Software Engineer

About Freedman InternationalFreedman International is a localisation and translation production agency working with major global brands. We translate and localise content across print, video, and digital formats for clients operating in multiple markets worldwide.We are committed to becoming an AI-forward company, using technology and automation to improve how we work and deliver exceptional service to our clients. The Innovation and Transformation team is at the heart of this ambition.The RoleThis is a hands-on technical role with real ownership, sitting within our IT function and supporting the wider business.Across the organisation, people are increasingly using AI to build their own tools and solve their own problems. That’s a good thing, and we want to encourage it. Your job is to help make sure that what gets built actually works, can be supported, and adds lasting value. You will own a portfolio of bespoke systems and productivity tools, and you will help colleagues across the business turn promising ideas into proper, supportable solutions.You don’t need to know everything on day one. What matters is your curiosity, your instinct to investigate problems rather than escalate them, and your willingness to own things end-to-end. When you hit something you genuinely don’t know, you bring it to the IT Manager or the Fractional CTO with options, not just a question.What You’ll OwnYou will be responsible for a growing portfolio of internal systems and tools. The categories you can expect to work across include:Bespoke systems: Internal systems that the business depends on, including integrations with Monday.com, Google Drive, LucidLink, and the OpenAI and Gemini APIs. You will keep these running, fix issues, update integrations, and improve them over time.Productivity tools: Workflow improvements built for specific teams or client engagements, often replacing manual processes with something faster and more reliable.Dashboards and reporting: Internal dashboards that bring together data from different systems to help teams see what’s happening and make better decisions.Integrations: Connecting our internal tools and third-party platforms so that information flows where it needs to go without manual effort.Productionising proofs-of-concept: Taking working ideas, including those built by colleagues using AI tools, and turning them into properly engineered systems that can be supported and extended.The portfolio will evolve. New requests come in regularly, and part of the role is helping to shape what we build and how.What You’ll DoSystem ownershipKeep the bespoke systems running reliablyFix issues with urgency, understanding what’s critical and acting accordinglyUpdate API integrations and models as neededMonitor for problems before users report themProblem solvingInvestigate problems before reaching for helpUse LLMs and AI-assisted coding tools (Claude, Gemini, Claude Code, Cursor), documentation, and other tools to work through unfamiliar territoryKeep pace with a fast-moving AI tooling landscape, and bring recommendations on what is worth adoptingKnow when to fix something yourself, when to call in the AWS DevOps team, and when to escalate to the IT Manager or Fractional CTOCome with “here’s the problem, here’s what I’ve looked into, and here’s what I recommend”Supporting colleagues across the businessHelp colleagues turn AI-assisted ideas and prototypes into supportable systemsProvide a sensible technical perspective on what’s worth building and howWork with the Director of Innovation on productionising proofs-of-conceptBuildingBuild new productivity tools and improvementsTake an idea from zero to a working prototype quickly, to prove out what is possible before committing to building it properlyWrite clean, well-structured code that others can pick up and understandApply sound development practices: version control, testing, documentation, sensible deploymentWork within Freedman’s security and data handling standards, particularly where systems touch client dataManaging external resourcesWork efficiently with the AWS DevOps partnerBe clear about what you need and whenUse external partners as a multiplier, not a crutchWhat You’ll Work WithLanguages: Python (primary), possibly JavaScriptAPIs: OpenAI, Gemini, Monday.com, Google Drive, Xero, others as the portfolio growsAI tools: Claude and Gemini, both as products and as APIs, and AI-assisted coding tools such as Claude Code and CursorInfrastructure: AWS (managed by our DevOps partner)Collaboration: Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Slack, Microsoft TeamsYou’re not expected to be expert in all of these on day one. What matters is your ability and willingness to learn.Who You AreExperience2 to 4 years of software development experienceComfortable with Python, APIs, and integrationsA reasonable grounding in development methodology: version control, testing, documentation, structured problem solvingYou’ve built things that real people useMindsetCurious: When you hit a problem, your first instinct is to investigate. You reach for tools, read documentation, try things, and form a view before asking for help.Low ego: You’re not trying to look clever. You’re trying to solve the problem. You’re happy to use whatever tool gets you there, including LLMs, and happy to ask when you’re genuinely stuck.Organised: You can hold a portfolio of work in your head, keep things moving, and not lose track of what matters.Owner: You treat the systems you look after as yours, not someone else’s problem.Decisive: You form a view and recommend a path, rather than waiting to be told.Urgent when it matters: You understand when something is critical and act accordingly.CoachableYou learn from feedback and apply it, especially under pressureYou don’t just nod and revert to old habits when things get hardYou’re junior enough to grow but mature enough to own things