Lead Android Engineer
SamKnows, United Kingdom

Our mission is to make the internet faster and more reliable. We do this by measuring application and network performance in realtime to identify problems. We work collaboratively to ensure any faults are quickly fixed. Our goal is to have our measurement software running in every router and mobile device in the world so we can map internet performance globally.

At SamKnows we are looking for a Lead Android Engineer to join our mobile development team. Our mobile team is responsible for our mobile apps and our mobile SDKs. We develop and maintain a variety of mobile apps; some for our users directly (branded SamKnows), and some on behalf of our customers, including telecoms regulators around the world. Collectively, our mobile apps have hundreds of thousands of active users, very positive reviews, and an excellent crash-free rate. We are currently working on some major enhancements to our mobile apps that will be popular amongst both our consumer and business customer base.

Additionally, the mobile team is responsible for our mobile SDKs. These SDKs provide all of our measurement functionality - e.g. for speed testing, YouTube testing, and much more - in a single well-documented, reusable library. Our Android SDK powers our own Android apps and is also integrated into some third-party apps by our customers. In total, it is deployed on more than one million handsets worldwide already.

You will be working directly with the developers who write the measurement code (typically in C and C++), and exposing that measurement functionality via Kotlin and Java APIs for use in the mobile SDKs. You will also ensure that we are collecting relevant environmental information alongside the measurement results in order for us to make sense of the results (e.g. cellular signal strength, approximate coordinates of the test), without compromising user privacy. Most crucially, you will place an emphasis on ensuring that we are exposing our functionality using clear, logical APIs, with excellent documentation and usage examples.

You should have multiple years experience of working with Kotlin and Java in a professional context. You will have intimate familiarity with supporting legacy versions of Android (we go back to Android 7.0 currently). Ideally, you will have already been responsible for maintaining SDKs or APIs that are used by third-parties. Some experience of writing C is highly beneficial but not essential. A good understanding of networking concepts is also beneficial.

• You think the work we’re doing sounds interesting!
• You share our belief that fast, reliable internet access is rapidly becoming a human right
• You enjoy building products from the ground up and seeing them used by people worldwide
• You have experience in designing and building consumer facing Android apps that are scalable and well-tested
• You’re familiar with developing and documenting APIs for use by other developers
• You’re comfortable with exploring issues and prototyping solutions
• You are an expert at documentation and authoring
• Knowledge of cellular technology is a plus

• Java amp; Kotlin
• Maven | Gradle
• Well-acquainted with publishing apps to the Play Store
• Beta distribution using App Tester
• Firebase | Firebase Crashlytics | Remote Configuration
• Jenkins CI/CD
• GitHub | GitHub Packages
• Familiarity with C/C++
• Experience incorporating C/C++ into Kotlin codebases
• Excellent experience in designing APIs and maintaining SDKs
• Jira | Confluence

• Autonomy with real opportunities for growth and development
• Stimulating work, lots of problem solving and a passionate team
• 1500 training budget, cycle to work scheme and season ticket loan
• Private healthcare, pension and choice of hardware when possible

SamKnows welcomes applications from all sections of society. We are committed to equal employment opportunities regardless of race, religion or belief, ethnic or national origin, disability, age, citizenship, marital, domestic or civil partnership status, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other basis as protected by applicable law. If you have a disability or additional need that requires accommodation, please do not hesitate to let us know.

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