Ruby On Rails jobs

Overview:

Sports Cards Direct is the UK’s leading independent destination for trading cards, and we’re growing fast — which means the software behind the business needs to grow with us. We are looking for a talented Software Developer to join our growing development department and help build the tools, platforms and systems that power everything we do.

This is a hands-on, full-stack role. You’ll build and maintain custom software, internal tools, APIs, web applications and business-focused digital systems — the kind of work that has a direct, visible impact on how the company runs and how our customers experience SCD.

We want a strong all-round developer who’s just as comfortable on the frontend as the backend, and who enjoys solving real problems in a demanding, high-traffic environment.

This is an in-house role based full-time at our Plymouth HQ — remote working is not offered.

If you’re technically curious, love shipping reliable software and want to see your work make a difference in a fast-moving business, we’d love to hear from you.

Duties:

Build and maintain web applications, internal tools and custom software that the business relies on every day

Develop clean, responsive frontend interfaces using modern frameworks

Create and manage APIs for internal and external system communication

Support backend services, databases, integrations and automation

Work with Linux-based environments and modern DevOps workflows

Debug, test, document and continually improve existing systems

Support high-traffic, workload-heavy software environments and keep them running smoothly

Write secure, scalable and maintainable code you’re proud of

Our core tech stack

You’ll be working across the following day to day — we don’t expect deep expertise in every single one, but you should be strong across the core web and API technologies:

Node.js React JavaScript TypeScript

Tailwind CSS Linux REST APIs GraphQL

SQL PostgreSQL Go Git & GitHub

Auth & permissions Deployment Monitoring Error handling

Requirements:

A strong all-round developer with solid experience across frontend, backend and APIs

• Confident with Node.js, React and JavaScript/TypeScript, and comfortable styling with Tailwind CSS
• Experience building and managing REST and GraphQL APIs for internal and external communication
• Good working knowledge of Linux environments and modern development workflows
• Solid database skills — SQL / PostgreSQL (Go experience a plus)
• Comfortable with Git and GitHub, deployment workflows, and logging, monitoring and error handling
• Able to write secure, scalable, maintainable code and support high-traffic systems
• Technically curious and flexible — happy to work across multiple technologies and pick up new ones
• A genuine problem-solver who takes ownership and enjoys building reliable systems end to end

Desirable skills (nice to have)

• Python and/or Ruby on Rails, and familiarity with Java libraries
• A high-level understanding of API design, webhooks and integrations
• Docker, Nginx, Redis and CI/CD pipelines
• Cloud hosting environments and stack management/control
• Mobile app development — iOS and/or Android environments
• A strong grasp of security best practices and performance optimisation

What we offer:

• A hands-on role with real ownership — your work ships and makes a difference
• The chance to work across a broad, modern tech stack in a fast-growing business
• A growing development department with room to progress and shape how we build
• Interesting problems at genuine scale in a demanding, high-traffic environment
• Company pension, employee/store discount, and free on-site parking

To apply:

Please submit your CV alongside a short covering note, and — if you have one — a link to your GitHub, portfolio, or any projects you’re proud of.

We care far more about what you can build and how you think than about years on paper. Please send your application to dev@sportscardsdirect.co.uk.

Pay: £40,000.00-£45,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Casual dress
• Company pension
• Employee discount
• Free parking
• On-site parking

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Plymouth PL4 0ST: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)

Application question(s):

• Confirm you have submitted your CV alongside a short covering note, and — if you have one — a link to your GitHub, portfolio, or any projects you’re proud of to: dev@sportscardsdirect.co.uk. and head the subject line with 'Experienced Software Developer' - 'your name'
• Tell us about your background as a developer. Which parts of the stack — frontend, backend, APIs — do you feel strongest in?
• Describe a piece of software, tool or API you’ve built end to end. What was the problem, and how did you approach it?
• Talk us through how you design and manage APIs for internal and external communication.
• How do you keep high-traffic, workload-heavy systems reliable, secure, and performant?
• Walk us through how you approach debugging a tricky issue in an existing system.
• How comfortable are you working across Linux environments, Git/GitHub and modern DevOps/deployment workflows?
• This role spans many technologies. How do you approach picking up something new that you haven’t used before?
• This is a full-time, in-house role at our Plymouth HQ (no remote). What appeals to you about working on-site with our team?

Experience:

• Software development: 2 years (required)

Work Location: In person