Lead Software Engineer

About the role

Agoda is seeking a Lead Software Engineer to drive architectural changes and technical standards within our Full Stack Engineering Department. You will oversee mission-critical systems while mentoring engineers and collaborating with senior leadership to shape our global travel platform. In this capacity, you will be responsible for defining the technical vision and ensuring that our engineering practices align with the highest standards of quality and scalability. You will partner closely with product managers and stakeholders to translate business requirements into robust technical solutions. The role demands a proactive approach to problem-solving and a commitment to fostering a culture of excellence within the engineering team. You will play a key part in driving innovation and ensuring the reliability of the systems that power our global travel platform.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Maintain and own high-volume, mission-critical systems that handle significant traffic and data loads on a global scale.
• Build end-to-end platforms using modern technologies such as React and GraphQL to create seamless user experiences.
• Mentor and coach software engineering staff to elevate their technical skills and career growth.
• Contribute to agile and scrum development practices by facilitating ceremonies and driving process improvements.
• Design and lead technical initiatives that span multiple departments and have a significant impact on the business.
• Stay current with industry trends to drive internal innovation and ensure our technology stack remains competitive.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define, architect, and deliver features that meet business objectives.
• Conduct code reviews and ensure that best practices are followed to maintain high code quality and system integrity.
• Troubleshoot complex production issues and work with the team to implement effective and sustainable solutions.
• Participate in on-call rotations to support critical services and ensure high availability and reliability.
• Define and enforce technical standards and architectural guidelines for the engineering organization.
• Evaluate and recommend new tools, frameworks, and technologies to improve development efficiency and system performance.
• Work closely with product managers to prioritize technical debt and balance it with new feature development.
• Act as a technical advisor to the team and provide guidance on complex engineering challenges.

Requirements

• 12+ years of experience in web application development using client-side frameworks such as React, Angular, or VueJS.
• Minimum 3 years of experience in a Tech Lead role with a proven track record of leading successful engineering projects.
• B.S. in Computer Science or a quantitative field; M.S. degree is preferred and adds significant value to your application.
• Proficiency in object-oriented JavaScript and TypeScript to build scalable and maintainable front-end applications.
• Strong HTML and CSS skills to create semantic and responsive user interfaces.
• Experience with agile, analytics, A/B testing, feature flags, Continuous Delivery, and Trunk-based Development methodologies.
• Excellent communication and analytical problem-solving skills to navigate complex technical and business challenges.
• Proficiency in English to effectively collaborate with global teams and stakeholders.
• Deep understanding of software development principles and practices, including testing, debugging, and optimization.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a distributed team in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong ownership mentality and the drive to take on challenging problems and see them through to completion.
• Willingness to mentor junior engineers and contribute to the growth of the engineering community within Agoda.

Nice to have

• Experience with physical architecture at scale, including highly available, resilient systems with no single point of failure.
• Knowledge of NoSQL databases such as Cassandra, ScyllaDB, ElasticSearch, Redis, and DynamoDB, as well as queuing systems like Kafka, RabbitMQ, SQS, and Azure Service Bus.
• Experience with Docker, Kubernetes, and CI/CD solutions to automate and streamline the development lifecycle.
• Expertise in client-side performance optimization to ensure fast and responsive user experiences.
• Proficiency in Clean Code, SOLID principles, and Test-Driven Development (TDD) to maintain high code quality.
• Experience across multiple front-end platforms including iOS, Android, and Web, as well as API services.
• Background in high-traffic environments with large transaction volumes and the ability to handle peak loads efficiently.
• Experience in data-driven organizations working with Big Data to derive insights and make informed decisions.
• History of leading teams and greenfield projects from inception to production deployment.
• Experience with global projects involving distributed data centers and front-end localization to support international markets.

Skills & tools

• React, GraphQL, JavaScript, TypeScript, HTML, CSS, NoSQL, Kafka, RabbitMQ, Docker, Kubernetes, CI/CD, Agile, Scrum.

Practical notes

• Relocation to Bangkok is provided to support your transition to the new role.
• Review the Agoda hiring process guidelines at careersatagoda.com/interview/ prior to applying to ensure you are well-prepared.
• Agoda is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of background or identity.

About the company

Agoda.com is an online travel agency that facilitates reservations for lodging, flights, ground transportation, and activities. It is a subsidiary of Booking Holdings.