At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the transformation of complex Java systems and drive containerisation initiatives.
- Company: Innovative tech organisation focused on modernising engineering practices.
- Benefits: Fully remote role with competitive day rate and significant technical influence.
- Other info: Join a diverse team and enjoy opportunities for professional growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by modernising legacy systems and improving developer experiences.
- Qualifications: Extensive Java experience, strong leadership skills, and a passion for mentoring.
The predicted salary is between 63000 - 77000 £ per year.
- Principal Engineer
- Fully Remote
- Outside IR35 Day Rate
We’re partnering with an innovative, technology-led organisation to appoint a highly experienced Principal Engineer.
This is an exciting opportunity for a senior technical leader to drive the transformation of a complex Java estate, leading advanced containerisation initiatives and improving the developer experience across the organisation.
We’re particularly interested in engineers with deep experience modernising legacy systems, integrating CI/CD pipelines and mentoring senior technical teams.
The Opportunity
As Principal Engineer, you’ll lead pivotal engineering initiatives focused on making a complex Java estate fully containerisable.
You’ll use your technical expertise to replatform, refactor and rebuild legacy systems, ensuring they integrate effectively with modern developer tooling and CI/CD pipelines.
Alongside hands-on technical delivery, you’ll provide leadership and mentorship to senior engineers while promoting engineering excellence across multiple teams.
This role requires someone who can combine strategic thinking with practical problem-solving, confidently navigating complex codebases and driving meaningful technical change.
Key Responsibilities
- You’ll play a key role in transforming the organisation’s engineering landscape by:
- Leading the containerisation of complex Java applications and services.
- Assessing existing codebases and identifying the changes required to support containerised deployment.
- Replatforming, refactoring and rebuilding legacy systems where necessary.
- Improving developer tooling, pipelines and the inner development loop.
- Integrating applications with CI/CD pipelines.
- Implementing automated smoke testing across non-production environments.
- Reviewing automated dependency and code-analysis reports to identify risks and improvement opportunities.
- Developing reference implementations and reusable migration approaches.
- Providing technical direction across complex engineering initiatives.
- Mentoring senior engineers and supporting technical development across teams.
- Collaborating with stakeholders and engineering teams across multiple locations.
- Promoting high standards of code quality, automation and engineering best practice.
About You
You’ll be an accomplished software engineer with extensive Java expertise and a proven ability to lead complex transformation and modernisation initiatives.
You will also have
- Extensive experience containerising Java applications, including codebases not originally designed for containerisation.
- Strong knowledge of developer tooling, delivery pipelines and the inner development loop.
- Proven experience replatforming, refactoring and rebuilding complex systems.
- Expertise in CI/CD pipeline integration.
- Experience implementing automated smoke testing across non-production environments.
- The ability to interpret automated dependency and code-analysis reports.
- Experience mentoring senior engineers and developing technical capability across teams.
- Strong technical leadership, communication and stakeholder-management skills.
- At least eight years of professional software engineering experience, including a minimum of three years in a senior or lead position.
- A bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering or a related discipline, or equivalent relevant industry experience.
- The ability to work effectively across teams and bring structure to technically complex challenges.
Experience with the following would be advantageous
- Flutter and associated Java ecosystems.
- Automated migration tools and reference implementation assets.
- Automated dependency management and code-quality analysis.
- Cross-site technical collaboration and leadership.
- Cloud, containerisation or Dev Ops certifications.
- Additional Requirements
- Occasional travel may be required for strategic projects and team collaboration.
Why Apply?
This is a fantastic opportunity to take a leading role in a major engineering transformation, using your expertise to modernise complex systems and improve the experience of developers across the organisation.
In return, you’ll benefit from
- A high-impact Principal Engineer position with significant technical influence.
- Ownership of complex Java containerisation and modernisation initiatives.
- The opportunity to shape engineering standards, tooling and delivery practices.
- A senior leadership role supporting the development of experienced engineers.
- Exposure to challenging, large-scale technical transformation projects.
- The opportunity to drive lasting improvements across the engineering landscape.
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company.
We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.
By applying you are confirming you are happy to be added to the Addition Solutions mailing list regarding future suitable positions.
You can opt out of this at any time simply by contacting one of our consultants.
Principal Engineer in London employer: Addition Careers
Join a dynamic and innovative cyber security technology company in Leeds, where you will play a crucial role as a Lead Product Manager. With a strong focus on personal development, hybrid working arrangements, and a supportive product-led culture, this is an excellent opportunity to shape the future of a growing SaaS platform while enjoying regular salary reviews and clear progression paths. Be part of a collaborative team that values diversity and encourages meaningful contributions to the business's success.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Principal Engineer in London
✨Join Local Tech Meetups
Get out there and mingle with fellow developers by joining local tech meetups. It’s a fantastic way to meet people who might be working at Addition Careers or know someone who does. Plus, you can pick up some trendy tech skills and trends while you're at it!
✨Contribute to Open Source Projects
Show off your coding chops by jumping into open-source projects. Not only does this give you practical experience, but it also gets you noticed in the dev community. You'll create a killer portfolio that speaks volumes about your skills to Addition Careers.
✨Tap into Online Developer Communities
Don’t underestimate the power of online developer communities like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and even Reddit. Participate in discussions, share your projects, and build your visibility. We can often find opportunities through these channels that can lead to a full-time gig at companies like Addition Careers.
✨Explore Job Boards Specifically for Tech Roles
Keep your eyes peeled on job boards that focus on tech roles. Sites like TechCareers or Stack Overflow Jobs can often have listings for companies like Addition Careers that might not show up on broader job sites. Make it a habit to check these regularly, and don’t hesitate to apply directly through our website!
We think you need these skills to ace Principal Engineer in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show off your coding skills:When applying for a software engineering role, it's super important to showcase your coding skills. Make sure your CV includes your tech stack, any relevant programming languages you’re comfortable with, and examples of projects you've worked on. If you have a GitHub profile, link it up! We love to see code in action.
Tailor your portfolio:For a full-time role, we’d expect to see some solid examples of your work in your portfolio. Make sure to include at least two or three projects that highlight your problem-solving skills and your ability to work with different technologies. Focus on the projects that are most relevant to the position at Addition Careers.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Addition Careers and how your skills align with the role. Show us your passion for software development. We dig enthusiastic candidates who understand the value of collaboration and continuous learning!
Be clear and concise:When it comes to writing your CV and cover letter, clarity is key. Avoid jargon that could confuse us and stick to simple, direct language. Highlight your achievements with quantifiable results where possible, and keep everything easy to read. A well-organised application goes a long way!
How to prepare for a job interview at Addition Careers
✨Brush Up on Your Coding Skills
For a full-time software engineering role, it's crucial that we stay sharp with our coding abilities. Expect technical questions that might involve solving problems on the spot or discussing algorithms. Practise on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to get comfortable with the types of questions that often come up.
✨Know Your Tools and Frameworks
Make sure we’re well-acquainted with the tools and technologies listed in the job description. Familiarise ourselves with any specific frameworks or programming languages mentioned. If Addition Careers uses React or Node.js, for instance, be ready to discuss how we’ve used them in previous projects or coursework.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Bring along a portfolio that highlights our best work. This could be code samples, GitHub repositories, or any side projects we’ve built. Make sure we can talk through our thought process for each project, especially the challenges we faced and how we solved them—this shows our problem-solving skills in action.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
While technical skills are key, full-time positions also require cultural fit. Be ready to discuss our previous experiences and how we handle teamwork, conflict, and deadlines. Brush up on the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to clearly articulate our past experiences when discussing how we've contributed to a team.
