Senior Full Stack Developer (Node.js / React / Next.js)

Senior Full Stack Developer (Node.js / React / Next.js)
Salary: £50,000 - £60,000 per annum
Location: Chester / Hybrid

The Opportunity

We are looking for an experienced Senior Full Stack Developer with strong Node.js expertise and a solid background in React and Next.js to join an established digital transformation team currently going from strength to strength and undergoing an exciting period of transformation.
This is a permanent opportunity for a senior engineer who wants genuine technical ownership and the opportunity to make a significant impact on a business-critical digital platform.

You'll join the team at an important stage of the programme, helping to modernise and refactor an existing business-facing management platform used to support complex operational and management workflows.
The role is highly hands-on, with a particular focus on Node.js backend development, API architecture and application modernisation, alongside contributing to a modern React/Next.js frontend.

You'll have the opportunity to influence technical decisions, improve performance and scalability, and help shape the long-term architecture of the platform.

About the Role

As a Senior Full Stack Developer, you'll take ownership of key areas across the backend and frontend, with a particular emphasis on Node.js and API development.
You'll work closely with other engineers, UX/UI specialists, product teams and stakeholders to deliver high-quality, scalable digital products.
You'll be comfortable working autonomously, making technical decisions and contributing from day one, while also being a collaborative member of a wider delivery team. This is a role suited to someone who enjoys working across the stack but has a strong backend bias and genuine depth in Node.js.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and contribute to the modernisation and refactoring of existing applications
• Design, develop and maintain robust Node.js backend services and APIs
• Develop and maintain OpenAPI-driven backend services
• Design and implement scalable API architectures and integrations
• Work with PostgreSQL and Prisma ORM to develop efficient data access and persistence layers
• Identify opportunities to improve backend performance, scalability, security and maintainability
• Contribute to the development of the frontend using React and Next.js
• Work with Next.js App Router, Server Components and Server Actions where appropriate
• Build and integrate APIs across the frontend and backend
• Implement and optimise client-side and server-side caching strategies
• Develop automated tests using technologies such as Playwright
• Work closely with other engineers to define technical approaches and maintain high engineering standards
• Contribute to technical architecture and make pragmatic engineering decisions
• Collaborate with UX/UI, product and delivery teams to translate requirements into scalable technical solutions
• Contribute to the refinement of user stories, requirements and delivery plans
• Participate in stakeholder discussions and technical presentations where required
• Support the continued evolution of engineering practices, standards and ways of working

Technology Environment

You'll be working across a modern technology stack including:

• Node.js - core backend technology
• React
• Next.js - App Router, Server Components and Server Actions
• TypeScript
• OpenAPI-driven backend services
• PostgreSQL
• Prisma ORM
• Playwright
• Client-side and server-side caching
• Docker
• Azure DevOps
• Azure CI/CD pipelines

You'll Ideally Have

• Extensive commercial experience with Node.js and TypeScript
• Strong experience designing and developing RESTful APIs and backend services
• Experience working with OpenAPI or API-first development
• Strong understanding of backend architecture, application design and software engineering principles
• Commercial experience with React.js and Next.js
• Experience working across both frontend and backend applications
• Experience with PostgreSQL and/or relational databases
• Experience with Prisma or a similar ORM
• Proven experience delivering application refactors, migrations or significant modernisation programmes
• A strong understanding of performance, scalability, security and maintainability
• Experience writing automated tests and working with modern testing frameworks
• Experience with Docker and modern CI/CD practices
• The ability to work independently and take ownership of technical decisions
• Strong communication skills and confidence working with both technical and non-technical stakeholders
• A proactive, collaborative and delivery-focused approach
• Experience working within enterprise or complex digital transformation environments would be advantageous

Why Join?

This is an opportunity to take on a genuinely senior Full Stack engineering position with real technical and architectural ownership, rather than simply delivering tickets against an established roadmap.
You'll be joining a high-profile digital transformation programme where your technical decisions will directly influence the performance, scalability and future direction of a business-critical platform.
The role has a particularly strong Node.js/backend focus, making it a great opportunity for an engineer who wants to work on meaningful backend architecture while retaining the ability to contribute across the full technology stack.
You'll work with modern technologies, collaborate with experienced technical and delivery teams, and play a significant role in the continued evolution of an enterprise digital product.
The role offers a flexible hybrid working approach from Chester.

Candidates must be UK-based and have the right to work in the UK.