Software Engineer, L5B - Time & Money

Personio's intelligent HR platform helps small and medium-sized organizations unlock the power of people by making complicated, time-consuming tasks simple and efficient. Our growing team of 1,800+ Personios across Europe and the US are building user-friendly products that delight our 14,000+ customers and their 1.5 million employees. Ready to make an impact from day one?

Lead Backend Engineer – Time & Money Domain (Munich or Berlin) d/f/m

About Personio
At Personio, we're building the leading all-in-one HR and payroll platform in Europe – and we’re not slowing down. Our mission? To simplify people processes for small and mid-sized businesses, helping them focus on what really matters: their people.

The Role: Lead Backend Engineer – Time & Money Domain
We're looking for a Lead Backend Engineer to join our Time & Money (T&M) domain – one of the most critical parts of Personio’s product and strategy. You'll play a key role in shaping how we build and scale core HR workflows like time tracking, absences, attendances, and salaries – the backbone of any successful people strategy.

With over 60 engineers (and counting), our Time & Money domain is full of energy and ambition. Whether it's supporting our expansion into the mid-market, building solutions that handle complex labour law requirements across multiple countries, or crafting elegant user journeys around working models and shift planning – this is where the magic happens.

What You’ll Do

• Architect & Build – Design robust, scalable systems that handle sensitive data and power mission-critical workflows (think time tracking, salary updates, absence calculations – the good stuff).
  

• Be Hands-On – Ship production-grade code in JVM-based languages (Kotlin, Java, Scala – take your pick) and drive high engineering standards.
  

• Collaborate Across Borders – Work with cross-functional teams across Munich, Berlin, and London. Expect daily chats with product managers, designers, and fellow engineers.
  

• Drive Performance – Own the backend performance of your domain. Tune queries, scale services, and keep the app fast and reliable.
  

• Shape the Future – Contribute to architectural decisions, lead technical initiatives, and mentor mid-level engineers. You’re not just here to code – you’re here to lead.
  

What We’re Looking For

• 5+ years of backend engineering experience, ideally in JVM-based languages.
  

• A solid grip on distributed systems, backend architecture, and API design.
  

• Bonus points for experience in FinTech, HRTech, or any kind of compliance-heavy product domain.
  

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills – someone who gets stuck in and just figures it out.
  

• Comfortable working with frontend engineers and contributing to full-stack features (especially handy if you're based in London).
  

Why Time & Money at Personio?

• You’ll be at the heart of Personio’s expansion into complex, international HR markets.
  

• Join a high-impact, high-visibility domain with loads of growth potential.
  

• Work with some of the sharpest minds across engineering, product, and design.
  

• Help build systems used by thousands of companies across Europe.
  

The Perks Bit

• Competitive comp, including salary, pre-IPO equity, and benefits.
  

• 28 days holiday (plus extra for tenure), two Impact Days per year to give back, and generous parental leave.
  

• Flexible hybrid model – about 50/50 split between home and office.
  

• Great team vibes, regular events, and a work culture where you'll actually enjoy turning up on a Monday.
  

The Interview Process

1. Intro Chat with Talent team – 30 mins of getting to know you.
   

2. Hiring Manager Screen – Dive into your experience and motivations (45 mins).
   

3. Live Coding Challenge – Pair-programming style, no trick questions (60 mins).
   

4. System Design Interview – Let’s talk architecture and scale (60 mins).
   

5. Culture Fit Interview – Meet Gabriel and chat values, leadership, and team dynamics.