10 traits for engineering excellence at Revolut

In today's ‌fast-growing tech industry, software engineers are in high demand, and Revolut is no exception. To join our tech team, software engineers must possess a unique blend of technical expertise and soft skills. In this blog, we explore the 10 essential traits that drive engineering excellence at Revolut.

According to Ivan Vazhnov, Head of Engineering, these qualities define what it takes to be a top engineer here. Not only do these traits help you to join our Dream Team, but also empower you to build an exceptional career and drive the continuous growth and evolution of Revolut.

1. Ownership, ownership, ownership
Ownership is crucial for a project's success. Our engineers must focus on resolving issues rather than creating new ones. When a problem is assigned, full responsibility for the entire project lifecycle is essential​ — from defining requirements to design, development, testing, deployment, and ongoing maintenance. Ownership continues beyond the feature launch, through updates and eventual decommissioning, ensuring quality and alignment with evolving needs.

Our software engineers are expected to be proactive and self-sufficient, and excel at identifying and mitigating risks. They should anticipate challenges and take decisive steps to prevent and resolve issues before they escalate.

2. Quality focus
We don’t cut corners. Even minor changes to our internal systems must meet the highest standards of quality. High-quality solutions are not only easier to maintain, but also support the scalable growth of functionality, enabling faster delivery in the long run.

We believe that our customers deserve the best possible experience, which means providing them with solutions that are reliable, efficient, and secure. To achieve this, we are committed to quality, reflected in all our processes. Our adoption of Test-Driven Development (TDD) ensures that code is rigorously tested and validated before deployment, reinforcing our dedication to maintaining high standards.

3. Customer-centric approach
Our customers come first, which is why their experience is our top priority. By focusing our engineers' work on customer needs, we ensure we’re addressing their concerns, meeting their expectations, and moving in the right direction. Actively listening to and understanding customer feedback is fundamental to this process.

Placing the customer at the centre of our work is essential to achieving exceptional outcomes. Mastering the methods, tactics, and processes that prioritise customer needs enables us to deliver innovative solutions that truly serve our customers.

4. Communication skills
Without communication, there's no success, and without very good communication, it's impossible to achieve exceptional things. The ability to explain complex problems in simple, accessible terms is crucial.

Being able to communicate with people (engineers and non-engineers alike) is an indispensable skill, as you must be able to be clear to everyone you work with. Effectively conveying ideas is not only essential for collaboration, but also key to developing impactful solutions.

5. Analytical and problem-solving mindset
If you are able to analyse even the smallest details, if you can pause for a second and think carefully about what the problem is and the best way to approach it, then you have essential skills for being at Revolut.

Breaking down complex challenges into smaller, manageable parts is crucial for overcoming any obstacle (regardless of its difficulty) and for developing effective solutions that lead to success.

6. Attention to detail
Every detail matters, no matter the task, which is why your attention, care, and dedication to your work are important. Our commitment to consistently delivering WOW is deeply connected to the attention you give to the details and the effort you put in to ensure that both the outcomes and the experiences we provide are exceptional.

7. Passion for learning
Professional growth and continuous advancement are vital for a software engineer. So are staying in motion, absorbing new knowledge, and keeping up with industry trends — all these things add significant value to your work.

A genuine desire to learn, a willingness to explore new concepts and acquire new skills are vital qualities that drive success in this field.

8. Hard skills
Improving your skills and understanding the basics are important for delivering high-quality work and boosting efficiency and productivity in processes.

An excellent command of concepts and design patterns, along with the ability to apply them in daily tasks, significantly contributes to the development of your work.

Finally, our engineers should demonstrate strong technical abilities in software development, including the capacity to design, build, and maintain both front-end and back-end systems. Additionally, proficiency in cloud infrastructure, data management, and security protocols is necessary to create reliable and scalable financial solutions.

9. Architectural excellence
Understanding both the overall context and the details of each project is essential. This approach enables you to move from broad concepts to specific goals, define objectives clearly, establish efficient workflows, and design scalable systems that adapt as they grow. Scalability ensures that as demand or customer base expands, systems maintain performance, adaptability, and reliability.

This readiness for growth reflects true architectural skill. Using Domain-Driven Design (DDD) further strengthens this by aligning architecture with business needs, improving stakeholder communication, and ensuring the system evolves with changing requirements.

10. Eagerness for feedback
Having an open mind and being willing to receive feedback and opinions of all kinds is essential. Having the capacity to accept those comments and the way you apply the feedback is very important. It's necessary to adapt to change — understanding and adjusting is a big part of the job and life here at Revolut.

You’ve glimpsed the vision our Head of Engineering has for building a powerhouse team to transform the future of fintech. Up for the challenge? Check out our open roles and take the next step to become a key player in revolutionising how we manage money.