At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead backend service design and development for a high-availability platform.
- Company: Join a high-growth UK-based SaaS company backed by recent investment.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, private healthcare, and a 5% pension plan.
- Why this job: Shape global infrastructure with a mission-led product and modern tech stack.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in a senior engineering role, ideally with Ruby and AWS expertise.
- Other info: Remote-first work culture with opportunities for mentorship and professional growth.
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
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, especially around performance, testing, and security. Be ready to share examples of how you've implemented these in past projects.
✨Tip Number 4
Showcase your experience with scalable infrastructure and tools like Terraform and Kubernetes. Being able to articulate your understanding of these technologies will demonstrate your readiness for the challenges of this role.
We think you need these skills to ace Principal Engineer
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 skills align with the company's mission. Mention specific projects where you’ve led backend development 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
Since this role involves significant influence over engineering standards and mentoring peers, share examples of how you've guided teams in the past. Discuss your approach to fostering a collaborative environment and how you’ve contributed to the professional growth of others.
✨Understand the Company’s Mission and Product
Research the company’s mission and the challenges they face with their platform. Be ready to discuss how your skills can help them achieve their goals, particularly in scaling infrastructure and improving tooling and observability.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect scenario-based questions that assess your problem-solving abilities in high-availability environments. Think about past experiences where you had to balance architectural integrity with delivery pace, and be ready to articulate your thought process.