Most modernization efforts fail because they focus solely on the technology. At EMPC, we do things differently. We solve some of the hardest modernization challenges organizations face—from legacy and mainframe transformation to cloud native development, platform engineering, and developer experience. We don’t just upgrade technology; we evolve architectures, processes, and engineering cultures to help organizations become evergreen and ready for inevitable change.
We combine strategic advisory thinking with deep delivery expertise to transform large, complex, and business-critical technology estates (including monoliths, mainframes, and fragmented cloud environments) into scalable, continuous-improvement landscapes.
We help clients move away from fragile, hard-to-change systems. By prioritizing measurable business value and delivering in shorter cycles than our competitors, we ensure our clients can adopt the state-of-the-art quickly, improve how their teams build and run software, and drive long-term, sustained value.
As a Lead Developer, you will act as the primary point of contact for our clients, ensuring that teams are successful in their delivery. In this role, you will bring a strategic mindset to projects and spend time collaborating and negotiating with clients to bring a technical vision to life. Having a balance of high-level and tactical mindsets is a must, as you will spend time both with clients and your teammates.
At Thoughtworks, we believe in going above and beyond the standard and are committed to delivering best-in-class solutions that exceed our clients' expectations. Our standard engineering and delivery practices reflect our commitment to quality, and our team is always looking to innovate and improve. As a leader, you will guide and coach your teams in their implementation and application.
- You will champion and adopt best practices like writing clean and reusable code using TDD, pair programming and design patterns
- Champion strategic AI-first software delivery (AIFSD): You will lead in the strategic integration of AI technologies across the software development life cycle, ensuring its use is deliberate and purposeful, to maximize quality, efficiency and innovative client solutions.
- You will use and advocate for continuous delivery practices to deliver high-quality software as well as value to end customers as early as possible
- You will assess legacy systems holistically (architecture, codebase health, delivery constraints, operational risk, data dependencies and team topology) and identify pragmatic modernisation paths aligned to business outcomes.
- You will connect technical modernisation decisions to measurable business outcomes, helping clients prioritise the work that creates the most value earliest.
- You will help clients reduce legacy risk by improving testability, deployment safety, observability and recovery practices before and during migration.
- You will apply the latest technology thinking from our Technology Radar to solve client problems
- You will apply a variety of languages and tools to your work and continue to code alongside Developers; you will not be post-technical in this role
- You will efficiently utilize and champion DevSecOps tools and practices to build and deploy software, advocating devops culture and shifting security left in development
- You will cultivate Thoughtworker growth and development by encouraging feedback and fostering an inclusive, supportive team culture
- You are well-versed in two or more languages (Java, Kotlin, JavaScript, TypeScript, Ruby, C#, etc.) and are comfortable with the latest Object-Oriented technology.
- Understanding of modernisation patterns and the judgment to apply them pragmatically in complex legacy environments.
- Ability to evaluate when to refactor, replatform, re-architect or replace, and to explain those trade-offs clearly to both technical and business stakeholders.
- You have led software development teams using Agile, Lean and/or Continuous.
- You have actively explored and advocated for emerging AI technologies, possessing a strong understanding of their benefits and applying thoughtful reflection to their strategic adoption within technical and project solutions.
- Bonus points if you have knowledge of cloud technology such as AWS, Docker or Kubernetes
- You enjoy continuously learning and improving, whether it is through functional programming paradigms, event driven architecture, platform engineering or others
- You have experience influencing others and always advocate for technical excellence while being open to change when needed
- You bridge product and technology by helping to translate business needs to software requirements
- You have the ability to develop and execute a technical vision with a focus on business value
- You will act as a mentor for less experienced peers through both your technical knowledge and ability to inspire a team to deliver extraordinary impact together
- You’re resilient in ambiguous situations and can approach challenges from multiple perspectives
There is no one-size-fits-all career path at Thoughtworks: however you want to develop your career is entirely up to you. But we also balance autonomy with the strength of our cultivation culture. This means your career is supported by interactive tools, numerous development programs and teammates who want to help you grow. We see value in helping each other be our best and that extends to empowering our employees in their career journeys.
Onsite Work ExpectationYou may be expected to work out of our Thoughtworks office or at our client's office location for all five working days of the week, depending on business or clients’ needs.
Thoughtworks is a global technology consultancy that integrates strategy, design and engineering to drive digital innovation. For 30+ years, our clients have trusted our autonomous teams to build solutions that look past the obvious. Here, computer science grads come together with seasoned technologists, self-taught developers, midlife career changers and more to learn from and challenge each other. Career journeys flourish with the strength of our cultivation culture, which has won numerous awards around the world.
Join Thoughtworks and thrive. Together, our extra curiosity, innovation, passion and dedication overcomes ordinary.
See here our AI policy.
Skills Required
- Well-versed in two or more programming languages
- Strong understanding of modernisation patterns
- Experience leading software development teams
- Advocating for emerging AI technologies
- Bonus points for knowledge of cloud technology
Thoughtworks Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Thoughtworks and has not been reviewed or approved by Thoughtworks.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Paid time off includes vacation accrual from day one with rollover, personal/sick days, development and service days, and a long‑tenure paid sabbatical. Policies also emphasize comprehensive leave for rest, illness, and rejuvenation.
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Healthcare Strength — Health coverage spans medical, dental, and vision and often extends to families, complemented by mental‑health support through Lyra and Headspace. In some regions, private providers and wellness rewards further bolster healthcare access.
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Parental & Family Support — Parental leave is positioned as generous across regions, with fully paid options in some markets and a comprehensive fertility policy. Adoption and broader family supports are also highlighted.
Thoughtworks Insights
What We Do
We are a global technology consultancy that delivers extraordinary impact by blending design, engineering and AI expertise. For 30 years, our commitment to design-led thinking, engineering excellence and innovation means we prioritize people, build teams with strong technical foundations and embed AI into every step of the process – not just as a tool but as a mindset. It’s this approach that sets us apart, sparks bold ideas and empowers us to drive real, lasting innovation. We’re not preparing for the future – we’re defining it.
Why Work With Us
As technologists, we have a unique role to play in how technology should benefit all of society, pursuing a more equitable future. Part of that role is to continuously educate ourselves on the issues that matter to the causes we believe in. We recognize our privilege and strive to see the world from the perspective of the most vulnerable.
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