Who we are

Ilkari is a privately-held start-up based in Dublin, Ireland. We deliver hyper-private scale innovation and technology to safeguard and secure data, enabling true data sovereignty even as the pace of change accelerates. Our best-in-breed sovereign technology delivers privacy and control over where companies’ data resides, where it flows, and how it’s accessed.

We’re here to rewrite the story of data sovereignty – empowering innovators, pioneers and visionaries to make their mark. We believe the sky is not the limit. We strive for the perfect balance of simplicity and excellence in everything we do, and we’re looking for people who are ready to join our journey and rewrite the story of data sovereignty.

Role overview

We’re looking for a proactive and experienced Software Development Team Lead for our Product Development team to help shape our new Online Customer Portal – a key product that empowers our customers to manage access to our core services. You’ll join a collaborative, values-driven team where leadership, quality engineering, and continuous improvement are top priorities.

This is a people-first leadership role where you’ll guide a team of developers, drive technical decisions, and collaborate closely with Product, Architecture.

What you'll do

• Lead the development of backend APIs and services (Python, Django) that integrate with an Angular frontend.
• Take full ownership of feature delivery across design, development, testing, deployment, and support.
• Collaborate with Architects to ensure alignment with technical and enterprise standards.
• Work closely with Product to shape user stories and ensure clarity of requirements.
• Foster a healthy engineering culture based on trust, feedback, and continuous learning.
• Guide code reviews, design discussions, and adoption of best practices (e.g. Clean Code, design patterns).
• Promote shift-left practices (testing, observability, CI/CD, performance, security).
• Provide hands-on technical mentorship and unblock team members when needed.

What are we looking for

Technical Skills 

• Strong Python skills with Django and Django REST Framework (or similar).
• Experience building and integrating RESTful APIs.
• Confident with Git, CI/CD, Docker, and container-based deployment practices.
• Familiar with testing frameworks like Cypress, Playwright, or similar.
• Understanding of cloud-native principles, security, and production support.

Soft Skills 

• A strong communicator who can simplify complexity for different audiences.
• Able to lead with empathy, encourage diverse opinions, and build a safe environment for the team.
• Comfortable guiding others through technical and delivery challenges.

Experience 

• 6+ years in software engineering, with 2+ years in a tech or team lead capacity.
• Proven ability to manage delivery timelines while keeping quality top of mind.
• Strong background in collaborative product development with cross-functional teams.

Education

• A degree in Computer Science or a related field is ideal, but equivalent hands-on experience is equally valued.
  

What's in it for you (Spain)

• Private life and health insurance for you and your family.
• Four weeks per year to work from anywhere (for eligible employees).
• Gym reimbursement.
• Company bus line for Málaga-based employees.
• Learning Pocket for personal development.
• A hybrid working model with flexible hours.
• Three paid volunteering days per year.
• Generous referral bonus programme.