Lead Software Engineer (Backend)

Full Stack Engineer / POD Lead – Payments Platform

hybrid work—two days a week from the office in Kraków

We are looking for an experienced Full Stack Engineer who is ready to take on a POD Lead role, combining hands-on engineering with team leadership. You will work on a global payments platform enabling fast, secure, and scalable money transfers across multiple channels.

This is a backend-heavy fullstack role with real ownership over architecture, delivery, and team coordination.

What you’ll be doing

• Designing, building, and maintaining microservices and applications using Java (11/17/21) and React

• Leading a distributed development team (including an offshore POD) and ensuring smooth delivery

• Driving modernization initiatives (moving from legacy systems to APIs and microservices)

• Improving test automation, CI/CD pipelines, and DevOps practices

• Increasing system efficiency and Straight-Through Processing (STP)

• Collaborating with stakeholders and translating business needs into technical solutions

What we’re looking for

• Strong experience with Java (11+) and Spring/Spring Boot

• Hands-on experience with microservices, REST APIs, and distributed systems

• Solid knowledge of Kubernetes, Docker, and CI/CD pipelines

• Experience working in Unix/Linux environments

• Strong understanding of SQL databases (Oracle is a plus)

• Experience with JavaScript and React

• Background in DevOps-oriented teams and ways of working

• Experience with application monitoring/observability tools

• Very strong English skills (daily work with international teams)

Nice to have

• Experience in payments, fintech, or high-scale transactional systems

• Exposure to legacy system migration (e.g. mainframe/WebSphere)

• Experience with event-driven architecture (Kafka, messaging systems)

Leadership aspect (POD Lead)

• Leading and mentoring a team of engineers

• Coordinating work across locations (including India-based team)

• Ensuring delivery quality, ownership, and alignment with business goals

• Staying hands-on technically while guiding architectural decisions

What you get

• Real ownership over architecture and delivery

• Work on a complex, high-impact global platform

• Modern tech stack and engineering practices

• A role that combines coding + leadership (not just management)

Why apply for an Antal job offer?

When your application is successful, you will be supported by a dedicated Consultant who will stay in regular contact with you (via email or phone), help you prepare for interviews with your future employer, and ensure a smooth and professional recruitment process.

About Antal

Antal is a leading recruitment and HR advisory company, present in Poland since 1996 and later expanded to the Czech Republic and Hungary. Across the CEE region, we employ around 150 professionals who deliver a full range of services – from specialist and executive recruitment, employee outsourcing and HR consulting, to employer branding and market research.

Our division-based structure combines deep industry expertise with functional specialisation, enabling us to provide tailored solutions for companies in every sector. We act as a trusted partner for both employers and candidates, sharing our knowledge and guiding them through every stage of the talent journey. We connect exceptional people with the right opportunities and help organisations build successful teams.

Discover our latest job openings: https://en.antal.pl/candidates
Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/antalpoland