📍 Location: Bulgaria

🕐 Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract

hedgehog lab is a globally renowned digital product consultancy with two decades of experience and a reputation as true masters of our craft. Proudly operating from the heart of Northern England, we are on a mission to digitally craft a better world by delivering transformative solutions that align seamlessly with strategic visions.

Our culture thrives on turning constraints into catalysts for innovation, empowering our team to tackle the most complex technical challenges with confidence, architecting scalable and innovative solutions that future-proof businesses. Beyond our award-winning work, we’re also known for our Flexa-certified company culture.

We’re looking for a passionate Senior Java Developer who thrives in an environment where expertise, curiosity, and impact converge. If you’re ready to help shape the future and create digital products that leave a lasting legacy, we’d love to hear from you.

Why this role matters:

You will design and build scalable, high-performance applications that power impactful digital experiences for our clients. Leveraging modern Java frameworks like Spring and Java EE, along with your deep expertise in cloud-native technologies, you'll help shape and accelerate delivery of robust software solutions. Your leadership will guide teams, drive innovation through AI, Blockchain, and DevOps practices, and uphold the quality and performance standards that define hedgehog lab’s commitment to excellence.

What you’ll be doing:

• Lead and mentor junior and mid-level developers, fostering a culture of growth and continuous learning.
• Design, develop, and deploy Java-based applications with a focus on scalability, security, and performance.
• Collaborate cross functionally with designers, product managers, and other engineers to deliver cohesive and user-friendly software solutions.
• Champion the use of AI, Blockchain, and cloud-native technologies to optimise development workflows and application performance.
• Apply agile methodologies to prototype, test, and refine user-facing components and backend systems.
• Implement and manage CI/CD pipelines, containerisation strategies, and cloud deployments (e.g. Docker, Kubernetes).
• Ensure maintainability and efficiency of applications in production environments through proactive tuning and performance optimisation.

How we’ll know you’re thriving:

• Successfully led the design and delivery of complex features and full-stack applications.
• Positively impact team growth and knowledge-sharing through mentorship and code reviews.
• Integrate emerging technologies and development practices that improve product quality and efficiency.
• Build trusted relationships with clients through clear communication, technical leadership, and delivery excellence.

Where this role can take you:

• Play a pivotal role in architecting high-impact solutions across a diverse portfolio of global client projects.
• Grow into technical leadership roles with opportunities to influence platform strategy and engineering culture.
• Engage in continuous learning and innovation at the intersection of cloud, AI, and emerging technologies.
• Collaborate in a dynamic, supportive environment that values personal development and cross-functional excellence.

Who you are:

This role could be a great fit if you have…

• Proven experience in Java development, with expertise in Spring and Java EE frameworks.
• A strong grasp of both SQL and NoSQL databases and experience designing scalable data architectures.
• Deep understanding of software design principles, patterns, and application architecture.
• Practical experience with cloud platforms and tools, including containerisation (Docker, Kubernetes) and cloud deployments.
• Familiarity with DevOps practices and building/maintaining CI/CD pipelines.
• A passion for writing clean, efficient, and maintainable code with a focus on performance optimisation.
• Hands-on experience with JavaScript and front-end web development.
• Leadership skills and a track record of guiding teams and delivering complex software products.

Note: Research shows that women and individuals from underrepresented backgrounds often refrain from applying to positions unless they meet all the specified criteria. If you believe you possess the necessary qualities for this role but do not fulfil every requirement, don't hesitate to apply. We actively encourage you to showcase your skills and what you can contribute.

What to expect from our interview process

We aim to make our process transparent, inclusive, and respectful of your time:

Stage 1️⃣ - Intro Call with a member of the Talent team, Holly (30 minutes Google Meet)

Stage 2️⃣ - A technical Interview, including a live coding task, with our CTO, Joe (60 minutes, Google Meet)

Stage 3️⃣ - People and Values Interview with Joe (45 minutes, Google Meet)
We'll keep you informed at every step.

Why join us at hedgehog lab?

At hedgehog lab, we’ve built a workplace where people genuinely enjoy what they do and who they do it with.

We’re proud to be:
🎯 Rated #1 in the UK on Clutch for mobile development
🌟 A Great Place to Work! 93% of our team said so
🧘 Flexa-certified with an 85% FlexScore for flexible working
🏅 Holders of the Advanced Good Work Pledge in the North East

But culture goes beyond certifications. We’re a team that values trust, autonomy, and inclusion. Whether you're working from our Newcastle HQ, home, or a café, we support what works for you. We’ve created an environment where neurodiverse, LGBTQ+, and underrepresented voices are celebrated, and where every person can be their authentic self.

Read what our team says on Glassdoor.

What we offer:

💡 How we support your growth

• Annual personal development budget
• Career frameworks and coaching support
• Impact Days – 5 days a year to spend on learning, volunteering, or making a difference in ways that matter to you

🧘 How we support your wellbeing

• 2 wellbeing days a year (in addition to leave)
• Free therapy with Spill
• Wellbeing budget
• Multisport card (Bulgaria)

🎉 How we stay connected

• Monthly payday socials
• Annual summer & Christmas parties
• Celebrations for cultural and team milestones

🏡 How we support your work/life balance

• Work from anywhere: home, office or hybrid
• Flexa-certified employer with 85% FlexScore
• Enhanced parental policies
• 30 days (Bulgaria) including bank/public holidays
• Open to alternate working patterns to suit you

Diversity & inclusion statement

We strongly believe that having diversity within our team is integral to doing our best work and creating the most innovative products for our customers. We encourage people from underrepresented backgrounds to apply to our roles.

We’re a family-friendly employer with a culture based on trust, autonomy and flexibility. With a current 85% FlexScore®, we’re learning as we go. By listening to our team and always asking for feedback, we can continue to improve and offer a working environment worthy of attracting the most creative and dedicated people in technology.

If you require any adjustments to submit an application for a vacancy, or if you require any reasonable adjustment should you be invited to interview, please let us know.

For any questions about this role or future opportunities, please contact Holly Orange, Senior Talent Acquisition Adviser, at holly.orange@hedgehoglab.com or talent@hedgehoglab.com