Tech Lead

The role:

We are looking for an experienced Senior Software Engineer (Tech Lead) to join our IT department in Bristol or London.

This role suits someone who enjoys building high-quality software and helping a team do its best work, and who wants to change how legal services are delivered through technology. You will lead a team of software engineers in the IT department while staying hands-on with the code. You'll set the technical direction, own architecture decisions and keep engineering standards high. You'll work closely with product owners, data scientists and infrastructure teams to design, build, test and deploy secure, scalable applications that serve our lawyers and clients worldwide.

What will you do:

• Technical leadership: Set the technical direction for the team. Own architecture and design decisions, and make sure our products are secure, scalable and maintainable.
• End-to-end ownership: Build a culture where the team takes full responsibility for what it builds, from design and development through deployment, support and continuous improvement.
• Hands-on engineering: Spend most of your time building. Write high-quality code across our Python and TypeScript/React stack and take features from concept to production. Make full use of AI-assisted development tools such as Claude Code and GitHub Copilot, and lead the team in using them safely and effectively.
• AI-powered product delivery: Work with data scientists to build products that use LLMs and Generative AI, turning prototypes into production services for lawyers and clients.
• Delivery planning: Work with product owners to break down the roadmap, estimate work and balance new features against technical debt, so the team delivers predictably.
• Cross-team collaboration: Work closely with Cloud Engineering, Testing, Security and other IT teams so our solutions are well architected, properly tested and reliable in production.
• Engineering standards: Champion best practice in code review, automated testing, CI/CD, documentation and security, and keep improving how the team builds and ships software.
• Mentoring and guidance: Support and develop the engineers in the team through pairing, code review and technical coaching, and help them grow their skills and confidence.
• Business engagement: Work with product owners, lawyers and stakeholders to understand their needs, shape requirements, and explain technical trade-offs in plain terms.
• Hiring: Help grow the team by designing technical interviews and assessing candidates.
• Innovation: Keep up with developments in AI and legal tech. Find opportunities to apply new tools and approaches that change how we deliver legal services.

What we are looking for:

• A solid background in Computer Science, Software Engineering or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• 6+ years of professional software engineering experience, including 2+ years in a technical lead or senior role guiding a team.
• Strong programming skills in Python and TypeScript, with experience building modern web applications in React.
• A strong track record of designing and delivering enterprise-grade software solutions end to end, from architecture through to production.
• Proven experience building and shipping production products that integrate LLMs or Generative AI services.
• Experience building and deploying cloud-native applications, ideally on Microsoft Azure.
• Solid understanding of software engineering best practice, including code review, automated testing, CI/CD and secure coding.
• Hands-on experience with AI-assisted development tools such as Claude Code or GitHub Copilot, and enthusiasm for using them to improve how teams work.
• A strong sense of ownership, with experience leading teams that take full responsibility for what they build and run.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
• Experience mentoring and supporting engineers to grow their skills.
• Strong problem-solving skills, and comfort working in a fast-paced, innovative environment.

It would be advantageous if you have:

• Experience in legal tech, professional services or another regulated industry.
• Knowledge of agentic AI applications, RAG patterns or vector databases.
• Experience with Temporal or similar durable workflow orchestration tools, particularly for coordinating AI agent workflows, long-running business processes or microservices.
• Experience with infrastructure as code, such as Bicep or Terraform, and containerisation, such as Docker and Azure Container Apps or Kubernetes.
• Familiarity with observability and monitoring tools, such as Application Insights.

Career Level:

The career level assigned to this role is level 3. The career level framework provides a formal structure for the business services functions at the firm. The framework, which ranges from level 1 to level 7, clearly defines the responsibilities, skills and competencies required at each level.

Here at Simmons & Simmons:

At Simmons, we are proud of our collaborative, open and non-hierarchical culture, where everyone is treated with respect and dignity and the wellbeing of our people is paramount. Our dynamic minds work as one integrated team, partnering with leading organisations on inspirational and thought-provoking projects that matter. From day one, irrespective of job title, qualification or background, everyone’s voice is heard, and you are encouraged to have an enquiring mind and share ideas that drive the firm forward. Through innovative learning and development opportunities, you will have a platform to excel, exceed your career ambitions, and achieve things you never thought possible.

Some key information:

• We offer a competitive package including bonuses dependant on role/level, private medical insurance and pension contribution.
• Our global skills academy provides our people, regardless of their role and location, with excellent learning opportunities (including live workshops, podcasts, short videos and practical learning experiences).
• We have adopted a hybrid working approach with a requirement for a minimum of three days in the office with flexibility dependant on role/team/client demands.
• We are proud to rank as a Times Top 50 Employer for Gender Equality, a Stonewall Top Global Employer, and a Top 75 Employer for Social Mobility.
• We have a range of social and sports committees, summer and winter parties and monthly get togethers.
• We have a range of diversity networks to connect people and celebrate our differences which is integral to our inclusive culture.
• All UK offices have their own artwork collections – including Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin pieces in the London office. We have a long-standing history in supporting the art community especially up-and-coming artists.
• We have recently introduced a Strategic Advisory Council which is a mix of associates and business services who will propose strategic initiatives that align with our firm's mission and support the delivery of our business plan, shaping the future of our next-generation law firm.
• Our in-house generative AI tool, Percy, won the ‘Innovation in Automation and AI Tools’ category at the 2024 FT Innovative Lawyers Europe Awards. This achievement highlights our commitment to technological innovation and client service.
• We have been commended in The Times Best Law Firms 2026 across three categories: construction, employment, and intellectual property. Our profile is highly positive, highlighting our sector specialisms and notable case and transactional work.

Equal opportunities:

We are committed to fostering equality, diversity and inclusion within our firm and to ensuring equal employment opportunities. We believe that this commitment creates a vibrant and rewarding work environment. We are therefore committed to:

• Upholding equal opportunities, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, belief, age, disability, sexual orientation, sex, gender reassignment, gender identity, marital status, or pregnancy, including maternity and paternity. This commitment extends to addressing any instances of perceived or associative discrimination and harassment. We also ensure fair treatment during recruitment and selection processes for those who are serving or have served in the armed forces, along with their families.
• Accommodating requests for flexible working arrangements whenever possible. We encourage you to discuss your needs with us if this is something you require.
• Making our roles accessible to individuals with diverse abilities. If you need any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know so we can meet your needs.
• We offer a range of employee networks to support our colleagues. More information about these networks can be found in the D&I Information booklet that candidates are sent when invited to interview.

We encourage you to apply even if you don't meet every single requirement. We are looking for individuals who are passionate and eager to learn and grow with us. Your unique experiences and perspectives could be a great addition to our team.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

If you’re interested in finding out more about this position, please contact the Recruitment Team. To apply for the role, click on the link at the top of the page or visit our careers page for more details.

About Us

Every day, our expert teams across Europe, the Middle East and Asia come together to solve some of the world’s most complex challenges. We’re an international melting pot of perspectives and experiences, united in helping to shape a better future for our clients, our people and our communities.

A place for ideas, skills, ambition and innovation. For personal growth and professional challenge. For powering success through trust, respect, integrity and an unwavering commitment to quality.