At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead integration architecture improvements and collaborate with engineering teams to enhance platform services.
- Company: Join CDP, a global non-profit driving environmental transparency and positive change.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, generous pension, flexible working, and professional development opportunities.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team committed to balancing people, planet, and profit.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on the environment while advancing your engineering career.
- Qualifications: Extensive experience in integration architecture and modern web stacks like Node.js and React.
The predicted salary is between 78969 - 98711 € per year.
Location - London
Salary - £78,969 - £98,711
About CDP: CDP is a global non-profit that runs the world’s only independent environmental disclosure system. As the founder of environmental reporting, we believe in transparency and the power of data to drive change. Partnering with leaders in enterprise, capital, policy and science, we surface the information needed to enable Earth-positive decisions. We helped more than 24,800 companies and almost 1,000 cities, states and regions disclose their environmental impacts in 2024. Financial institutions with more than a quarter of the world’s institutional assets use CDP data to help inform investment and lending decisions. Our team is truly global, united by our shared desire to build a world where people, planet and profit are balanced.
About the Team: The Engineering function designs, builds and maintains the platforms, tools and systems that power our products. We support the business by delivering resilient, secure and scalable solutions aligned to strategic priorities.
About this role: The Principal Engineer for Platform Integration & Architecture is accountable for improving how CDP’s services and systems integrate. You will document and make legible the current state, align engineering leaders on shared integration principles, define the target integration model, and drive a practical roadmap to get there. You will work closely with tech leads and squads, staying hands-on where needed, and supporting delivery through design input, reviews, and decision-making. This is the first Principal Engineer role; we envisage this becoming its own team of senior engineers who are at the same grade as Tech Leads but have standalone responsibilities.
What you will do:
- Audit and document the existing platform architecture and integrations across services and systems.
- Produce clear architecture diagrams and documentation that supports both day-to-day delivery and longer-term decision-making.
- Identify integration bottlenecks, inconsistencies, and technical debt, and propose concrete changes.
- Work with tech leads to agree shared integration principles and guidelines across squads.
- Define a target integration model suitable for CDP’s future needs, including patterns for service boundaries and interactions.
- Create a pragmatic roadmap for improving integration architecture, with clear priorities and milestones.
- Support squads to deliver the roadmap, including design collaboration, code and approach reviews, and unblocking decisions.
Internal stakeholders include: Engineering squads, Architecture, QA, Product, Platform and infrastructure colleagues (as relevant to integration work).
Actively contribute to an effective and engaged team, clear on its purpose and contribution, by:
- Ensuring you know what is expected of you, through regular 1:1’s, having clear objectives in place, and participating in open and honest performance and development conversations.
- Ensuring a respectful and inclusive workplace, where team members communicate openly, share knowledge so it can be used, and respect difference.
- Living the CDP Values and demonstrating the behaviours appropriate to your position.
We're looking for:
- Extensive hands-on experience designing and improving integration architecture across multiple services.
- Strong engineering background in modern web stacks, with deep practical experience in CDP’s stack (Node.js, React, Nest.js) and working knowledge of Azure-based systems.
- Experience setting standards and aligning multiple teams on shared technical approaches, without slowing delivery.
- Ability to reverse-engineer unclear systems, improve them incrementally, and explain trade-offs in plain language.
- Strong written communication, producing documentation that engineers actually use.
- Practical, collaborative working style with a bias towards shipping improvements and raising overall engineering quality.
This is a permanent office-based role in our London Office. The salary banding for this role is £78,969 - £98,711 plus bank holidays, generous non-contributory pension provision, Employee Assistance Programme, life assurance, training and development, flexible working opportunities and other benefits.
How to apply: Please upload your CV (in English) via the application form. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis so early applications are encouraged.
Principal Engineer employer: CDP Global
CDP is an exceptional employer, offering a unique opportunity to work at the forefront of environmental transparency and data-driven decision-making. With a strong commitment to employee growth, a collaborative work culture, and a range of benefits including a generous pension scheme and flexible working options, CDP fosters an inclusive environment where innovation thrives. Located in London, this role as Principal Engineer not only allows you to make a significant impact on global sustainability efforts but also positions you within a supportive team dedicated to professional development.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Principal Engineer
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in your industry on LinkedIn or at local meetups. A friendly chat can open doors that a CV just can't.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! If you’ve got a portfolio or some projects, make sure to share them during interviews. It’s a great way to demonstrate your expertise and passion.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for the interview by researching CDP’s values and recent projects. Tailor your answers to show how you align with their mission and how you can contribute to their goals.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up after your interview! A quick thank-you email can leave a lasting impression and shows your enthusiasm for the role.
We think you need these skills to ace Principal Engineer
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV is tailored to the Principal Engineer role. Highlight your experience with integration architecture and modern web stacks, especially if you've worked with Node.js or Azure. We want to see how your skills align with what we're looking for!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're passionate about environmental impact and how your engineering expertise can contribute to our mission at CDP. Keep it engaging and relevant to the role.
Showcase Your Communication Skills:Since strong written communication is key for this role, make sure your application materials are clear and concise. Use plain language to describe your past projects and how you’ve documented technical processes. We love clarity!
Apply Early!:We review applications on a rolling basis, so don’t wait until the last minute to apply. Get your CV and cover letter in as soon as you can through our website. We’re excited to see what you bring to the table!
How to prepare for a job interview at CDP Global
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you have a solid understanding of integration architecture and the tech stack mentioned in the job description, especially Node.js, React, and Azure. Brush up on your experience with these technologies and be ready to discuss specific projects where you've successfully implemented them.
✨Show Your Problem-Solving Skills
Prepare to talk about how you've identified and resolved integration bottlenecks in past roles. Use concrete examples to illustrate your thought process and the steps you took to improve systems. This will demonstrate your ability to reverse-engineer unclear systems and make them better.
✨Communicate Clearly
Since strong written communication is key for this role, practice explaining complex technical concepts in simple terms. You might be asked to produce documentation or diagrams during the interview, so being able to articulate your ideas clearly will set you apart.
✨Be Collaborative
CDP values teamwork, so be prepared to discuss how you've worked with cross-functional teams in the past. Share examples of how you've aligned multiple teams on shared technical approaches while maintaining delivery speed. Highlight your collaborative working style and how it contributes to overall engineering quality.
