Principal Engineer

Principal Engineer

Manchester Full-Time 80000 - 120000 £ / year (est.) Home office (partial)
A

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead backend service design for a high-availability platform.
  • Company: Join a fast-growing UK-based SaaS company backed by recent investment.
  • Benefits: Enjoy remote work, competitive salary, pension, private healthcare, and more.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact on global infrastructure with a modern tech stack.
  • Qualifications: Experience as a Principal Engineer with expertise in Ruby and AWS required.
  • Other info: This is a hands-on leadership role with significant influence on engineering standards.

The predicted salary is between 80000 - 120000 £ per year.

Albany Growth are partnering with a high-growth UK-based SaaS company backed by recent investment and now ready to scale their engineering team with 2 senior hires. They are now hiring a Principal Engineer to drive backend excellence across a complex, high-availability platform used by global customers. This is a hands-on senior leadership role with significant influence across engineering standards, architecture, and mentorship. You will work across a modern Ruby-based stack, and play a key role in scaling platform infrastructure and guiding technical decisions that impact millions.

Key Responsibilities

  • Lead the design and development of backend services in a mission-critical platform
  • Set and uphold engineering best practices across performance, testing, security, and delivery
  • Mentor peers and contribute to the technical and professional growth of the wider team
  • Own features from concept to production, balancing architectural integrity with delivery pace
  • Collaborate closely with product and engineering leadership on roadmap planning and system evolution
  • Contribute to compliance-focused, change-controlled deployments with high DORA metrics (elite-level performance)
  • Continuously improve tooling, observability, and infrastructure to support scalable growth

Key Requirements

  • Proven experience as a Principal / Lead / Staff level Engineer, ideally in SaaS or platform environments
  • Expertise in Ruby on Rails and strong understanding of distributed backend systems
  • Experience with infrastructure at scale—ideally across AWS, Terraform, Kubernetes, Postgres, Redis
  • Comfortable working in fast-paced, collaborative, remote-first environments
  • Strong communication and mentoring skills with a product-oriented mindset

If you are ready to shape backend systems that underpin global infrastructure, apply using the link and we’ll be in touch with further details.

Principal Engineer employer: Albany Growth

Join a dynamic and innovative SaaS company that prioritises employee growth and collaboration in a remote-first environment. With a strong focus on mentorship and engineering excellence, you'll have the opportunity to influence key technical decisions while enjoying competitive benefits, including private healthcare and a generous pension scheme. This role not only offers a chance to work with cutting-edge technology but also to contribute to a mission-driven product that addresses complex real-time challenges for global customers.
A

Contact Detail:

Albany Growth Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

We think this is how you could land Principal Engineer

✨Tip Number 1

Familiarise yourself with the specific technologies mentioned in the job description, such as Ruby on Rails, AWS, and Postgres. Having hands-on experience or projects that showcase your skills in these areas will make you stand out.

✨Tip Number 2

Highlight your leadership and mentoring experiences in previous roles. Since this position involves guiding a team, demonstrating your ability to lead and develop others will be crucial.

✨Tip Number 3

Prepare to discuss your approach to engineering best practices, particularly around performance, testing, and security. Be ready to share examples of how you've implemented these in past projects.

✨Tip Number 4

Research the company’s mission and values, and think about how your personal goals align with them. Being able to articulate this connection during discussions can show your genuine interest in the role.

We think you need these skills to ace Principal Engineer

Expertise in Ruby on Rails
Strong understanding of distributed backend systems
Experience with AWS infrastructure
Proficiency in Terraform and Kubernetes
Knowledge of Postgres and Redis
Leadership and mentoring skills
Ability to set and uphold engineering best practices
Experience in SaaS or platform environments
Strong communication skills
Experience with high-availability platforms
Understanding of performance, testing, security, and delivery
Ability to balance architectural integrity with delivery pace
Collaboration skills for working with product and engineering leadership
Experience with compliance-focused deployments
Continuous improvement mindset for tooling and infrastructure

Some tips for your application 🫡

Understand the Role: Before applying, make sure to thoroughly understand the responsibilities and requirements of the Principal Engineer position. Familiarise yourself with the technologies mentioned, such as Ruby on Rails, AWS, and Postgres, to tailor your application effectively.

Tailor Your CV: Craft your CV to highlight relevant experience in backend engineering, particularly with Ruby and distributed systems. Emphasise any leadership roles or mentoring experiences you've had, as these are crucial for this position.

Write a Compelling Cover Letter: In your cover letter, express your passion for backend excellence and how your experience aligns with the company's mission. Mention specific projects where you’ve led teams or improved engineering practices, showcasing your impact.

Showcase Your Technical Skills: If applicable, include links to your GitHub or other repositories that demonstrate your coding skills and contributions to open-source projects. This can provide tangible evidence of your expertise in the technologies required for the role.

How to prepare for a job interview at Albany Growth

✨Showcase Your Technical Expertise

Be prepared to discuss your experience with Ruby on Rails and distributed backend systems in detail. Highlight specific projects where you've led the design and development of backend services, and be ready to explain your approach to performance, testing, and security.

✨Demonstrate Leadership and Mentorship Skills

As a Principal Engineer, you'll be expected to mentor others. Share examples of how you've guided teams in the past, focusing on your communication style and how you foster professional growth within your team.

✨Discuss Your Experience with Infrastructure at Scale

Talk about your familiarity with AWS, Terraform, and Kubernetes. Provide insights into how you've managed infrastructure challenges in fast-paced environments, and be ready to discuss any compliance-focused deployments you've been involved in.

✨Prepare for Collaborative Scenarios

Since this role involves close collaboration with product and engineering leadership, think of examples where you've successfully worked with cross-functional teams. Be ready to discuss how you balance architectural integrity with delivery pace while contributing to roadmap planning.

A
Similar positions in other companies
UK’s top job board for Gen Z
discover-jobs-cta
Discover now
>