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- Tasks: Lead the architectural evolution of a growing SaaS platform and drive innovation.
- Company: Dynamic tech company focused on cutting-edge software solutions.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, strong pension, private healthcare, and hybrid working.
- Why this job: Shape the future of technology while mentoring the next generation of engineers.
- Qualifications: 10+ years in software development with strong .NET and cloud experience.
- Other info: Join a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.
The predicted salary is between 70000 - 80000 £ per year.
Leeds (Hybrid - 2-3 days per week in office) £70,000 - £80,000 + strong pension + private healthcare
My client is continuing to expand their SaaS platform and is now seeking a Principal Engineer / Architect to take ownership of the technical direction, architectural evolution and innovation strategy. This is a senior, hands-on technical leadership role focused on ensuring the platform remains scalable, maintainable and performant as the organisation grows.
You will work across all engineering teams to define architectural standards, guide complex technical decisions and lead initiatives that strengthen performance, reliability, technical sustainability and innovation.
What will you do in the role?
- Architecture Governance
- Define and maintain system architecture standards
- Guide the evolution of platform architecture
- Support major technical decisions across engineering teams
- Review and approve complex technical designs
- Technical Debt and Modernisation
- Define and maintain a technical debt roadmap
- Lead initiatives such as frontend modernisation and system restructuring
- Improve the long-term maintainability of the platform
- Performance Engineering
- Identify and resolve system performance bottlenecks
- Lead database performance optimisation efforts
- Improve platform scalability and reliability
- Technical Leadership
- Mentor developers and Team Leads
- Support problem-solving for complex technical challenges
- Promote best practices in software design and development
- Platform Collaboration
- Work closely with Platform Engineers on infrastructure improvements
- Enhance CI/CD architecture and deployment processes
- Improve system monitoring and observability
- Data and Innovation
- Support development of data platform capabilities (e.g., ClickHouse, ElasticSearch)
- Explore AI and automation opportunities within the platform
- Drive innovation aligned with organisational needs
- Research and Development
- Define and lead the technical R&D strategy
- Identify and evaluate emerging technologies, tools and architectural approaches
- Run proofs-of-concept to validate new ideas
- Translate R&D findings into deliverable capabilities
- Establish structured experimentation with clear success criteria
- Keep the organisation informed of relevant technology trends
- Contribute to a culture of continuous improvement and innovation
What skills and experience will you already have?
- Essential
- 10+ years' experience in software development
- Experience designing and evolving large-scale systems
- Strong background in .NET and cloud-based architectures
- Experience with performance tuning and optimisation
- Degree in Computer Science or equivalent experience
- Deep understanding of software architecture principles
- Strong coding ability (C#, SQL, etc.)
- Experience with system integration patterns
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
- Ability to balance innovation with delivery needs
- Strong ability to assess new technologies and communicate trade-offs
- Strong understanding of performance optimisation techniques
- Experience with modern frontend frameworks (e.g. React)
- Desirable
- Experience with AWS
- Experience with distributed systems
- Experience with data platforms or analytics systems
- Experience contributing to R&D or innovation initiatives
- Experience evaluating and prototyping new technologies
- Exposure to AI/ML and emerging technology trends
- Experience introducing new technologies into production environments
Personal Qualities
- Highly analytical and detail-oriented
- Strong technical leadership presence
- Ability to influence without direct authority
- Passion for engineering excellence
- Pragmatic and outcome-focused
- Curious and forward-thinking mindset
- Comfortable operating in ambiguity
- Strong commercial awareness when assessing innovation
If you're looking for a senior technical leadership role where you can shape architectural direction, modernise a growing platform and lead high-impact engineering initiatives, please apply to find out more.
Please note: Sponsorship is not available for this role. Applicants must already have the right to work in the UK. We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age.
Principal Engineer / Architect in Bradford employer: Fruition Group
Contact Detail:
Fruition Group Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Principal Engineer / Architect in Bradford
✨Network Like a Pro
Get out there and connect with people in the industry! Attend meetups, webinars, or tech conferences. You never know who might be looking for someone with your skills or who can refer you to a great opportunity.
✨Show Off Your Skills
Don’t just talk about your experience; demonstrate it! Create a portfolio showcasing your projects, especially those that highlight your architectural skills and performance optimisation. This will make you stand out when you’re chatting with potential employers.
✨Ace the Interview
Prepare for technical interviews by brushing up on your coding skills and system design principles. Practice common interview questions and scenarios related to architecture governance and performance engineering. Confidence is key!
✨Apply Through Our Website
When you find a role that excites you, apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets the attention it deserves. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about their job search.
We think you need these skills to ace Principal Engineer / Architect in Bradford
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experience mentioned in the job description. Highlight your 10+ years in software development and any relevant projects that showcase your architectural expertise.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Use your cover letter to tell us why you're the perfect fit for the Principal Engineer / Architect role. Share specific examples of how you've led technical initiatives or improved system performance in previous roles.
Showcase Your Technical Skills: Don’t shy away from listing your technical proficiencies, especially in .NET, cloud architectures, and performance optimisation. We want to see your strong coding ability and understanding of software architecture principles!
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 to shape our platform's future.
How to prepare for a job interview at Fruition Group
✨Know Your Architecture Inside Out
Make sure you’re well-versed in architectural principles and the specific technologies mentioned in the job description. Be ready to discuss how you’ve previously defined and maintained system architecture standards, as well as your experience with performance tuning and optimisation.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples of how you've mentored developers or led technical initiatives. Highlight your ability to influence decisions across teams without direct authority, as this is crucial for a Principal Engineer/Architect role.
✨Demonstrate Problem-Solving Prowess
Be ready to tackle complex technical challenges during the interview. Think of scenarios where you identified performance bottlenecks or improved system scalability, and explain your thought process and the outcomes.
✨Stay Ahead of Tech Trends
Research emerging technologies relevant to the role, especially in AI and cloud-based architectures. Be prepared to discuss how you would evaluate and prototype new technologies, and how they could benefit the organisation’s innovation strategy.