Sotware and DevOps Engineer

SoPost is a pioneering digital sampling company that connects brands with consumers in innovative and meaningful ways. Our mission is to make it easier for brands to engage with their audience through personalised and data-driven sampling solutions. We work with more than 200 different brands, including the largest beauty and FMCG groups.

In 2020, we ranked in the top 50 of the Sunday Times Tech Track 100, and since then, our growth trajectory has been significant. 2022 brought great pride when we were awarded the 'Advanced Good Work Pledge', and in 2023, we were presented with the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise: International Trade. In 2024, we were also thrilled to have been named in the Sunday Times Top 100 Places to Work.

We believe that it is not just our technology which sets us apart but also our people and we have an ambition to build a team of the most talented individuals in our industry.

Curious about what makes SoPost so special? Watch our 'What makes SoPost a great place to work?' video to hear more from those who know us best.

We are seeking a dedicated and hands-on Software and DevOps Engineer to join our dynamic, cross-functional Engineering team.

As part of a development team, and by working alongside product managers and designers, you will be responsible for the development of innovative and performant software that sets a high standard, and will enjoy the challenge of working on a product with a high volume of traffic. You will love the challenge of owning key areas of the system and will advocate for the improvement of those and other areas to further meet the needs of the business.

As a small team we value colleagues who are happy to get involved in all aspects of delivering our platform. With this in mind the role includes an element of light infrastructure engineering. Any understanding of networking, firewalls, cloud storage and related concepts would be advantageous however we are happy to provide training in this area. The expected split would be 80% development with 20% devops/cloud engineering using Google Cloud.

Our backend is largely built with Elixir, but over the last year we have begun rapidly rebuilding using TypeScript, React, and modern backend libraries such as Bun & Hono, and this is the aim going forward. Elixir experience is not necessary but a willingness to understand it would be beneficial for aiding in this transition. We firmly believe in using the best technology for the job so we have also used Go and Python in places where it is beneficial. We host our applications on Google Cloud Platform and use serverless products such as Cloud Run and Cloud Functions to minimise the amount of time and energy required to manage infrastructure.

Our tech hub is based in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK. This is a hybrid role, with 2 days per week in the office.

Essential Skills

• Minimum 3 years experience in a similar web development role
• Experience using the technologies mentioned above
• An aptitude and interest in full stack development including deployment to cloud

Desirable Skills

• Any knowledge of the technologies that we use is beneficial; experience of functional programming in a professional environment would help you get started but we are increasingly moving to TypeScript, React and Go.
• Understanding of database design, indexing and related concepts
• Understanding of Test Driven Development
• Understanding of Git, Github Actions and CI/CD concepts

Holidays and Benefits

• Competitive Salary
• 28 days of Annual Leave, which includes the period between Christmas and New Year when all SoPost offices are closed
• One 'Life Moment' day per year of additional leave, which you can define. It could be your child's first day at school, a house move or your birthday
• Quarterly Wellness Allowance
• After 5 & 10 years, (in your 6th and 11th years) you have the opportunity to take a four week, fully paid sabbatical, with a generous contribution from SoPost towards whatever you have planned
• Commitment to growing your professional development and a training budget to support that commitment
• Eligibility for our flexible working arrangement, giving you the power to manage your time and place of work
• SoPost Me Anywhere - work anywhere in the world for two weeks each year
• Medical cash plan — a health benefit that helps cover the cost of routine healthcare by reimbursing you for everyday essentials like dental care, optical appointments, and physiotherapy
• Employee Assistance Programme — 24/7 access to confidential support, counselling services, and expert guidance on wellbeing, finances, and mental health

Hiring Process
The hiring process may change slightly depending on a number of factors. It is generally a multi-step process as indicated. If you pass one stage, you will proceed to the next.

We believe that the successful recruitment for any role at SoPost is as much about giving you the opportunity to find out about us and our company as it is about us finding out about you and your capabilities. We want you to be as excited about joining SoPost as we are about being here.

With that philosophy in mind, we will be running the following selection process to ensure that each candidate is given a comprehensive view of what we are all about. Please note that applications are reviewed and interviews are conducted on a rolling basis, so don’t wait to apply!

Please let a member of the team know if you require any adjustments to the process, or include this in your application form.

Stage 1:

A 30 minute video call with the CTO/Head of Cloud and Security Operations to review your CV and find out about your motivations for applying.

Stage 2:

(Part 1) An in-person technical test focused on your preferred technologies

(Part 2) An in-person technical interview to discuss the role and help with any questions you have

Stage 3:

A virtual call with our Founder & CEO, Jonny.

References & Offer:

We will make a formal offer, subject to references.

This role is UK-based and starting employment will be conditional on the candidate's right to work in the UK. Visa sponsorship by SoPost is not available.

We are committed to the fair treatment of its employees, potential employees and users of our services, regardless of offending background. We are required to carry out a basic criminal check as part of our pre-employment checks. A written policy on the recruitment of ex-offenders is available on request.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy when we receive a sufficient amount of applications.