Senior Software Engineer / Software Engineering Lead

OBJECTIVESWe are looking for a solution-driven Senior Software Engineer / Software Engineering Lead to join PMAX Tech & Data, responsible for owning backend architecture and execution for key platform modules, building scalable and secure systems, raising engineering quality, and helping modernise legacy services. You will be hands-on in delivery while also leading technical direction-covering the full lifecycle from discovery and design to implementation, release, observability, and continuous improvement.
JOB DESCRIPTION1) Technical Ownership &
Delivery Leadership
Own end-to-end delivery for assigned backend domains (services, APIs, integrations), ensuring quality, performance, and reliability.
Drive technical planning: break down requirements, propose implementation options, estimate effort, identify risks, and align milestones with stakeholders.
Participate in sprint ceremonies and proactively shape backlog quality (testability, acceptance criteria, dependencies, non-functional requirements).
2) Backend Architecture &
• API Engineering
Design and develop scalable backend services and APIs (REST/GraphQL as applicable), ensuring clean architecture and maintainability.
Define and maintain backend standards: service patterns, error handling, logging, versioning, and backwards compatibility.
Implement core platform capabilities: RBAC/permissions, approval workflows, audit logs, notifications, job scheduling, and multi-tenant considerations (where applicable).
3) Performance, Reliability &
• Observability
Profile and optimise bottlenecks across application and database layers (query optimisation, caching, async processing, pagination, indexing).
Design for reliability: idempotency, retries, dead-letter strategies, graceful degradation, and rate limiting.
Establish observability practices: structured logs, metrics, tracing, alerting, and operational dashboards; contribute to incident response and post-mortems.
4) Data Integration, Migration &
• Platform Modernisation
Integrate multiple data sources and systems into a coherent backend (Ads platforms, CRM, internal tools, analytics pipelines).
Own data migration and transformation initiatives: schema evolution, backfills, scripting, and reconciliation.
Modernise legacy applications/services: refactor or re-architect modules with minimal business disruption, focusing on long-term scalability.
5) Engineering Excellence &
• Mentorship
Write and enforce high-quality code practices: code reviews, testing strategy (unit/integration), CI/CD hygiene, and release readiness checklists.
Provide technical guidance and mentorship to junior engineers; raise the bar on documentation and knowledge sharing.
Contribute to engineering culture: pragmatic best practices, reusable libraries, design templates, and runbooks.
6) Security &
• Compliance Fundamentals
Apply secure coding practices and ensure proper secrets management, access control, and auditability.
Ensure backend designs align with privacy and data governance requirements (as relevant to PMAX client/partner data).
JOB REQUIREMENTSSkill &
• Qualifications
Degree in Information Technology or related field (or equivalent practical experience).
3-5 years in Backend Engineering roles with proven track record shipping production systems.
Strong proficiency in NodeJS (preferred) or strong backend experience in Python/Ruby/Java/Go/PHP with ability to ramp quickly on NodeJS.
Strong knowledge of backend fundamentals: system design, software architecture, design patterns, clean code, and engineering best practices.
Solid database expertise: data modelling, schema design, and performance tuning (SQL required • NoSQL is a plus).
Experience designing and operating APIs at scale: authentication/authorisation, versioning, error contracts, rate limiting, and reliability patterns.
Experience with cloud-based technologies and modern engineering practices (Git workflow, CI/CD, testing discipline, monitoring/alerting).
Strong communication skills: able to explain technical concepts to non-technical business leaders and influence trade-offs.
Strong strategic mindset and problem-solving skills; ability to operate under ambiguity and bring clarity.
Plus / Advantage
Experience with event-driven architecture, queues, background workers, scheduling systems.
Experience with observability stacks (APM, metrics, logs), SLO/SLI thinking, and incident management.
Experience integrating with marketing/ads ecosystems (Meta, Google, TikTok, Shopee, Zalo) or martech stacks is a strong advantage.
Familiarity with data pipelines, analytics instrumentation, and metric correctness is a plus.
Prior experience as a technical lead for a small squad or mentoring juniors.
Mindset & • Soft Skills
Ownership and accountability for outcomes (not only tasks).
Strong collaboration; able to challenge requirements constructively and propose better solutions.
Comfortable operating in a fast-paced environment with ambiguity; disciplined in clarifying assumptions early.
Curious, proactive, and continuously learning mindset.
Comfortable exploring and adopting AI-assisted development tools (e.g., code copilots, test/documentation assistants) to improve productivity and quality, with strong discipline on verification, security, and correctness.
PMAX-er IdentificationClient Impact: Everything we do is ultimately to deliver real client impact and value. Innovation: Drive change and innovative new ideas to create more value for clients, teams and society.
People development: Attract, develop, and retain the most talented people. Development is a responsibility of both individuals and the organisation.
Integrity: Be honest and show consistent adherence to what is right, even at our own cost.
Teamwork and fun: Collaborative effort to achieve common goals while building a joyful and enjoyable atmosphere.
Extreme ownership: Own outcomes end-to-end. Think like an owner of the company, responsible for what affects success.
BENEFITS
Competitive salary range with quarterly & yearly incentives and 13th-month salary
Flexible working time with 2 days working from home per week and 15 paid leaves per year
Insurance as full salary (SHUI)
Annual health check-up and Healthcare Insurance VNI for all employees
Laptop allowance or support for laptop purchase costs on an individual basis
Internal training & career development opportunities, and external L&D budget sponsorship
Team bonding budget quarterly, snack time to engage team members
Quarterly, Yearly Recognition Gifts &
• Awards and gifts on special occasions (birthday, New year...)
Holiday activities
• Company trip
Year End Party
Company Birthday
Culture Day
Quarterly Town Hall
Other staff welfare allowances.