We at SIDES are looking for a Senior Python Engineer & Tech Lead (m/w/d) to take ownership of our Python Backend ecosystem and shape the future of our technology stack. This is a unique opportunity to build and lead a growing team while staying hands-on with architecture and code.
You will be the technical anchor for our Python backend, responsible for:
Owning the Python backend ecosystem - Drive architectural decisions for a monorepo with independent REST services
Leading critical technical initiatives - Plan, estimate, and deliver complex projects that span multiple teams and domains
Building a high-performing team - Start with 1 medior engineer and grow to 6 team members through hiring and cross-training
Maintaining engineering excellence - Protect and enhance our established quality standards while scaling This role starts at 70% hands-on technical work and evolves toward more leadership responsibilities as the team grows. You'll write production code, drive architectural decisions, and mentor engineers while coordinating with Product, DevOps, PHP, and other tech teams.
Core Responsibilities:
1. Technical Leadership (Initial Focus):
Design, develop, and maintain backend services and APIs using Python, FastAPI, and SQLAlchemy
Drive architectural decisions for the Python backend ecosystem and evaluate technical trade-offs
Lead and track large-scale technical initiatives including migrations, integrations, and platform improvements
Coordinate releases and deployments for Python services
Ensure application performance, scalability, quality, and stability
Participate in cross-stack architectural discussions (Python, PHP, GO, Flutter)
Implement security and data protection measures
Write clean, maintainable, well-documented code
2. Team Leadership (Growing Responsibility):
Mentor and coach team members through regular 1:1s, feedback sessions, and pair programming
Guide technical decision-making and provide constructive code reviews
Shield the team from ad-hoc interruptions and advocate for clear requirements
Facilitate agile ceremonies (sprints, standups, retrospectives) as the team scales
Collaborate with Product Management to refine requirements and estimate initiatives
Foster knowledge sharing and documentation practices
3. Cross-Team Collaboration:
Coordinate with DevOps, PHP, Frontend, and other engineering teams
Bridge communication between technical teams and product stakeholders
Drive alignment on technical standards and best practices across teams
Required Qualifications:
- Technical Expertise:
7+ years of Python backend development in business/enterprise environments
Strong expertise with FastAPI, SQLAlchemy, and ORM patterns
Deep knowledge of databases (PostgreSQL, MySQL, Redis, DynamoDB)
Proven experience with RESTful APIs and web services
Understanding of asynchronous programming and event-driven architectures
Proficiency with Docker, Git, CI/CD pipelines and deployment automation
Familiarity with AWS cloud services and cloud-native development
- Leadership & Project Management:
Proven ability to lead technical projects from estimation through delivery
Experience mentoring and coaching other engineers
Strong documentation and communication skills
Ability to track and coordinate initiatives involving multiple teams
Comfortable estimating and planning large-scale technical work
- Collaboration & Communication:
Excellent problem-solving skills and analytical thinking
Ability to push back constructively on unclear requirements
Strong stakeholder management and cross-team coordination
Team player with a collaborative mindset
- Preferred Skills (Nice-to-Have):
Kubernetes (K8s) experience and container orchestration
Event-driven systems and message queue experience (RabbitMQ, Kafka, etc.)
PHP knowledge (helpful for understanding legacy systems and migrations)
German language skills (our team is multilingual, but German is a plus)
Product thinking mindset - ability to balance technical excellence with business value
AWS services experience (ECS, Lambda, RDS, ElastiCache, etc.)
Microservices architecture patterns
Experience with monitoring and observability tools (Grafana, CloudWatch, etc.)
A recipe for success: We turned 11 years old this year and are known as specialists in the gastronomy/delivery industry. With SIDES, you represent a leading player in this field.
Add ownership: We offer you the opportunity to shape your talent and ideas. You have freedom and responsibility in your daily work within your team.
High-quality work equipment: You will receive top-notch equipment to successfully perform your work. In the office, you will find modern devices and ample space for pleasant interactions with the SIDES team.
Hungry for growth: Personal growth and continuous learning are our top priorities. We conduct regular feedback cycles and offer you opportunities to attend seminars, workshops, and conferences.
Baking a positive workplace: You can expect a fantastic, perfectly connected office in the heart of Berlin (Schöneberg).
Perks:
* Company discounts (CorporateBenefits), access to various employee discounts
* Discount on a gym membership
* E-learning opportunities
* Mental health app setup: InstaHelp
* Snacks and drinks in the office
Baking a positive workplace: You can expect a fantastic, perfectly connected office in the heart of Berlin (Schöneberg). Sounds exactly like what you were looking for? Then we look forward to receiving your meaningful application, including your salary expectations and earliest start date.
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