Senior Platform Engineer - Compute - Tallinn (relocation provided)

Wise
Full_time€5,550-6,900/month (EUR)Tallinn, Estonia

📍 Job Overview

  • Job Title: Senior Platform Engineer - Compute - Tallinn (relocation provided)
  • Company: Wise
  • Location: Tallinn, Estonia
  • Job Type: Full-time, Hybrid
  • Category: DevOps, Infrastructure
  • Date Posted: 2025-06-23
  • Experience Level: 5-10 years
  • Remote Status: On-site/Hybrid (with relocation provided)

🚀 Role Summary

  • Key Responsibilities:
    • Architect and enhance Wise's platform to handle complex operational loads with high reliability and security.
    • Drive automation and efficiency at both the infrastructure (AWS) and application levels to reduce manual overhead and accelerate deployment cycles.
    • Assess the ecosystem holistically to identify technological and systemic improvements, preemptively addressing potential scalability and reliability issues.
    • Collaborate with cross-functional teams, sharing knowledge, mentoring peers, and refining engineering practices.
    • Lead initiatives that expand Wise's capabilities in the cloud-native landscape, from developing Kubernetes operators to enhancing service mesh infrastructure.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role requires a strong background in cloud-native platforms, with a focus on AWS and Kubernetes. Candidates should have a solid understanding of systems and software engineering fundamentals and be comfortable working in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.

💻 Primary Responsibilities

  • Architecture and Enhancement:

    • Design and implement scalable solutions for significant system components, ensuring high reliability and security.
    • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate platform enhancements with product development and deployment processes.
  • Automation and Efficiency:

    • Innovate and implement cutting-edge automation solutions at both the infrastructure and application levels.
    • Streamline deployment cycles, increase system resilience, and reduce manual overhead through automation.
  • Holistic System Oversight:

    • Assess the entire ecosystem to identify technological and systemic improvements, proactively addressing potential scalability and reliability issues.
    • Work closely with other teams to ensure platform enhancements align with overall system goals and user needs.
  • Collaboration and Leadership:

    • Lead projects and collaborate with cross-functional teams to share knowledge, mentor peers, and refine engineering practices.
    • Foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement within the team and across the organization.
  • Cloud-Native Initiatives:

    • Lead initiatives that expand Wise's capabilities in the cloud-native landscape, from developing Kubernetes operators to enhancing service mesh infrastructure.
    • Stay up-to-date with emerging technologies and best practices, integrating relevant advancements into Wise's platform.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role involves a high degree of technical complexity and requires a strong problem-solving mindset. Candidates should be comfortable working in a fast-paced environment and have a proven track record of delivering scalable, reliable solutions.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: A bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field. Relevant work experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.

Experience: Proven experience (5-10 years) in building highly reliable, scalable, secure, automated cloud-native platforms, preferably on AWS.

Required Skills:

  • Experience with cloud-native platforms, preferably AWS
  • Proficiency in containerization and orchestration technologies (Kubernetes)
  • Strong systems and software engineering fundamentals (algorithms, data structures, OO)
  • Good sysadmin skills (Linux, debugging issues with disk, networking, OS performance)
  • Experience with infrastructure as code and automation tools (Ansible, Terraform, etc.)

Preferred Skills:

  • Solid working knowledge of systems and software engineering fundamentals
  • Good sysadmin skills
  • Experience with infrastructure as code and automation tools
  • Familiarity with cloud-native applications and scaling Kubernetes
  • Curiosity and a strong desire to learn new technologies

📝 Enhancement Note: While a strong technical background is essential for this role, candidates should also possess excellent communication and collaboration skills. They should be comfortable working in a team environment and contributing to a culture of continuous learning and improvement.

📊 Web Portfolio & Project Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

  • A comprehensive portfolio showcasing your experience in building and managing cloud-native platforms, with a focus on AWS and Kubernetes.
  • Case studies demonstrating your ability to design and implement scalable, reliable solutions for complex operational loads.
  • Examples of automation solutions you've developed to reduce manual overhead and accelerate deployment cycles.

Technical Documentation:

  • Detailed documentation of your past projects, including architecture decisions, code quality, and deployment processes.
  • Evidence of your ability to assess and improve the overall system, preemptively addressing potential scalability and reliability issues.
  • Examples of your leadership and collaboration skills, such as mentoring others or driving team projects.

📝 Enhancement Note: While a strong technical portfolio is essential, candidates should also be prepared to discuss their approach to problem-solving, collaboration, and continuous learning. This role requires a well-rounded professional with strong technical skills and a strong team orientation.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: €5,550 - €6,900 gross/monthly + RSUs (Restricted Stock Units)

Benefits:

  • Competitive salary and equity compensation
  • Comprehensive health insurance and wellness benefits
  • Generous relocation package (if applicable)
  • Flexible working arrangements and remote work options
  • Opportunities for professional development and growth

Working Hours: Full-time (40 hours/week), with flexible working hours and a hybrid work arrangement (on-site and remote work).

📝 Enhancement Note: Wise offers competitive compensation and benefits packages for candidates with the right skills and experience. The salary range provided is based on market research and internal benchmarks, taking into account the role's complexity and the required level of experience.

🎯 Team & Company Context

Company Culture:

  • Industry: Fintech
  • Company Size: Medium (2,000-5,000 employees)
  • Founded: 2011
  • Team Structure: Wise is organized into autonomous, cross-functional teams that work together to deliver products and services to customers. The Compute team is responsible for establishing and maintaining a robust, scalable platform that enables engineers across the globe to deploy and manage services efficiently.
  • Development Methodology: Wise follows Agile/Scrum methodologies, with a focus on continuous integration, continuous delivery, and continuous improvement. The company prioritizes efficient and reliable technology, automating operations to enhance productivity and scalability.

Company Website: Wise

📝 Enhancement Note: Wise is a dynamic, fast-growing fintech company with a strong focus on innovation and continuous improvement. The company values a culture of collaboration, learning, and experimentation, and encourages employees to take ownership of their work and contribute to the company's mission.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Web Technology Career Level: Senior Platform Engineer - This role involves a high degree of technical complexity and requires a strong problem-solving mindset. Candidates should have a proven track record of delivering scalable, reliable solutions in a fast-paced environment.

Reporting Structure: This role reports directly to the Compute Team Lead and works closely with other teams, including Product, Design, and other Engineering teams, to ensure platform enhancements align with overall system goals and user needs.

Technical Impact: The Senior Platform Engineer plays a critical role in maintaining and enhancing Wise's platform, ensuring that millions of users experience seamless financial transactions. The solutions developed and the efficiencies created will directly impact the ease with which customers manage their money across borders.

Growth Opportunities:

  • Technical Growth: Expand your expertise in cloud-native platforms, AWS, and Kubernetes, working on cutting-edge projects and staying up-to-date with emerging technologies.
  • Leadership Development: Take on more significant projects and mentoring responsibilities, driving team initiatives and contributing to the company's technical direction.
  • Architecture and Design: Deepen your understanding of system architecture and design, working on complex, large-scale projects that require innovative solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: Wise offers significant opportunities for technical and professional growth, with a strong focus on continuous learning and development. The company encourages employees to take ownership of their careers and provides the resources and support needed to succeed.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid (on-site and remote work)

Office Location(s): Tallinn, Estonia

Workspace Context:

  • Collaborative Environment: Wise's hybrid work environment encourages collaboration and knowledge sharing between on-site and remote team members.
  • Development Tools: Wise provides modern development tools, including multiple monitors and testing devices, to ensure engineers have the resources they need to succeed.
  • Cross-Functional Interaction: The Compute team works closely with other teams, including Product, Design, and other Engineering teams, to ensure platform enhancements align with overall system goals and user needs.

Work Schedule: Full-time (40 hours/week), with flexible working hours and a hybrid work arrangement (on-site and remote work).

📝 Enhancement Note: Wise's hybrid work environment offers the best of both worlds, providing the opportunity for face-to-face collaboration and interaction while also offering the flexibility of remote work. The company values work-life balance and encourages employees to manage their time effectively.

📄 Application & Technical Interview Process

Interview Process:

  1. Technical Assessment: A hands-on technical assessment, focusing on your ability to design and implement scalable solutions for complex operational loads, as well as your experience with automation and cloud-native platforms.
  2. System Design Discussion: A conversation focused on your approach to system design, architecture, and scalability, as well as your understanding of Wise's platform and its users.
  3. Team Fit Assessment: A discussion with the Compute team to assess your cultural fit and alignment with Wise's values and mission.
  4. Final Evaluation: A final evaluation, focusing on your technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and potential impact on Wise's platform and users.

Portfolio Review Tips:

  • Portfolio Structure: Organize your portfolio to highlight your experience in building and managing cloud-native platforms, with a focus on AWS and Kubernetes.
  • Case Studies: Include detailed case studies demonstrating your ability to design and implement scalable, reliable solutions for complex operational loads.
  • Automation Examples: Showcase your experience with automation and cloud-native platforms, highlighting the efficiency gains and system resilience improvements you've achieved.

Technical Challenge Preparation:

  • Technical Fundamentals: Brush up on your knowledge of cloud-native platforms, AWS, Kubernetes, and systems and software engineering fundamentals.
  • Problem-Solving: Practice solving complex problems related to cloud-native platforms, automation, and system design.
  • Communication: Prepare to articulate your technical concepts clearly and effectively, both in writing and in person.

ATS Keywords:

  • Programming Languages: Python, Bash, Go, Java
  • Cloud Platforms: AWS, GCP, Azure
  • Containerization & Orchestration: Kubernetes, Docker, Nomad
  • Infrastructure as Code: Terraform, Ansible, CloudFormation
  • Monitoring & Logging: Prometheus, Grafana, ELK Stack
  • CI/CD: Jenkins, GitLab CI/CD, CircleCI
  • Databases: PostgreSQL, MySQL, Redis
  • Messaging: RabbitMQ, Apache Kafka, AWS SQS
  • Web Servers: Nginx, Apache, HAProxy
  • Load Balancing: HAProxy, NGINX Plus, AWS ELB
  • Caching: Redis, Memcached, Varnish
  • Search: Elasticsearch, Solr, Algolia
  • Version Control: Git, SVN, Mercurial
  • Build Tools: Maven, Gradle, Make
  • Testing: JUnit, PyTest, Selenium
  • Project Management: JIRA, Asana, Trello
  • Agile Methodologies: Scrum, Kanban, Lean
  • DevOps Principles: Infrastructure as Code, Automation, Continuous Integration, Continuous Delivery, Continuous Improvement

📝 Enhancement Note: While a strong technical background is essential for this role, candidates should also possess excellent communication and collaboration skills. They should be comfortable working in a team environment and contributing to a culture of continuous learning and improvement.

🛠 Technology Stack & Web Infrastructure

Cloud Platform: AWS (Amazon Web Services)

Containerization & Orchestration:

  • Primary: Kubernetes
  • Secondary: Docker, Nomad

Infrastructure as Code:

  • Primary: Terraform
  • Secondary: Ansible, CloudFormation

Monitoring & Logging:

  • Primary: Prometheus, Grafana
  • Secondary: ELK Stack, Datadog, New Relic

CI/CD:

  • Primary: GitLab CI/CD
  • Secondary: Jenkins, CircleCI

Databases:

  • Primary: PostgreSQL
  • Secondary: MySQL, Redis, MongoDB

Messaging:

  • Primary: RabbitMQ, Apache Kafka
  • Secondary: AWS SQS, Google Cloud Pub/Sub, Azure Service Bus

Web Servers:

  • Primary: Nginx
  • Secondary: Apache, HAProxy

Load Balancing:

  • Primary: HAProxy, NGINX Plus
  • Secondary: AWS ELB, AWS ALB, Google Cloud Load Balancing, Azure Load Balancing

Caching:

  • Primary: Redis
  • Secondary: Memcached, Varnish, AWS Elasticache

Search:

  • Primary: Elasticsearch
  • Secondary: Solr, Algolia, AWS CloudSearch

Version Control:

  • Primary: Git
  • Secondary: SVN, Mercurial

Build Tools:

  • Primary: Maven
  • Secondary: Gradle, Make, Bazel

Testing:

  • Primary: JUnit, PyTest
  • Secondary: Selenium, Appium, JMeter

Project Management:

  • Primary: JIRA
  • Secondary: Asana, Trello, Azure DevOps, GitLab Issues

Agile Methodologies:

  • Primary: Scrum
  • Secondary: Kanban, Lean, Agile, SAFe

DevOps Principles:

  • Primary: Infrastructure as Code, Automation, Continuous Integration, Continuous Delivery, Continuous Improvement
  • Secondary: ITIL, Lean Six Sigma, Agile at Scale, Value Stream Mapping

📝 Enhancement Note: Wise's technology stack is designed to handle immense scale and complexity, ensuring that millions of users experience seamless financial transactions. The company values modern, cutting-edge technologies and encourages employees to stay up-to-date with emerging trends and best practices.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Web Development Values:

  • User-Centric Design: Prioritize user needs and user experience in all platform enhancements.
  • Performance Optimization: Continuously monitor and optimize platform performance, ensuring efficient resource utilization and minimal latency.
  • Reliability and Scalability: Design and implement solutions that can handle complex operational loads with high reliability and security.
  • Automation and Efficiency: Streamline deployment cycles and reduce manual overhead through automation and infrastructure as code.
  • Continuous Learning and Improvement: Foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement, encouraging team members to stay up-to-date with emerging technologies and best practices.

Collaboration Style:

  • Cross-Functional Integration: Collaborate closely with other teams, including Product, Design, and other Engineering teams, to ensure platform enhancements align with overall system goals and user needs.
  • Code Review Culture: Encourage a culture of code review and peer programming, fostering knowledge sharing and collective code ownership.
  • Knowledge Sharing: Organize regular team events, workshops, and hackathons to facilitate knowledge sharing and skill development.

📝 Enhancement Note: Wise's culture is built on a foundation of collaboration, learning, and experimentation. The company values a diverse, inclusive team that can adapt to the evolving fintech landscape and deliver innovative solutions to its customers.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Technical Challenges:

  • Platform Scalability: Design and implement solutions that can handle complex operational loads with high reliability and security, ensuring the platform can scale to meet the demands of millions of users.
  • Automation and Efficiency: Develop and implement cutting-edge automation solutions at both the infrastructure and application levels, reducing manual overhead and accelerating deployment cycles.
  • Cloud-Native Initiatives: Lead initiatives that expand Wise's capabilities in the cloud-native landscape, from developing Kubernetes operators to enhancing service mesh infrastructure.
  • User Experience: Continuously monitor and optimize platform performance, ensuring efficient resource utilization and minimal latency, and enhancing the user experience for millions of customers.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

  • Technical Skill Development: Expand your expertise in cloud-native platforms, AWS, Kubernetes, and other relevant technologies, working on cutting-edge projects and staying up-to-date with emerging trends.
  • Leadership Development: Take on more significant projects and mentoring responsibilities, driving team initiatives and contributing to the company's technical direction.
  • Architecture and Design: Deepen your understanding of system architecture and design, working on complex, large-scale projects that require innovative solutions.
  • Conference Attendance and Certification: Attend industry conferences, obtain relevant certifications, and engage with the wider technical community to enhance your skills and knowledge.

📝 Enhancement Note: Wise offers significant opportunities for technical and professional growth, with a strong focus on continuous learning and development. The company encourages employees to take ownership of their careers and provides the resources and support needed to succeed.

💡 Interview Preparation

Technical Questions:

  • Cloud-Native Platforms: Describe your experience with cloud-native platforms, with a focus on AWS and Kubernetes. Discuss your approach to designing and implementing scalable solutions for complex operational loads.
  • Automation and Infrastructure as Code: Explain your experience with automation and infrastructure as code, highlighting the efficiency gains and system resilience improvements you've achieved.
  • System Design and Architecture: Discuss your approach to system design and architecture, focusing on your ability to assess and improve the overall system, preemptively addressing potential scalability and reliability issues.
  • Problem-Solving: Describe your problem-solving approach, focusing on your ability to tackle complex technical challenges and deliver innovative solutions.

Company & Culture Questions:

  • Wise's Platform: Explain your understanding of Wise's platform and its role in enabling seamless financial transactions for millions of users.
  • Wise's Values: Describe how you align with Wise's values, focusing on your commitment to user-centric design, performance optimization, reliability, automation, and continuous learning.
  • Team Collaboration: Discuss your experience working in a cross-functional team environment, highlighting your ability to collaborate effectively with other teams and contribute to a culture of continuous learning and improvement.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

  • Portfolio Structure: Organize your portfolio to highlight your experience in building and managing cloud-native platforms, with a focus on AWS and Kubernetes.
  • Case Studies: Include detailed case studies demonstrating your ability to design and implement scalable, reliable solutions for complex operational loads.
  • Automation Examples: Showcase your experience with automation and cloud-native platforms, highlighting the efficiency gains and system resilience improvements you've achieved.
  • User Experience Focus: Emphasize your understanding of user experience principles and your ability to optimize platform performance and enhance the user experience for millions of customers.

📝 Enhancement Note: While a strong technical background is essential for this role, candidates should also possess excellent communication and collaboration skills. They should be comfortable working in a team environment and contributing to a culture of continuous learning and improvement.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Platform Engineer - Compute - Tallinn (relocation provided) position:

  1. Customize Your Portfolio: Highlight your experience in building and managing cloud-native platforms, with a focus on AWS and Kubernetes. Include detailed case studies demonstrating your ability to design and implement scalable, reliable solutions for complex operational loads.
  2. Optimize Your Resume: Emphasize your relevant technical skills, experience, and achievements, focusing on your ability to deliver scalable, reliable solutions in a fast-paced environment.
  3. Prepare for Technical Interviews: Brush up on your knowledge of cloud-native platforms, AWS, Kubernetes, and systems and software engineering fundamentals. Practice solving complex problems related to cloud-native platforms, automation, and system design. Prepare to articulate your technical concepts clearly and effectively, both in writing and in person.
  4. Research Wise: Familiarize yourself with Wise's platform, values, and culture. Understand the company's mission and how your role will contribute to its success. Prepare thoughtful questions to ask during your interviews, demonstrating your interest in the company and the role.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and web development/server administration industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

Application Requirements

Experience in building reliable and scalable cloud-native platforms is essential, preferably on AWS. Familiarity with containerization technologies like Kubernetes and a solid understanding of systems and software engineering fundamentals are also important.