Lead Developer (Backend) - Game Studio
Job Description
hackajob is collaborating with Tombola to connect them with exceptional professionals for this role.
Below, you will find a complete breakdown of everything required of potential candidates, as well as how to apply Good luck.
Sunderland – Hybrid – PermanentWhat this role looks like
We're looking for a Lead Developer to join our Game Engine team here at tombola.
This is one of those roles where you genuinely get the best of both worlds. You'll be hands-on leading the development of our backend game engine, shaping how we build, scale and evolve the systems that power our games.
Our Game Engine sits right at the heart of what we do. It's where performance, player experience and regulatory compliance all come together. So if you enjoy solving complex problems, working on real-time systems and having a real say in technical direction, this one's worth a look.
You'll be in the office 3 days a week, working closely with the team, with the flexibility to focus from home the rest of the time.
What you'll be doing
Leading the design and development of core game engine systems and APIs
Owning architectural decisions to ensure performance, scalability and compliance
Getting stuck into hands-on coding alongside your team
Supporting and mentoring developers, helping them grow and do their best work
Running code reviews and driving high engineering standards
Working closely with Product, QA, Infrastructure and Compliance to bring everything together
Making sure our systems are robust, auditable and ready for regulatory certification
Leading sprint planning, shaping priorities and managing technical risk
Monitoring performance in production and driving improvements where needed
Contributing to technical roadmaps and long-term platform direction
What we're looking for
Strong experience with C#, SQL, AWS and Redis
A background in real-time or state-driven systems (game engines, gambling platforms or similar)
Solid understanding of system design and scalable architecture
Experience working with REST APIs, Git and agile environments
Knowledge of real-money gaming (RNG, RTP, game state) would be a big plus
Someone who can balance hands-on coding with leading a team
It'd be great if you also have
Experience integrating with front-end games, wallets or external APIs
Exposure to performance tuning, load testing or observability tools
Familiarity with cloud-native or containerised environments
The kind of person you are
You enjoy leading but still love being close to the code
You're confident making decisions and owning technical direction
You naturally support and develop others around you
You're collaborative and enjoy working across different teams
You care about building quality products and strong teams
Why tombola?
We're not your typical tech company. Everything we build is in-house, giving you real ownership and the chance to make an impact.
You'll be part of a team that genuinely cares about:
Doing things the right way
Supporting each other
Building products we're proud of
Plus... we've got some great benefits too - take a look here to find out more
At tombola we know that our differences make us stronger and that thinking differently is key to long term success. We work hard to create a culture of inclusivity where everyone can celebrate our Free to be mevalue. xcunqrw We are committed to creating opportunities for everyone here at tombola, we welcome applications from all backgrounds and encourage individuals to apply, even if you don't meet every requirement.