At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the design of backend systems for millions of players in Candy Crush Saga.
- Company: Join King, a leader in gaming with a collaborative and innovative culture.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible work options, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Dynamic environment with excellent career advancement opportunities.
- Why this job: Shape the future of gaming while tackling complex engineering challenges.
- Qualifications: Strong Java experience and a passion for mentoring fellow engineers.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 £ per year.
Are you passionate about building large-scale backend systems that power experiences for millions of players worldwide? Do you thrive on solving complex engineering challenges, influencing technical direction across teams, and mentoring other engineers? We are looking for a Principal Backend Software Engineer to join our Backend Engineering team in Candy Crush Saga and help shape the future of our game as well as the engineering practices at King.
As a Principal Backend Software Engineer, you will work closely with engineers, operators, product managers, QA, analysts, and technical leaders across multiple teams and domains. You will lead the design and evolution of backend systems, drive end-to-end technical initiatives, and help teams make sound architectural and operational decisions. You will act as a technical leader within the organization, partnering with stakeholders across business units to balance scalability, reliability, performance, and business impact.
Key Responsibilities- Lead the design and evolution of backend systems for in-game features that operate at massive scale, supporting millions of players and highly distributed live services.
- Drive architectural decisions, improve engineering standards, and build scalable backend systems that support highly available live game experiences.
- Strong professional experience with Java 17+ and modern backend development practices.
- Deep understanding of API design, distributed systems, and backend system architecture.
- Strong software engineering fundamentals and experience building scalable backend services and end-to-end system integrations.
- Experience working with gRPC and/or JSON-RPC based services.
- Solid understanding of dependency injection patterns and software design principles.
- Experience with Gradle, Docker and operating services on Google Cloud Platform (GCP).
- Strong understanding of system reliability, observability, incident management, and operational excellence.
- Ability to design, architect, test, document, and implement backend services and technical solutions.
- Excellent communication and collaboration skills across technical and non-technical audiences.
- Passion for mentoring engineers, improving engineering culture, and raising quality standards.
- Comfortable navigating ambiguity, evaluating trade-offs, and making pragmatic technical decisions.
- Experience working in gaming, live services, or large-scale consumer platforms.
- Experience with Kubernetes and cloud-native infrastructure.
- Experience with CI/CD pipelines and modern developer tooling.
- Knowledge of event-driven architectures and asynchronous systems.
- Knowledge of performance optimization and scalability best practices.
Principal Software Engineer employer: King
At King, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a vibrant work culture that fosters creativity and collaboration among our talented teams. As a Principal Software Engineer in our London office, you'll enjoy competitive benefits, opportunities for professional growth, and the chance to influence the future of gaming for millions of players worldwide. Join us to be part of a dynamic environment where your expertise will shape innovative backend systems and elevate engineering practices.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Principal Software Engineer
✨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 refer you directly.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio showcasing your projects, especially those related to backend systems. This is your chance to demonstrate your expertise in Java, API design, and scalable architectures.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for technical interviews by brushing up on your knowledge of distributed systems and backend architecture. Practice coding challenges and be ready to discuss your past experiences in detail.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! We love seeing candidates who are genuinely interested in joining us at StudySmarter. Tailor your application to highlight your passion for mentoring and improving engineering culture.
We think you need these skills to ace Principal Software Engineer
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that match the job description. Highlight your experience with Java, backend systems, and any relevant projects you've worked on. We want to see how you can contribute to our team!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to show us your passion for backend engineering and gaming. Share specific examples of how you've tackled complex challenges and led teams in the past. Let your personality shine through!
Showcase Your Technical Skills:Don’t forget to mention your experience with tools like Gradle, Docker, and GCP. If you've worked with gRPC or JSON-RPC, make sure to include that too! We love seeing candidates who are well-versed in modern backend practices.
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 the role. Plus, it shows us you're keen on joining our team at StudySmarter!
How to prepare for a job interview at King
✨Know Your Tech Inside Out
Make sure you’re well-versed in Java 17+ and the latest backend development practices. Brush up on your knowledge of API design, distributed systems, and backend architecture. Being able to discuss these topics confidently will show that you’re not just familiar with them, but that you can lead discussions around them.
✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills
Prepare to discuss specific engineering challenges you've faced in the past and how you tackled them. Think about examples where you influenced technical direction or made architectural decisions. This will demonstrate your ability to navigate complex problems and make sound decisions under pressure.
✨Emphasise Collaboration and Mentorship
Since this role involves working closely with various teams, be ready to talk about your experience collaborating with product managers, QA, and other engineers. Highlight any mentoring roles you've taken on, as this shows your commitment to improving engineering culture and raising quality standards.
✨Be Ready for Technical Questions
Expect to dive deep into your technical knowledge during the interview. Prepare for questions on dependency injection patterns, system reliability, and operational excellence. Practising coding challenges or system design scenarios can help you articulate your thought process clearly and effectively.
