At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead senior client engagements and mentor Tech Leads while evolving technical standards.
- Company: Bespoke software development house in central Bristol with a focus on employee happiness.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, 8% pension, profit share, flexible hybrid working, and generous holiday.
- Other info: Inclusive culture with a commitment to growth, sustainability, and community support.
- Why this job: Join a dynamic team, drive AI adoption, and make a real impact in software engineering.
- Qualifications: 8+ years in software engineering with leadership experience and a track record of complex client work.
The predicted salary is between 85000 - 95000 £ per year.
Central Bristol (hybrid) 🚀 The Giant Minds of Software. We're a bespoke software development house with brilliant talent, proudly based in central Bristol. Working across different sectors and with the latest technology, we deliver exceptional software engineering through high-quality bespoke projects, helping technically ambitious companies meet their business goals.
📍 Central Bristol, hybrid | 💰 £85,000 to £95,000 + 8% non-contributory pension + profit share
The role:
This role has three connected pillars: leading our most senior consultative client engagements, evolving our technical standards, and mentoring our Tech Leads alongside their Squad Leads. Your client work is targeted and advisory rather than day-to-day delivery: technical audits, foundation-setting, and consultancy that draws on real depth of experience. You'll also contribute to pre-sales, where your technical credibility helps shape and win work.
You'll build on the strong technical practices we already have, evolving and embedding them further with the team, with AI tooling and best practice a key part of that. You'll also mentor our senior Tech Leads while their Squad Leads handle day-to-day coordination, sharing knowledge across the group so our capability keeps building.
What you'll do:
- Lead senior, consultative client work: technical audits, foundation-setting and advisory engagements that draw on real depth of experience
- Bring technical credibility to pre-sales, from early client conversations through to bids and proposals
- Evolve our technical standards and make AI tooling a core part of how we build
- Mentor our senior Tech Leads and grow the next layer of technical leadership, so our capability never rests on one person
- Build strong client relationships during consultative engagements, managing expectations and constructively challenging requirements where it helps
- Spot and close skills gaps across the Tech Lead group, coaching them to raise the technical bar together
How we work:
We're an in-person Bristol team at heart, and a lot of the good stuff happens in the office. But once you're settled, you can work from home around two days a week. We trust that people to do their best work in the way that suits them.
Why us:
We put real emphasis on employee happiness, and we're proud to have been recognised by Best Companies two years running, including as a top five small company to work for in the UK. We're carbon neutral, committed to reducing our impact on the planet, and we work with local partners to help reduce inequalities in our community. We're not perfect, but we work hard to be excellent at what we do, and we want people who'll drive that excellence with us.
You should apply if:
- You've got 8+ years in software engineering, with several years at technical-leadership or architecture level, and a track record of leading complex client work
- You're comfortable across modern architecture, DevOps and more than one stack, and you pick the right tool rather than a favourite one
- You've actually driven AI adoption in how software gets built, not just kept an eye on it
- You raise the bar by growing the people around you, and you measure success by how strong the team is rather than how much only you can do
- You're happy moving across different clients and domains rather than settling into one codebase
- You're confident engaging clients directly on consultative work, and can flex between deep technical detail and business-level conversation
What's in it for you:
- An 8% non-contributory pension and profit share
- A flexible approach to hybrid working and hours
- Generous holiday, plus a company holiday and a personal morale budget
- Group income protection, life assurance and wellbeing support
- Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave
- Electric vehicle scheme, plus cycle to work and discounted bus fares
- A genuine investment in your growth and development
- A relaxed central Bristol office with a stocked drinks fridge, snacks and a pool table
Everybody is welcome to apply. We're committed to building a team where everyone can thrive, whatever your background, united by one thing: building software better and faster. If you've got the drive and the commercial instinct for this role, we'd love to hear from you. Even if you don't tick every box, tell us why you'd be a great fit.
Principal Tech Lead in Bristol employer: Ghyston
At Ghyston, we pride ourselves on fostering a collaborative and innovative work culture where every team member is encouraged to grow and excel. Located in the vibrant heart of Bristol, we offer unique opportunities for personal and professional development while contributing to meaningful projects that make a difference. Join us in our mission to build exceptional software and be part of a company recognised as one of the top small employers in the UK.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Principal Tech Lead in Bristol
✨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 Ghyston 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 Ghyston.
✨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 Ghyston.
✨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 Ghyston 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 Tech Lead in Bristol
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 Ghyston.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Ghyston 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 Ghyston
✨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 Ghyston 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.
