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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the migration of systems to AWS and mentor a team of developers.
- Company: Join Cambridge University Press & Assessment, a leader in academic publishing.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, flexible working, and generous leave policies.
- Why this job: Shape the future of education technology while advancing your career.
- Qualifications: Experience in software development, AWS, and team leadership required.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team committed to continuous improvement.
The predicted salary is between 44000 - 58000 £ per year.
This Principal Developer Team Lead position offers a pivotal opportunity to shape the technical future of a world-renowned academic organisation. You will spearhead the migration of enterprise systems to cutting-edge cloud-native AWS architectures, while balancing hands-on technical leadership with people management responsibilities.
We are Cambridge University Press & Assessment, a world-leading academic publisher and assessment organisation and a proud part of the University of Cambridge.
About the role
We are seeking a hands-on Principal Developer Team Lead to drive the technical transformation of our Exam Technology Organisation as we migrate legacy enterprise applications to modern, cloud-native architectures on AWS. You will balance technical leadership with people management, leading a team of 4-8 developers while establishing the foundations for our future technology stack. Your initial focus will be on two strategic priorities:
- Evolving our SRE function - Building the DevOps infrastructure, automation, and tooling that enables Site Reliability Engineering practices across development and operations teams
- Advancing our AI development practice - Establishing standards, frameworks, and best practices for responsibly integrating AI capabilities into our education platforms.
What You Will Do
Technical Leadership- Lead migration of legacy applications to cloud-native AWS architectures
- Build DevOps automation to support SRE practices
- Establish AI/ML development standards and frameworks
- Set observability, monitoring, and incident response standards
- Promote best practices in web, event-driven, and cloud-native technologies
- Provide technical expertise and oversee code reviews
- Manage and mentor a team of 4–8 developers, providing coaching and development plans
- Identify training needs in AI/ML and SRE
- Support recruitment and foster a culture of continual improvement and wellbeing
- Deliver software in agile squads
- Collaborate with architects, SREs, product owners, and infrastructure teams
- Liaise with stakeholders to identify education sector needs
- Plan and estimate migrations and feature delivery
- Coordinate with service management, security, and AWS experts
About you
Essential experience- Degree or equivalent
- Proven technical team leadership
- Skilled in two or more modern programming languages
- Experience with AWS cloud and infrastructure
- DevOps skills: automation, CI/CD, infrastructure-as-code
- Understanding of SRE and observability
- Experience in web-apps and modern frameworks
- Strong communicator with technical and non-technical audiences
- CI/CD pipelines, automation frameworks, and developer tooling
- Observability tools, monitoring, logging, and alerting systems
- Responsible AI practices and governance
- Event-driven architecture and microservices patterns
- Software design patterns and scalability best practices
- Security principles in cloud environments
- Ability to set technical standards and provide thought leadership
- Experience balancing people management with hands-on contribution
- Strong mentoring and coaching skills
- Collaborative approach that builds trust across teams
- Passion for continuous learning in AI/ML and DevOps
- Promotes inclusion and continuous improvement
You will be instrumental in our digital transformation, establishing the foundations for reliable, innovative systems that serve millions of learners, teachers, and researchers worldwide. By evolving our SRE function and advancing our AI practice, you will empower teams to deliver high-performance solutions while responsibly harnessing cutting-edge technologies.
If you would like to know more about this opportunity and what will make you successful, please see the full job description attached to the bottom of this vacancy on our careers site.
Rewards and benefits
We will support you to be at your best in work and to live well outside of it. In addition to competitive salaries, we offer a world-class, flexible rewards package, featuring family-friendly and planet-friendly benefits including:
- 28 days annual leave plus bank holidays
- Private medical and Permanent Health Insurance
- Discretionary annual bonus
- Group personal pension scheme
- Life assurance up to 4 x annual salary
- Green travel schemes
We are a hybrid working organisation, and we offer a range of flexible working options from day one. We expect most hybrid-working colleagues to spend 40-60% of their time at their dedicated office or location. We will also consider other work arrangements if you wish to work more flexibly or require adjustments due to a disability.
Ready to pursue your potential? Apply now.
We review applications on an ongoing basis, with a closing date for all applications being 18th February 2026.
If you are shortlisted and progressed through the stages, you can expect:
- A 40-minute screening call with the Hiring Manager
- First stage interview via MS Teams or in person. You will be provided with a brief to complete a role related task which will need to be returned by email in advance of your interview.
Please note that successful applicants will be subject to satisfactory background checks including DBS due to working in a regulated industry.
Cambridge University Press & Assessment is an approved UK employer for the sponsorship of eligible roles and applicants under the Skilled Worker visa route. Please refer to the gov.uk website for guidance to understand your own eligibility based on the role you are applying for.
Why join us
Joining us is your opportunity to pursue potential. You will belong to a collaborative team that is exploring new and better ways to serve students, teachers and researchers across the globe – for the benefit of individuals, society and the world. Sharing our mission will inspire your own growth, development and progress, in an environment which embraces difference, change and aspiration.
Cambridge University Press & Assessment is committed to being a place where anyone can enjoy a successful career, where it is safe to speak up, and where we learn continuously to improve together. We welcome applications from all candidates, regardless of demographic characteristics (age, disability, educational attainment, ethnicity, gender, marital status, neurodiversity, religion, sex, gender identity and sexual identity), cultural, or social class/background.
We believe better outcomes come through diversity of thought, background and approach. We welcome applications from people from all backgrounds and communities, actively seeking to employ people from a wide range of different communities.
Principal Developer Team Lead - 6714 in Cambridge employer: Cambridge University Press
Contact Detail:
Cambridge University Press Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Principal Developer Team Lead - 6714 in Cambridge
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry, attend meetups, and engage with online communities. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews! Research the company, understand their tech stack, and be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with their needs. Practise common interview questions and have examples ready to showcase your skills.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your passion for technology! Whether it’s through personal projects, contributions to open source, or writing about your experiences, let your enthusiasm shine. This can set you apart from other candidates.
✨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, you’ll find all the latest opportunities tailored to your skills and interests.
We think you need these skills to ace Principal Developer Team Lead - 6714 in Cambridge
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience with AWS, DevOps, and team leadership. We want to see how your skills align with our mission at Cambridge University Press & Assessment.
Showcase Your Technical Skills: Don’t hold back on detailing your technical expertise! Mention specific programming languages, tools, and frameworks you’ve worked with. We’re keen to know how you can contribute to our cloud-native architectures.
Highlight People Management Experience: Since this role involves leading a team, share examples of how you've successfully managed and mentored developers in the past. We value strong leadership and collaboration, so let that shine through!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our careers site. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity to shape the future of education technology.
How to prepare for a job interview at Cambridge University Press
✨Know Your Tech Inside Out
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of AWS cloud architectures and DevOps practices. Be ready to discuss specific projects where you've led migrations or implemented automation, as this will show your hands-on experience and technical leadership.
✨Showcase Your People Skills
As a Principal Developer Team Lead, you'll be managing a team. Prepare examples of how you've mentored developers or fostered a culture of continuous improvement. Highlight your ability to balance technical tasks with people management.
✨Prepare for Role-Related Tasks
Since you'll need to complete a role-related task before your interview, take the time to understand what that might involve. Practice coding challenges or design scenarios that relate to cloud-native applications and AI integration.
✨Communicate Clearly and Confidently
You'll be liaising with both technical and non-technical stakeholders, so practice explaining complex concepts in simple terms. This will demonstrate your strong communication skills and ability to bridge gaps between teams.
