At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the evolution of the UK's #1 car buying app and enhance user experience.
- Company: Join Autotrader, the leading automotive marketplace in the UK with a vibrant culture.
- Benefits: Earn £60,000 – £80,000 plus shares, 28 days holiday, and comprehensive medical cover.
- Other info: Enjoy a hybrid work model with opportunities for remote work and excellent career growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on millions of users while working with cutting-edge technology.
- Qualifications: Experience in Kotlin, mobile app development, and mentoring engineers is essential.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 € per year.
About Autotrader
You’ve probably heard of Autotrader, but do you know what we’re all about? We’re the UK’s leading automotive marketplace, a heritage brand, and a tech darling of the stock market. We bring together vehicle buyers and sellers to give them real choices. Cars may be what we're best known for but we’re also the place for pretty much everything else on wheels, from e-bikes to caravans. In the automotive world, change is a constant, that’s why we take our job of untangling the complex car-buying journey very seriously. At our core, we’re all about people. We go our own way while embracing diversity and celebrating our differences. We dedicate ourselves to the idea that we work better together. Autotrader is a beautiful, surprising and vibrant place to work. We might not be for everyone, but we could be perfect for you.
About the role
As a Principal Software Engineer, you will play a key role in evolving the in-app experience for the UK’s #1 car buying app. The Autotrader app has been downloaded over 23 million times and consistently serves over 3 million monthly users, maintaining leading ratings of 4.8/5 on the App Store and 4.7/5 on Google Play. While our core focus remains on the consumer experience, our mobile apps team are currently instrumental in transitioning Autotrader into a platform where consumers can buy vehicles entirely online. We’ve evolved beyond traditional native development approaches by adopting a Server-driven UI architecture. Our team has developed a custom client-side framework that dynamically renders data, context, and layout configurations served up from a federated backend REST API. In this role, you will provide technical leadership for this platform, driving architectural scalability, performance, and long-term maintainability across our mobile applications. We’re a close-knit tech community where collaboration and knowledge sharing are at the core of what we do. Regular pair programming, code reviews, and stand-ups ensure that our engineers stay connected and aligned. As a Principal Engineer, you’ll play a visible, strategic role in driving system design and architecture decisions, mentoring team members, and helping our teams deliver high-quality solutions at scale for one of the UK's most used digital products.
What we're looking for
- You should be comfortable with the fact that most of your development time will be spent working on our backend Kotlin services to maintain and evolve our server-driven UI framework.
- Proven experience with Kotlin Multiplatform (KMP), Gradle, and Spring Boot.
- Extensive experience building and supporting iOS and/or Android applications; proficient user of the development toolset on at least one of these platforms (Swift, Xcode, and Instruments for iOS; Kotlin, Jetpack, Android Studio for Android).
- Strong understanding of unit testing, RESTful API design, and a commitment to refactoring and regression test automation.
- Experience mentoring and coaching engineers, with a proven ability to share technical expertise and advocate best practices across a team.
Benefits and more
We’re offering a salary of £60,000 – £80,000, plus an additional 10% of your salary awarded to you in shares each year. These awarded shares will become yours in yearly instalments over the next three years, and you can choose to either sell them or keep them as shares. And you'll receive 28 days holiday, plus bank holidays and comprehensive private medical cover. That’s not all. You'll be enrolled in our pension scheme, where our standard contributions are 7% and employee contributions are 5%. We also have comprehensive private medical cover, enhanced family leave provisions, a car salary sacrifice scheme, share-save options, and much more. We always want to give you the support you need and help prioritise your wellbeing, that’s why we provide access to 24/7 online GP and dentist, as well as specialist support for assisted fertility, gender dysphoria, menopause, period care plans and lots more.
On top of all that, our hybrid model, Connected Working, combines the best of both worlds – office and home working. You'll spend a minimum of 3 days a week in the office with your team, focused on collaboration and connection. Additionally, we have our remote-first periods at set times during summer and winter. During these periods, you can work remotely anywhere in the UK and from certain locations abroad.
Principal Mobile Apps Platform Engineer in Manchester employer: Autotrader
At Autotrader, we pride ourselves on being a vibrant and inclusive workplace that champions collaboration and innovation. As a Principal Mobile Apps Platform Engineer, you'll not only lead the evolution of our industry-leading app but also benefit from a generous salary package, share options, and comprehensive wellbeing support. Our hybrid working model ensures a balanced approach to work, allowing you to thrive both in the office and remotely, making Autotrader an exceptional place to grow your career.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Principal Mobile Apps Platform Engineer in Manchester
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, especially those at Autotrader. A friendly chat can open doors and give you insights that a job description just can't.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! If you've got a portfolio or GitHub with projects that highlight your experience with Kotlin, Gradle, or mobile apps, make sure to share it during interviews. It’s a great way to demonstrate your expertise.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for technical interviews by brushing up on your coding skills and system design principles. Practice common interview questions related to backend services and RESTful APIs to feel confident when it’s your turn to shine.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in being part of the Autotrader team.
We think you need these skills to ace Principal Mobile Apps Platform Engineer in Manchester
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion:When writing your application, let your enthusiasm for mobile app development shine through. We want to see how excited you are about evolving user experiences and tackling challenges in the automotive space!
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV highlights your experience with Kotlin, Gradle, and Spring Boot. We’re looking for specific skills that match our needs, so don’t be shy about showcasing your relevant projects and achievements.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Use your cover letter to tell us why you’re the perfect fit for the Principal Mobile Apps Platform Engineer role. Share your thoughts on our server-driven UI architecture and how you can contribute to our mission of enhancing the car-buying journey.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity at Autotrader!
How to prepare for a job interview at Autotrader
✨Know Your Tech Inside Out
Make sure you brush up on your Kotlin Multiplatform, Gradle, and Spring Boot skills. Be ready to discuss how you've used these technologies in past projects, especially in relation to server-driven UI frameworks. Autotrader values technical expertise, so showing off your knowledge will definitely impress.
✨Showcase Your Collaborative Spirit
Since Autotrader emphasises teamwork and collaboration, be prepared to share examples of how you've worked with others in a tech environment. Talk about your experiences with pair programming, code reviews, and mentoring. This will highlight your ability to fit into their close-knit tech community.
✨Prepare for Problem-Solving Questions
Expect to face some technical challenges during the interview. Brush up on your unit testing and RESTful API design knowledge. Practise explaining your thought process when tackling complex problems, as this will demonstrate your analytical skills and commitment to best practices.
✨Align with Their Values
Autotrader is all about embracing diversity and working better together. Make sure you convey your understanding of these values during the interview. Share personal anecdotes that reflect your commitment to inclusivity and teamwork, which will resonate well with their company culture.
