Job Title:

Senior Software Engineer – Backend (Java Stack)

Location:

London, United Kingdom (Hybrid – 2–3 days onsite)

About the Role

Google is looking for an experienced Senior Backend Engineer to join our Engineering team in London. You’ll play a key role in designing and building large-scale distributed systems that power some of Google’s most critical products and services. Working within a collaborative, high-performance environment, you’ll tackle complex backend challenges — from data processing and service orchestration to system optimization and reliability engineering.

You’ll work closely with product teams, data engineers, and site reliability engineers to deliver backend solutions that are secure, scalable, and lightning-fast — supporting millions of users around the world.

Key Responsibilities

Design, develop, and maintain highly available backend systems using Java, Spring Boot, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP) services.
Architect APIs and data models that support large-scale distributed applications.
Implement microservices and event-driven architectures to support high-volume workloads.
Collaborate with frontend, DevOps, and data teams to ensure seamless integration across the stack.
Optimize performance, reliability, and observability of core services.
Participate in design reviews, code reviews, and architectural discussions.
Contribute to continuous improvement, automation, and CI/CD best practices.
Mentor junior engineers and promote engineering excellence across the team.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent practical experience.
5+ years of professional backend development experience.
Strong proficiency in Java, Spring Boot, and RESTful API development.
Experience with SQL and NoSQL databases (e.g., PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Bigtable).
Familiarity with Google Cloud Platform, Kubernetes, and Docker.
Solid understanding of microservices, distributed systems, and message queues (e.g., Kafka, Pub/Sub).
Strong debugging, testing, and performance-profiling skills.

Preferred Qualifications

Master’s degree in Computer Science or a related field.
Experience building backend systems supporting ML or data-driven products.
Knowledge of Python or Go for supporting tools and services.
Exposure to CI/CD pipelines (Jenkins, Cloud Build) and observability tooling (Stackdriver, Prometheus, Grafana).
Excellent communication skills and ability to work in a collaborative, agile environment.

Why Join Google

At Google, you’ll build technology that helps billions of people connect, explore, and create. As part of our London engineering hub, you’ll work on meaningful projects that make a real impact — from next-generation cloud platforms to cutting-edge AI infrastructure.

We offer:

Competitive salary and equity package.
Private health and dental insurance.
Flexible hybrid working model.
Access to Google’s world-class learning and development programs.
Opportunities to work with some of the brightest minds in technology.