Company: TCS-i | The Cartonization Science

Location: Remote (UK-Based) or Hybrid (Birmingham)

Contract: Permanent (Full-Time)

Salary: £40,000–£50,000 (PAYE) + up to 1.5% Performance Equity Path

About Us

TCS-i builds the computational intelligence layer for advanced manufacturing and industrial logistics. Traditional platforms are excellent at tracking inventory, but lack the native spatial intelligence to mathematically optimize complex packing workflows in real time.

By processing complex 3D geometries and multi-axial constraints, our software executes true optimal packing. We eliminate systemic freight waste and directly reduce industrial carbon emissions. Backed by two Innovate UK grants, we are currently scaling our production deployments across the UK manufacturing sector.

The Role

Our engineering is split into two disciplines: the core mathematical optimization engine (owned by the founders) and the production integration layer. Your objective is to architect, build, and maintain the software ecosystem surrounding this core engine.

You will lay the architectural foundation for our commercial platform. You will build the enterprise APIs and testing infrastructure required to securely connect our standalone algorithms to live client environments. Prove yourself in this foundational build phase, and you will have a clear trajectory into an engineering leadership role.

What You Will Do (Day-to-Day Tasks)

• API Architecture: Package our core optimization algorithms into robust, highly performant RESTful APIs using modern Python frameworks.
• Industrial Data Ingestion: Build resilient pipelines to extract, parse, and map complex industrial datasets.
• Data Validation & Sanitisation: Design strict data-validation layers to ensure incoming client data is clean, formatted, and fails gracefully.
• Automated Testing & QA: Ensure absolute stability for high-stakes deployments by writing comprehensive unit and integration test suites.
• Containerisation & Staging: Use Docker to containerize applications and manage staging CI/CD deployments.

What We Are Looking For

We need a capable, autonomous mid-level backend engineer who can take ownership of an integration feature from day one.

Core Requirements (Must-Haves)

• Proven Autonomy: Demonstrable experience independently building, testing, and deploying backend features (typically matching 2-4 years of professional experience).
• Strong Python Fundamentals: High proficiency in writing clean, maintainable, PEP-8 compliant code and backend project structuring.
• API & Data Competency: Direct experience building/consuming APIs, and parsing varied file formats (SQL, CSV, JSON, XML).
• Testing Discipline: A professional habit of writing automated tests by default and mocking external microservices.
• Technical Execution: Ability to evaluate dependencies, execute the build, and run local QA independently, escalating only for high-level architectural alignment.

Preferred Requirements (Nice-to-Haves)

• Frameworks & Cloud: Experience with modern Python frameworks (FastAPI) and managing CI/CD on Google Cloud Platform (GCP).
• Data Validation: Experience designing validation layers using Pydantic, Pandas, or equivalent.
• Domain Knowledge: Exposure to ingesting 3D CAD files (STEP/IGES), working with complex manufacturing datasets, or integrating mathematical optimization engines as microservices.
• AI-Assisted Workflows: An openness to—or hands-on experience with—modern AI coding assistants (e.g., GitHub Copilot, Cursor, or similar LLM tools) to accelerate development velocity and reduce boilerplate.

Our Engineering Culture

• Focused on Innovation: We tackle spatial optimization problems legacy software ignores. We value technical curiosity and mathematical precision.
• Asynchronous & Deep Work: Documentation-first culture with minimal meetings to ensure long blocks of uninterrupted focus.
• Flat Structure: You report directly to the founders. If a refactor makes architectural sense, it is greenlit and executed immediately.

What We Offer

• Base Compensation: £40,000–£50,000 under standard PAYE, dependent on experience.
• Equity Path: At the end of our current 9-month Innovate UK delivery cycle—contingent on performance milestones—you will unlock an equity package of up to 1.5% (via a UK EMI options scheme).
• Flexibility: Fully remote within the UK, or hybrid in Birmingham. We prioritize sprint delivery over rigid desk time.
• Paid Time Off: 25 days annual leave + UK bank holidays.
• Pension: UK statutory auto-enrolment workplace pension.
• Equipment: As a lean early-stage startup, we currently default to a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy. While we expect you to use your own primary workstation, we can provide hardware if absolutely necessary to support the right candidate.

Commitment To Diversity

We know diverse engineering perspectives build more resilient systems. If you are excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly with every preferred requirement, we strongly encourage you to apply.

How To Apply

To apply, please send your CV and a link to your GitHub (or a portfolio of relevant work) to careers@tcs-innovations.com. A formal cover letter is not required, but a brief note explaining why you are a great fit for TCS-i is highly encouraged.

Pay: £40,000.00-£50,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Company pension
• Employee stock ownership plan
• Work from home

Work Location: Remote