Technical Team Lead, Contract

Xcelirate - We’re Hiring!

Principal-Level Engineer managing complex engineering problems and team dynamics within a global technology firm. Driving delivery and iteration while ensuring system performance and maintainability.

Posted 6/24/2026contractRemote • 🇬🇧 United KingdomSenior💰 €145,000 per yearWebsite

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

AnsibleAWSCloudDockerJavaScriptLinuxNuxtPHPPythonReactSymfonyTerraformVue.js

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

**What will you be doing?**
- Manage your own and your team's time while adhering to priorities set by the company
- Own complex engineering problems end-to-end, from problem framing and design through to delivery and iteration
- Take responsibility for critical areas of the platform, ensuring they remain reliable, performant, and maintainable
- Build new features and improve existing ones across our platforms.
- Refactor legacy and modern codebases pragmatically, balancing long-term health with delivery needs
- Write tests (unit, integration, and end-to-end) to ensure software reliability.
- Be involved in every phase of the software lifecycle, from ideation to deployment.
- Participate in (and at times lead) deep technical discussions, helping drive sound decisions and trade-offs
- Work hands-on across backend and frontend systems, stepping in wherever the problem lives
- Identify inefficiencies and help streamline workflows, reducing unnecessary work.
- Collaborate closely with other senior engineers, raising the bar through example rather than authority
- Take ownership of your work, ensuring high-quality results and maintainable solutions.

Requirements

What you’ll need

**What will you bring along?**
- 15+ years hands-on experience building and maintaining complex web applications
- Have been directly responsible for development and successful (or not so successful) release of multiple major projects from their inception to production and subsequent operation
- In your portfolio there are multiple projects that you have worked on for more than 2.5 years
- Clear technical communication; able to explain and defend design decisions to senior engineers and non-engineers alike
- Expert PHP developer (12+ years); Symfony or equivalent frameworks
- 10+ years modern JavaScript; React or Vue (Next/Nuxt a plus)
- Expert level knowledge in at least one more programming language (Python a plus)
- Full-stack architecture expertise: monoliths, services, and hybrids
- Power user cloud deployment and scaling (AWS preferred) experience and abilities
- Expert Linux user; including daily containerized workflows with Docker
- Expert in infrastructure automation: Terraform, Ansible
- Power user level CI/CD pipeline and release workflow ownership
- Experience in automated testing: unit, integration, E2E; TDD where appropriate
- Expert level knowledge in and around web security fundamentals: auth, authorization, data protection, secure coding
- Legacy + modern codebase fluency; ability to work on incremental modernization
- Strong independent technical ownership and accountability

Benefits

Comp & perks

**How We Support Our Contractors**
- An annualised rate of €145,000 + retention bonus scheme: Competitive contractor rate with a generous bonus paid every 6 months based on your time with us.
- Top-Notch Workstation: We provide a MacBook or Dell, branded merchandise, and everything you need for an optimal work environment.
- Global Co-Working Access: Work from a global network of co-working spaces to keep your work-life dynamic and flexible.
- Flexibility: Enjoy full flexibility in work location and hours, supporting a work-life balance tailored to your needs.
- Events and Gatherings: Participate in exciting events throughout the year, including team gatherings, cultural events, and other fun activities.

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

PHPSymfonyJavaScriptReactVuePythonfull-stack architectureautomated testingweb securityinfrastructure automation

Soft Skills

technical communicationindependent ownershipaccountabilitycollaborationproblem framingdesign decision makingstreamlining workflowsleading technical discussionstime managementquality assurance