The Role
Design, build, and maintain secure, scalable backend services and partner-facing APIs. Lead complex integrations with ATS/HRIS, work directly with customers to define requirements, ensure system reliability at scale, and own features from design through production while mentoring teammates.
Summary Generated by Built In
We are expanding our engineering team to boost our development capacity and take our product to the next level. As a Senior Backend Engineer, you'll play a central role in how Zinc connects with the wider hiring and background-check ecosystem, building robust APIs and partner integrations that let customers get value from Zinc's data across their own tools. This includes our own partner API as well as custom integrations with HR tech platforms such as applicant tracking systems (ATS) and HR Information Systems (HRIS).
You'll work closely with Product, customers, and partner companies to understand integration needs, design secure and reliable APIs, and make sure the systems connecting Zinc to the outside world are built to last.
Key Responsibilities 🗝️
Building powerful integrations 🚀 – Design and deliver high-impact, secure integrations with partner and customer systems that are clean, scalable, and built to last.
Talking to customers 💬 – Work directly with customers and partners to understand their integration needs and translate them into solid technical solutions.Your time will be split 20% customer and 80% development.
API design & development 🔌 – Own the design, build, and documentation of APIs that are secure, well-structured, and easy for partners to consume.
Keeping things running smoothly 🛠️ – Maintain, optimise, and secure our systems so they perform at their best, even at scale.
Problem-solving like a pro 🧠 – Lead the charge on tricky integration challenges, turning complex problems into elegant, maintainable solutions.
Staying ahead of the game 📚 – Keep up with new tools, trends, and best practices, helping us continuously evolve our stack and processes.
Owning your work end-to-end 🎨 – Take full responsibility from initial idea to production, making sure every integration delivers value to customers.
Skills, Knowledge and Expertise 🚀
Hard skills ⚡
Backend Development 💻 – Advanced skills with Node.js (Express), building robust, scalable backend services. Comfortable picking up light frontend work (Vue/Nuxt) when needed.
API Design & Security 🔐 – Strong hands-on experience designing RESTful APIs and a solid grasp of API security practices (auth, rate limiting, data protection).
System Design & Architecture 🏗️ – Proven ability to create scalable, maintainable, and high-performance systems, particularly across integration and partner-facing architecture.
TypeScript & JavaScript Expertise 📜 – Deep, hands-on expertise delivering production-grade applications using modern JS/TS best practices.
Database & Cloud ☁️ – Strong experience with databases and AWS services (Lambda, S3, API Gateway) for robust, cloud-native solutions. NoSQL experience (e.g. MongoDB) a bonus.
Testing & Quality Assurance 🧪 – Proficient with tools like Jest to ensure quality, reliability, and confidence in every release.
Soft skills ✨Customer-Facing 🗣️ – Comfortable leading conversations with customers and partners about technical integration needs.
Highly Collaborative 🤝 – Thrives in cross-functional teams, working closely with engineers, product, and external partners.
Clear Communicator 🗣️ – Able to explain technical decisions simply to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Kind & Supportive ❤️ – Builds a positive, respectful team culture. Mentorship experience is a bonus.
What we offer 🍉
Zinc offers a chance to work on a product that brings a fresh perspective on data ownership in hiring
- 24 days holiday + Bank Holidays + your birthday off 🎉
- £1200 annual benefits allowance (ThanksBen, from month 2)
- Early finish Fridays (16:00)
- Yearly company retreat abroad ✈️
- 30 days to Work from anywhere 🌍
- Enhanced Maternity, Paternity, and Adoption Leave (13 weeks full pay, 17 weeks half pay, then SMP for maternity, 1 month full pay for paternity/adoption) 🐣
- Statutory pension with NEST (3% employer, 5% employee)
- Zinc shares, issued through the EMI Scheme
- Unlimited access to Spill Therapy
- Company socials, quarterly team socials Free Monday lunches
- Nursery workplace benefit scheme (Yellownest)
- Option to lease an electric car through Electric Car Scheme
- Celebrated Zinc anniversaries 🥳
About
Who we are ⚡Zinc builds automated reference and background checking tools designed to improve candidate experience and set new industry standards. Founded in 2017 by a team with extensive HRTech experience, Zinc is an early-stage startup rapidly growing as it redefines efficiency, transparency, and fairness in background checks.📚Read more about our story here: https://zincwork.com/missionWe're a culture first company, by this we don't just mean an active calendar of both company and team organised events 🍔🍻🎯 (which we do have 🤩),Zinc's culture is defined by a respectful and autonomous approach to all employees, fostering support for new ideas, promoting a flexible work environment, and operating within a flat structure. While socials, lunches, and events enhance the experience, the core of Zinc's culture drives employees to embrace innovation, share successes, and feel motivated about the company's future.🪴We recently redefined our company values:🧩The pieces that make Zinc: Pragmatic, Integrity, Empathy, Collaborate, Empowered, Speed.
Skills Required
- Advanced backend development with Node.js and Express
- Production-grade TypeScript and JavaScript expertise
- Designing and building RESTful APIs with strong API security practices (auth, rate limiting, data protection)
- Experience with system design and scalable architecture for integrations/partner-facing systems
- Experience with AWS services (Lambda, S3, API Gateway) and cloud-native solutions
- Experience with databases; NoSQL experience such as MongoDB
- Testing and quality assurance experience, e.g., Jest
- Comfortable engaging directly with customers and partners to gather integration requirements
- Ability to do light frontend work (Vue/Nuxt) when needed
- Strong collaboration, clear communication, and mentorship experience
Am I A Good Fit?
Get Personalized Job Insights.
Our AI-powered fit analysis compares your resume with a job listing so you know if your skills & experience align.
Success! Refresh the page to see how your skills align with this role.
The Company
What We Do
Zinc builds automated reference and background checking tools designed to improve candidate experience and set new industry standards, offering automated pre-screening employment software for HR and recruiting teams to verify candidates' backgrounds and hire at scale.
