Role : Lead Software Engineer (I)
Reporting To : Chief Technology Officer
Salary : £95,000 - £110,000 dependent on experience
Working Location : Hybrid/ London (2 days a week on site at our Old Street office)
About Searchland
Searchland is a high-growth, B2B prop-tech company transforming how businesses and individuals access and leverage property data. Our platform empowers property developers, land agents, architects, and planners with real-time insights, helping them make smarter, data-driven decisions when acquiring and developing land.
In just five years, we’ve built one of the UK’s most advanced property data pipelines, integrating thousands of data sources and processing terabytes of information with less than 24-hour latency. Our cutting-edge platform is shaping the future of property intelligence.
About The Role
We're looking for a Lead Engineer who wants to spend the majority of their time in the codebase - building, shipping, and solving hard problems in a complex, data-heavy product. This isn't a people management role. You won't be running a team or sitting in planning meetings all day. You'll be a senior individual contributor who takes real ownership of technical problems end-to-end, from schema design to production, and who cares deeply about the quality of what ships.
What You’ll Do
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Technical Leadership & Architecture
- Write high-quality, production-ready code across the full stack - this is where the majority of your time goes
- Build performant, accessible features using Next.js, tRPC, React + Tailwind
- Own PostgreSQL schema design, migrations, and query performance
- Work alongside our data team on Elasticsearch-driven search and filtering architectures
- Take complex features from discovery through to deployment and monitoring - you own the whole journey
- Partner closely with product and design to shape features with strong technical input
- Translate technical constraints and opportunities into clear language for non-technical teammates
- Support more junior engineers through code review and pairing where needed - but this is not a people management role
- Own delivery of complex projects from discovery through deployment and monitoring
This role is for someone who wants to build. You'll have real influence over technical direction, but deep individual contribution is the job. If you're looking to step back from the codebase into team leadership or architectural oversight, this isn't the right fit.
Essential Experience
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Right to work in the UK - we cannot offer sponsorship for this role
- 7+ years in software engineering, with at least 2–3 years operating at a lead, staff, or senior-plus level
- Demonstrable experience building and scaling SaaS products — ideally in a small, fast-moving team
- Strong hands-on experience with our stack or close equivalents:
- Frontend: React, Tailwind
- Backend: Next.js, Node.js, tRPC
- Databases: PostgreSQL, Elasticsearch
- Comfortable owning complex technical problems end-to-end, without needing a large team around you
- A genuine preference for doing over directing — you're most energised when you're solving hard problems in code
Nice to Have
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Experience building AI agents within SaaS platforms
Interview Process
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Stage 1: 20 minute introductory call with HR Team
- Stage 2: Take home technical test and submission
- Stage 3 : Live coding session building on take home test with one of our Lead Engineers
- Stage 4 : In person technical test with our Chief Technology Officer
Why Join Us?
Reward & Ownership – We believe in sharing our success with the people who help build it. We offer all the team an EMI employee share scheme, and a salary sacrifice pension
Time Off – Rest properly. 37 days off in total, including your birthday and a full Christmas shutdown
Flexibility & Equipment – we offer flexible and hybrid working as well as WFH equipment provided so you can work well no matter the where
Growth & Development – We invest in your progression with a £500 annual fund to spend on courses, conferences or qualifications.
❤️ Health & Wellbeing – Your health matters. We cover it – physically, dentally and mentally with Vitality private healthcare
Culture & Perks – We work hard and we celebrate together – food, fun and plenty of team moments including a monthly free lunch and team activities & events
Our Commitment to Inclusion
We are committed to creating an inclusive and diverse workplace where everyone feels valued and empowered to thrive. We welcome applications from all backgrounds, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, age, religion, or any other characteristic. If you require any adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know – we are happy to support you.
Behind every great project is a team of passionate professionals who bring ideas to life. We are designers, developers, strategists, and innovators, united by a shared vision to create meaningful experiences. Collaboration, creativity, and curiosity drive us forward, shaping the future with every project we take on.
