Senior Software Engineer I - Backend (Java)

Our vision is to give everyone the belief they can make their move. We aim to make moving simpler, by giving everyone the best place to turn to and return to for access to the tools, expertise, trust, and belief to make it happen.

We’re home to the UK’s largest choice of properties and are the go-to destination for millions of people planning their next move, reading the latest industry news, or just browsing what’s on the market. 

Location: London (Hybrid - 2 days in the London Office)

Reports to: Engineering Manager - Agent Select

About the role

We are on a mission to make home moving easier and simpler. Home movers across the UK spend more than a billion minutes on Rightmove each month and our website and apps receive over 140 million visits per month. To support our mission, we need software engineers with vision and passion to deliver innovative and exciting solutions for our internal users, working on in house applications and microservices integrated with third party applications that underpin how Rightmove operates.  

At Rightmove we work in autonomous cross-functional teams using Agile processes. Each team owns a part of the Rightmove experience made up of design, product, engineering and testing specialists. You will collaborate to ensure we deliver quality solutions that satisfy millions of users, thousands of agents and hundreds of passionate Rightmovers. You will be responsible for defining solutions to business and technical problems in a way which ensures maintainability, scalability and high-performance standards.

A note from your future manager: By joining our team, you'll help homeowners pick the right agent for them and help agents get better at what they do - all while being part of a highly effective, fun, and enthusiastic team where we've got each other's backs and celebrate each other's growth!

To find out more about our tools, tech and people, head to ourtech blog.

What you'll be doing

• Designing and building new features and enhancements using Java 21+, Spring Boot, Elasticsearch, Kafka, Gradle, Hibernate, Couchbase, SQL, and Docker.
• Collaborating with cross-functional teams and stakeholders to shape solutions and align on priorities.
• Taking ownership of key technical decisions and delivering projects end-to-end.
• Balancing new feature development with technical debt, making thoughtful, pragmatic trade-offs.
• Writing high-quality, secure, and extensible code that supports both current needs and future growth.
• Communicating effectively with stakeholders and third parties to ensure solutions meet business objectives.
• Championing new and emerging technologies that add value and align with our roadmap.
• Mentoring and supporting junior engineers, helping to build a culture of growth, ownership, and continuous improvement.

We're looking for someone who

• Brings strong commercial experience with Java 21+, Spring Boot, and Kafka.
• Has successfully led complex projects, including coordinating work across multiple engineers.
• Is highly collaborative, organised, and solution-focused in their approach.
• Has a deep understanding of TDD practices and pipeline optimisation, including left-shifting.
• Can balance technical priorities with business OKRs through pragmatic decision-making.
• Is passionate about performance, scalability, and understanding user behaviour.
• Proactively introduces new ideas, technologies, and ways of working to improve team outcomes.
• Is committed to sharing knowledge, fostering team ownership, and contributing to a psychologically safe and inclusive environment.

Our Approach to AI

At Rightmove, we believe software and product are ultimately people problems, and everything we build aims to improve the lives of others. We see AI as a helpful way to create more space for the human side of our work, from understanding real needs to making sure we are solving the right problems in the right way. There is an expectation that you are proactive in exploring how AI can support your own workflow and productivity, and that you approach it with curiosity and an open mind.

Life at Rightmove

Despite our growth, we’ve remained a friendly, supportive place to work, with employee #1 still working here!  We’ve done this by placing the Rightmove Hows at the heart of everything we do. These are the essential values that reflect our culture, and include:

• We create value… by delivering results and building trust with partners and consumers.
• We think bigger… by acting with curiosity and setting bold aspirations.
• We care deeply… by being real, having fun, and valuing diversity.
• We move together… by being one team - internally collaborative, externally competitive.
• We make a difference… by focusing on delivering measurable impact.

We believe in careers that open doors and help our team develop by providing an open and inclusive work environment, offering ongoing   training opportunities, and supporting charity fundraising events. And with 89% of Rightmovers saying we’re a great place to work, we’re clearly doing something right! 

What we offer

• Cash plan for dental, optical and physio treatments.
• Private Medical Insurance, Pension and Life Insurance, Employee Assistance Plan.
• 27 days holiday plus two (paid) volunteering days a year to give back, and holiday buy schemes.
• Contributory stakeholder pension.
• Life assurance at 4x your basic salary to a spouse, family member or other nominated person in your life.
• Competitive compensation package.
• Paid leave for maternity, paternity, adoption & fertility.
• Travel Loans, Bike to Work scheme, Rental Deposit Loan.
• Charitable contributions through Payroll Giving and donation matching.
• Access deals and discounts on things like travel, electronics, fashion, gym memberships, cinema discounts and more.
• We offer hybrid working with a minimum of 2 days in the office. For our roles, such as Field or Home-based positions, different working arrangements apply - full details will be shared during the recruitment process.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, Rightmove will never discriminate based on age, disability, sex, race, religion or belief, gender reassignment, marriage / civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity or sexual orientation.  At Rightmove, we believe that a diverse and inclusive workforce leads to better innovation, productivity, and overall success. We are committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for all employees, regardless of their background or identity, to develop and promote a diverse culture that reflects the communities we serve.

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