At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead software architecture and development while mentoring teams in a hands-on role.
- Company: Join a growing tech consultancy with a focus on innovation and collaboration.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, remote work options, and travel expenses covered for client visits.
- Other info: Opportunity for career growth in a dynamic environment with a focus on cutting-edge tech.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by shaping technology solutions and leading talented engineers.
- Qualifications: 10+ years of experience in software engineering with expertise in Java and cloud technologies.
The predicted salary is between 63000 - 77000 £ per year.
Salary to £80k, possibly higher for their Unicorn candidate. Role can be based remotely, as long as you can occasionally travel to London for client work (travel expenses paid) - approximately once a month.
NB: Please only apply if you are a UK National, have resided in the UK for the past 5 years and are prepared to go through UK SC Security Clearance. Proof of ID will be required prior to interview.
This role is with a growing technology consultancy. This is a hands-on principal engineering role: architecture ownership across multiple services, technical leadership across teams, and direct contribution to engineering standards and hiring. The successful candidate will be writing code as well as setting direction - this is not a purely architectural or management position. Current delivery is a Java/Spring Boot microservices platform on AWS EKS, with a Next.js frontend and Camunda-based process orchestration.
Essential
- Experience level: 10+ years minimum, principal or staff grade equivalent.
- Backend and cloud:
- Java 17 or 21, at expert level - modern language features
- Spring Boot in depth: security, transaction management, async/reactive
- Microservices architecture design - has designed services from scratch
- Kubernetes and Docker in production (not local development use)
- AWS, hands-on: EKS, Lambda, S3, RDS, EventBridge
- CI/CD pipeline ownership
- Automated testing discipline: JUnit, Mockito, integration testing, TDD or BDD
- Frontend:
- Held a lead or tech lead role on frontend development in React. Leadership must have been over React work itself.
- Understands and has implemented FFE/BFE separation - the split between the presentation layer (components, styling, client state) and the frontend's own server-side tier (data aggregation for the UI, session and auth handling, server-side rendering, API route composition).
- Leadership:
- Architecture ownership across multiple systems
- Cross-team technical leadership
- Track record of influencing engineering standards, technology choices, or hiring
- Evidence of growing other engineers
- Security clearance: UK SC clearance required. Active clearance strongly preferred; eligible candidates considered - must be a UK national with 5+ years continuous UK residency.
Desirable:
- Camunda 8 / BPMN process orchestration
- Next.js specifically (App Router, server components, route handlers)
- Terraform or other infrastructure-as-code, to module-authoring level
- React Native or equivalent building native mobile from a React codebase
- Design system or component library ownership
- Consultancy or client-facing delivery background
- Open-source contributions, conference talks, or published technical writing
- Polyglot beyond Java
NB: for non-UK Citizens; we cannot accept applications from anyone requiring sponsorship (now or in the future) for UK permanent employment status. If you are utilising a work visa this must allow you to work in the UK unrestricted for at least the next 5 years.
Principal Software Engineer employer: All The Top Bananas
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StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Principal Software Engineer
✨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 All The Top Bananas 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 All The Top Bananas.
✨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 All The Top Bananas.
✨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 All The Top Bananas 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 Software Engineer
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 All The Top Bananas.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at All The Top Bananas 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 All The Top Bananas
✨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 All The Top Bananas 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.
