Head of Software Engineering

ZipRecruiter; London; On-site

Job description

Job Description

About Loci

Loci is a community-driven technology company dedicated to strengthening connections between , councils, and local businesses. Our platform provides free access to essential local information, fostering engagement, transparency, and collaboration within communities.

We work closely with councils to develop tailored digital solutions, helping them enhance public services, improve communication, and streamline operations in a cost-effective way. For local businesses and trades, Loci offers hyper-local engagement opportunities, enabling them to connect with their communities in a meaningful and trusted environment.

By combining digital innovation, community-first principles, and a scalable platform approach, Loci is redefining how local services, engagement, and communication are delivered, ensuring that every community has the tools to thrive in a connected world.

The Role

As the Head of Engineering, you’ll play a critical role in architecting and developing the Loci platform from the ground up. You will lead the design and development of our mobile app, backend infrastructure, and data systems, while also building a team of engineers to scale the platform.

You will work closely with other team members, including sales, to incorporate customer feedback into feature development, and alongside the Head of Product and Design to ensure a seamless and user-friendly experience.

This role is perfect for someone who thrives in a start-up environment, where adaptability, problem-solving, and wearing multiple hats are essential. You will have the autonomy to make key technical decisions while working closely with the founders to align strategy with business goals.

What You’ll Do

• Design and build the mobile app/website and backend infrastructure to support Loci’s community-driven features.
• Develop and optimise scalable data scraping and processing solutions to enhance platform capabilities.
• Integrate AI-driven features within the app, while also leveraging AI tools to enhance development, testing, and automation.
• Recruit and lead a small engineering team to help scale the platform.
• Ensure high scalability, security, and performance as the platform grows.
• Collaborate with sales, product, and design teams to incorporate user feedback and refine the product roadmap.
• Work closely with the founding team to define the technical strategy and execute the vision.
• Adapt and problem-solve in a fast-moving start-up environment, handling challenges proactively.

What We’re Looking For

• Full-stack expertise, with experience in mobile app development (iOS/Android) and backend architecture (Node.js, Python, Go, or similar).
• Proven experience building and scaling platforms from the ground up.
• Expertise in web scraping and data extraction, and large-scale data collection.
• AI experience - either integrating AI within an app or using AI to optimize development workflows.
• Cloud platform proficiency (AWS, GCP, or Azure) with solid DevOps experience.
• Ability to balance hands-on development with leadership responsibilities.
• A start-up mindset - comfortable taking ownership, finding creative solutions, and thriving with limited resources.
• Strong collaboration skills - comfortable working with sales, product, and design to align technical solutions with business needs.

Why Join Us?

• Shape the future of a fast-growing start-up, your work will directly impact the success of Loci.
• A dynamic and mission-driven environment - building tech that strengthens local communities.
• Cutting-edge tech, opportunity to work with AI, automation, and scalable infrastructure.
• Freedom to create, giving you the autonomy to shape strategies, experiment with new ideas, and build innovative solutions that drive both product and business success.

We’re looking for someone excited to be part of a start-up journey, driven by the opportunity to shape and grow something from the ground up. As part of our founding team, you’ll play a key role in building our culture, driving innovation, and making a real impact. If you thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and are ready to be part of something truly transformative, we’d love to hear from you!