Principal Product Engineer (Software) in London

At Automata, we're on a mission to transform how scientists work by making automation accessible to every lab in the world. We believe that by giving labs the power to automate, we can unlock discoveries that will shape the future of life sciences—from diagnostics and drug discovery to synthetic biology.

But we’re more than just a company disrupting the industry—we're a team of innovators, problem-solvers, and creators passionate about empowering scientists. Our LINQ platform combines hardware and software to streamline workflows, making lab automation fast, flexible, and affordable. This means our customers can focus on groundbreaking research, while we take care of the rest.

Why Work at Automata?

• Impact: Your work will directly contribute to advancements in science and medicine, supporting labs around the globe as they push boundaries in research and innovation.
• Innovation: You’ll be part of a team solving complex problems using cutting-edge technology.
• Growth: We invest in our people through hands-on experience, professional development, or collaborative projects.
• Community: Join a diverse, passionate team that values collaboration.

This role is about technical leadership, both in execution and team mentoring perspective. In this role, you will build our next generation AI native product that crosses the boundaries of what is possible in physical lab automation. We’re targeting a hands-on, experienced software engineer who has architected and built highly complex products, all while leading staff engineers who lead their own squads.

You hate bureaucracy and excuses. You thrive in high-pace, high-quality, high-ownership environments. And you want a place with a purpose that leaves a legacy in the world.

Your Day-to-Day in This Role

• Own end-to-end the Product Engineering (Software) within a department with Product, Engineering, Design, Data & AI (PEDDAI).
• Operate as the single point of accountability for Product Technical Architecture and the Product Engineering (Software) function.
• Partner with PEDDAI, Customer Success, and Sales leadership to align on challenges, initiatives, and roadmap.
• Build, lead, and level-up a high-performing Product Engineering (Software) function.
• Architect, and continuously evolve operating systems that scale.
• Embed AI-native and automation-first ways of working.
• Bridge strategy and execution.

Who You Are

• You are a hands-on technical leader.
• You are wired for ownership.
• You bring intensity and pace.
• You care deeply about teams and performance.
• You balance sharp decision-making with strong judgment.
• You’ve already operated at a high bar in engineering.
• You are resilient, accountable, and outcome-focused.
• You communicate with precision and influence.
• You are curious, adaptable, and constantly evolving.

Role Requirements

• More than 15 years of experience as an engineer, with more than 10 years building products.
• Demonstrable experience of leading and building a highly complex product.
• Experience managing multiple Staff and Senior Staff engineers.
• Proven knowledge and use of AI and Automation.
• Experience operating in environments that demand both speed and quality.

Function Requirements

• London-based, with 3 days per week in-office.
• Thrive in a high-performance, fast-scaling environment.
• Able to introduce structure that accelerates teams.

Why You’ll Want to Join Us

• You want to operate at the edge of your capability.
• You’re motivated by ownership and autonomy.
• You want to build and scale something meaningful.
• You’re currently under-leveraged.
• You want to work with people who are equally driven, pragmatic, and focused on outcomes.

We are an equal-opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.