Principal Software Engineer

Principal Software Engineer

Full-Time 80000 - 98000 £ / year (est.) Home office (partial)
Catapult

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead the development of cutting-edge computer vision and tracking systems for sports performance.
  • Company: Join Catapult, a leader in sports technology transforming athlete performance worldwide.
  • Benefits: Enjoy a hybrid work model, competitive salary, and opportunities for professional growth.
  • Other info: Collaborative environment with diverse teams across 20+ countries, fostering continuous improvement.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact on athletes' performance while working with innovative technology.
  • Qualifications: 8+ years in software engineering with expertise in complex systems and leadership experience.

The predicted salary is between 80000 - 98000 £ per year.

  • PRINCIPAL COMPUTER VISION & TRACKING ENGINEER
  • Catapult is building the future of sports performance technology, with a mission to

Unleash the Potential of every athlete and team on earth.

We don't just work in the sporting industry; we are actively changing it.

Since 2006, our solutions have been leading the way in sports performance software, science, and data, in a world where 1% can literally mean the difference between winning and losing.

We work with over 5,000+ teams around the world, empowering coaches, managers and trainers in premier teams in the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLS, EPL, AFL, NRL, NCAA and more.

We provide the information they need to optimize athletes’ health, game-day readiness, and performance, as well as in-game tactics.

Catapult is a sports technology company that empowers professional teams to make data-driven decisions.

We deliver health, performance, video, and AI insights from the locker room to competitive environments, ensuring every decision is an opportunity to gain an advantage, sharpen performance, and build lasting success.

  • WE WANT PEOPLE WHO ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT SOLVING HARD PROBLEMS
  • We are looking for a

Principal Computer Vision & Tracking Engineer to own and drive the computer vision and real-time tracking systems at the heart of our camera-based products.

Based in London (hybrid), you will lead a small team building the perception stack that turns vision data into athlete performance insights – from neural network inference on edge AI accelerators, to 3D object tracking, to the data science that validates and extends what our system can measure.

Today, that means tracking barbell-based weightlifting with sub-rep precision; tomorrow it means general human movement.

This is a role for someone who thrives on breadth.

In any given week, you might be optimizing a model for edge inference, designing a new movement analysis algorithm, or analyzing data to produce athlete profiles.

You'll report to a Senior Director of Engineering and player-coach a small pod of engineers while collaborating closely with our embedded platform and applications teams.

If you've built real-time perception systems that had to work reliably in the real world – on real hardware, with real constraints – this is your kind of problem.

  • WHAT YOU’LL DO
  • Own the technical direction of our computer vision and tracking domain: the full pipeline from sensor readings through computer vision, motion recognition, and metric calculation.
  • Lead and mentor a small team (1-2 engineers), setting priorities, reviewing designs, and driving execution while remaining deeply hands-on.
  • Train, optimize, and deploy neural networks for real-time segmentation and classification on embedded hardware, including model conversion and optimization for edge accelerators.
  • Extend our tracking and motion recognition pipeline to support new movements and types of analysis.
  • Own the reliability of the domain: analyze tracking accuracy, build quality metrics, and use data to drive improvements across the pipeline.
  • WHAT YOU’LL NEED
  • 8+ years of software engineering experience, with significant depth in the engineering of complex systems
  • Demonstrated experience shipping systems to production and end-to-end ownership of them
  • Strong proficiency in Python and C/C++ – you're comfortable across the full stack from higher level applications to performance-critical native code.
  • The ability to own ambiguous problems: scoping, prototyping, shipping, and measuring.
  • Comfort with leadership: you've mentored engineers, led technical direction, or driven cross-team initiatives, even if your title didn't say "lead."

Nice to have – what would make you exceptional

  • Computer Vision and ML experience
  • Deeper knowledge of the mathematics behind tracking systems: 3D geometry, state estimation, filtering, optimization.
  • Experience with depth cameras (structured light, time-of-flight) and 3D perception.
  • Familiarity with embedded Linux, Docker on ARM, and systems-level debugging.
  • WHAT YOUR SUCCESS WILL LOOK LIKE
  • In 6 months time… You have shipped at least one meaningful improvement to detection or tracking quality, and you have a deep understanding of the tracking system and how we might extend it.
  • In 12 months time… You've driven the roadmap for expanding our vision system to new movement types.

The team is running well, and you're the go-to person across the company for anything related to how our camera system sees and understands athletes.

WHY CATAPULT?

  • We have amazing people. We promise you'll work with some of the most ambitious, intelligent people in an exciting industry, and do some of the best work of your life.
  • We encourage our people to engage in constructive, open, and honest communication to make Catapult extraordinary.
  • We work in a collaborative yet challenging environment to consistently improve our performance, which in turn impacts our customers' performance.
  • Our workforce spans more than 20 countries. You'll have the opportunity to work with people from multiple nationalities and cultures, and to build your global awareness.
  • We value improvement and development.

We are challenging ourselves to continuously grow and become a high-performance company.

That means we maintain a growth mindset in everything we do, and our people are always looking for ways to improve.

There is an unlimited opportunity to grow, do more, and do better.

Whether you're interested in sports or not, you'll have the satisfaction of knowing your work is supporting some of the most successful teams and athletes on the planet!

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Principal Software Engineer employer: Catapult

At Catapult, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer in the heart of Greater London, where innovation meets passion in the thrilling world of motorsport technology. Our collaborative work culture fosters creativity and teamwork, providing ample opportunities for professional growth and development. Join us to be part of a dynamic team that empowers elite motorsport teams with cutting-edge data-driven solutions, all while enjoying the vibrant atmosphere of one of the world's most exciting cities.

Catapult

Contact Details:

Catapult Recruitment Team

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 Catapult 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 Catapult.

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 Catapult.

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 Catapult 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

Computer Vision
Real-Time Tracking Systems
Neural Network Inference
3D Object Tracking
Data Science
Python
C/C++

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 Catapult.

Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Catapult 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 Catapult

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 Catapult 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.