Product Engineer

Job description

About Better Cotton Initiative Better Cotton Initiative is a global not-for-profit organisation supporting the production of more equitable and sustainable cotton at farm level. We exist to catalyse the cotton farming community with partners, governments and others to continuously drive positive impact by setting standards and facilitating the supply and demand of more sustainable cotton from farm to brand. In just 15 years we have aligned more than a fifth of the world’s cotton with our standard and helped farmers and farming communities thrive. Join us in building a better, more sustainable future for cotton worldwide. About our Values The post holder will be expected to operate in line with our workplace values which are: Trustworthy (including honest, transparent, credible) As having Integrity (including responsible, authentic) Positive (including problem-solving, pragmatic) Engaging (including adaptable, inclusive, holistic) Daring (including courageous, innovative, game-changing) Being you @ Better Cotton Initiative Better Cotton Initiative is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer with a strong commitment to good practice and transparency in the management of natural, human, and financial resources. We have a zero-tolerance approach to any attitudes or behaviours that put children or adults at risk of harm. Safeguarding incidents are acts of serious misconduct and are grounds for disciplinary action, up to and including, dismissal and referral to relevant authorities for criminal prosecution. Therefore, all offers of employment are subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks. Starting Date: November/December 2026 Contract type: Full-time and open-ended Salary: From £51,564 GBP Location: London (Hybrid) Application closing date: 23/09/2026 If we receive a high volume of applications, we may close this vacancy earlier than the advertised deadline, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible. About the Job The Product Engineer designs and builds the digital products that supply-chain partners and Better Cotton teams rely on for supply-chain workflows, traceability, reporting, and interoperability with external platforms. The role may suit someone from a software engineering or product management background - what matters most is the ability to build and ship production software, make strong product decisions, and recognise what makes a product clear, useful, and well designed. The role strengthens the reliability and usability of Better Cotton's supply-chain digital tools and the integrity of the data that flows through them. The Challenge Looking ahead to 2030, we are targeting reducing GHG emissions from cotton production by half, big cuts in synthetic pesticide use, improve soil health across our network, improve farm income and support women’s empowerment among farmers and farm workers. Responsibilities In this role, you will be responsible for: Review and stress-test requirements from subject-matter experts and internal teams, identifying unclear assumptions and unnecessary complexity before build begins. Partner with the Product Designer to shape simple, effective user flows and product solutions for supply-chain workflows. Translate agreed solutions into clear, prioritised, testable delivery increments, and build high-quality features across frontend, backend, and data layers. Design and implement reliable integrations with internal systems and external platforms, supporting traceability, reporting, and interoperability. Use AI coding agents throughout prototyping, development, review, testing, and debugging to accelerate delivery without compromising quality, security, or maintainability. Write automated tests and instrument products to track adoption, performance, and reliability; release features safely and support their rollout. Experience the following skills, knowledge, and experience: Essential Degree in a technical, product, or related field is valuable but not required; what matters most is demonstrated experience building and shipping production software. 5+ years of relevant experience, with a strong track record of personally building, shipping, and improving production digital products that users value and rely on; evidence of judgement, scope, and delivery matters more than tenure. Strong hands-on engineering capability, gained through software engineering, product engineering, or a product role involving substantial software development. Experience taking products from prototype through production, rollout, and continuous improvement, and translating detailed requirements into simple, technically sound, maintainable solutions. Strong product and interaction-design judgement, gained working closely with designers and subject-matter experts. Experience building data-intensive enterprise products, APIs, and integrations. Experience using AI coding agents as a core part of development, testing, debugging, and code review. Experience testing, deploying, monitoring, and supporting production applications. Experience with agricultural commodities, supply chains, physical traceability, chain of custody, enterprise platforms, or regulated workflows is valuable. Fluency in English is required Desirable Experience working across the full software development lifecycle, from frontend development through to backend services and cloud deployment. Familiarity with modern web technologies, APIs, integrations, and data-driven applications. Knowledge of cloud platforms, CI/CD practices, automated testing, and maintaining reliable production systems. Experience using AI-assisted development tools and collaborating with product, design, and technology teams using modern planning and design tools. Advanced proficiency in Hindi, Urdu, or Swahili would be advantageous. What we offer - Hybrid working – one to two days/week in the central London office. - The opportunity to work from anywhere in the world for up to one month per year - Flexible working, with core hours from 10 am to 4 pm local time - Continuous learning and development - Pension scheme - A generous annual leave package, including paid holiday, public holidays, additional paid days off during the festive season, study and exam days, and extra discretionary leave for life events such as family weddings or moving home - Enhanced parental benefits - The opportunity to make your mark and make a difference. Working arrangements The position is full-time (40 hours per week) and will be based in London. Better Cotton Initiative offers flexible working, with core hours being 10 am – 4 pm. The position may require limited international travel. Apply now Send us your CV (2 pages maximum) and a brief cover letter (1-page maximum) by or before 23.09.2026 via the application link. In your cover letter, please include an explanation of why your experience is specifically relevant to this role at Better Cotton Initiative. We want to see your personal style – what makes you tick and why you think your next opportunity is here with us. Better Cotton Initiative does not use artificial intelligence or in its hiring process. Every application is reviewed by our Talent Acquisition team and relevant hiring managers to ensure a fair and human-led assessment experience. Our hiring process Initial Screening: Applicant screening is a crucial step in our recruitment process. This stage may involve a brief phone interview or video call to evaluate your suitability for the position. During this screening, we review resumes and cover letters, and may conduct initial background checks to narrow down the pool of applicant. Internal candidates are encouraged to inform their line manager about their application to promote transparency and help facilitate a smooth transition if selected. Interviews: If you successfully pass the initial screening, you will be invited for interviews. The interview process at Better Cotton Initiative may include one or more rounds of interviews with various stakeholders, such as the hiring manager, team members, and potentially senior management. As an internal candidate, you may have discussions regarding your current responsibilities and how they will transition to the new position. Assessment and Testing: Depending on the role, you might be required to complete assessments, technical tests, or skills evaluations to gauge your competency and suitability for the position. Internal candidates may have the option to demonstrate their existing skills through current job performance or past project outcomes. Reference Checks: Once you progress further in the process, reference checks are conducted to validate your work history, skills, and qualifications, and for some roles, your education and criminal history. Internal candidates may be asked for references from current or previous supervisors within Better Cotton Initiative to provide insights into their performance and capabilities. Offer stage: After completing interviews, assessments, and reference checks, the hiring team evaluates your performance and fit for the role. If you are selected and your references are relevant and satisfactory, you will receive a formal job offer letter outlining the terms of employment, compensation, benefits, and any other relevant details. For internal candidates, the offer process may include a discussion about how your transition to the new role will be managed and any support needed for a smooth handover.