Senior Backend Engineer - Cruise at Kpler in United Kingdom

Job description

• As a Senior Backend Engineer within our Maritime domain, you will lead the backend architecture and streaming services that process high-volume vessel tracking, port intelligence, and maritime trade flows. Working with core technologies including Python, PHP, Kafka, PostgreSQL, and ClickHouse, you will design scalable, highly available systems that transform raw maritime telemetry into real-time actionable insights for global shipping and commodity markets. Operating with high autonomy under a "you build it, you run it" engineering culture, you will play a crucial role in modernizing core services, elevating technical standards, and collaborating with cross-functional partners and client-facing technical teams.

Responsibilities

• Architect and scale backend services: Design, build, and maintain high-throughput backend applications and microservices using Python and PHP.
• Build real-time streaming & analytical pipelines: Leverage Kafka and ClickHouse to stream, process, and analyze massive volumes of real-time maritime tracking data.
• Optimize data persistence and storage: Manage relational and analytical databases, optimizing PostgreSQL queries and ClickHouse schema designs for low-latency queries at scale.
• Own production health and reliability: Implement robust monitoring, alerting, and observability frameworks while maintaining operational ownership across staging and production environments.
• Drive cross-functional collaboration: Partner closely with Product Managers, Tech Leads, Cloud Platform teams, and client-facing technical teams to deliver features aligned with customer needs.
• Elevate engineering standards and mentorship: Guide peer engineers through technical design reviews, code quality benchmarks, and architectural best practices within the Maritime domain.

Requirements

• What you'll need (Must-haves)
• Senior-level backend experience: ~5+ years of professional software engineering experience developing, scaling, and maintaining complex production backend systems.
• Core tech stack mastery: Strong proficiency in Python and PHP alongside deep experience with relational databases like PostgreSQL.
• Event streaming & analytical data tech: Hands-on production experience with Apache Kafka and high-performance analytical data stores like ClickHouse.
• System design & API development: Proven track record designing RESTful APIs, distributed microservices, and high-concurrency architecture.
• Operational mindset: Strong background in CI/CD pipelines, containerized deployments (Docker/Kubernetes), and production observability/monitoring tools.
• Maritime & geospatial domain knowledge: Familiarity with vessel AIS data, geospatial systems, logistics, or global trade datasets.
• Legacy modernization: Track record of refactoring monolithic architectures into event-driven, decoupled microservices.
• Cloud infrastructure: Experience with AWS cloud services and infrastructure-as-code (Terraform).

Skills

Required

• Python
• PHP
• PostgreSQL
• Apache Kafka
• ClickHouse
• RESTful APIs
• Distributed microservices
• High-concurrency architecture
• CI/CD pipelines
• Docker
• Kubernetes

Preferred

• Maritime & geospatial domain knowledge
• Vessel AIS data
• Geospatial systems
• Logistics
• Global trade datasets
• Legacy modernization
• AWS cloud services
• Terraform