing and analytics\ NDevSecOps & DevOps\ NInfrastructure as Code\ NData Engineering: including platforms like Databricks for data processing and analytics\ N\nBuilding a truly diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace is an ongoing journey, and we’re excited to keep learning and growing together. We have a proud tradition of hiring talented colleagues with real-world career experiences. \ NHow You’ll be Supported\ NAt 8th Light, we believe our people are our greatest asset. Their growth, well-being, and success shape our future. \ N\nOur wellness package is designed with the Whole YOU in mind and includes:\ NA robust L&D programme featuring unlimited access to thousands of books, courses, and expert-led training on the O'Reilly learning platform.\ NAnnual financial stipend and time allotment for learning & development\ NCoworking support for our global team\ N12 weeks of new parent leave available for eligible employees\ N\nSee our full list of Benefits. \ NA Note on Compensation\ NAt 8th Light, we are committed to a compensation philosophy that is transparent, fair, and helps us attract and retain top talent in alignment with our company’s strategic growth goals and clients’ needs.\ NWe benchmark our salaries using Geographic Structures to establish competitive pay ranges within the regions where 8th Lights live. Our pay ranges for our Lead Engineer position within London is: £76,023-95,029 GBP. \ NReach out to recruiting@8thlight.com for more relevant information pertaining to your local market.\ N8th Light Hubs and Geographies\ N8th Light's culture is rooted in strong connections that extend across our teams, regions, and beyond client work. We are a distributed team across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, with hubs in Chicago, London, Los Angeles, New York, and Seattle. \ N\nLondon Co-working: Employees working from our London hub follow a hybrid model, which includes a minimum of one day per week in our Waterloo Office. This co-working day is designed to encourage collaboration and further strengthen our community.In most cases, our consulting engagements do not require travel.\ N\nWe hope to see you apply! \ N#LI-Hybrid\nA Note on Your Privacy\ NAt 8th Light, one of our core values is Honesty that builds trust — and that shapes how we approach hiring. We want you to have a clear picture of who we are, what we're looking for, and how we handle your information throughout the process.\ NBefore submitting your application, please take a moment to review our Global Candidate Privacy Notice. By applying, you acknowledge that you've read it.