Principal Engineer

Principal Engineer

Full-Time 48000 - 72000 £ / year (est.) No home office possible
Go Premium
M

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Build and optimise complex systems at the intersection of software, hardware, and AI.
  • Company: Join a small, ambitious engineering team in a leading tech company.
  • Benefits: Competitive salary, full-time role, and opportunities for professional growth.
  • Why this job: Take ownership of large-scale systems and make a real impact in tech.
  • Qualifications: 5+ years in distributed systems, Kubernetes, and cloud-native environments.
  • Other info: Collaborative culture with a focus on innovation and problem-solving.

The predicted salary is between 48000 - 72000 £ per year.

This is a role for engineers who like big systems, hard problems, and meaningful ownership. You’ll be joining a team operating at the intersection of software, hardware, and AI. The engineering team is small, ambitious, and deeply technical, building the orchestration systems that keep thousands of GPUs running at peak performance across global data centres.

About You

You’re a pragmatic systems builder who thrives in complexity, enjoys autonomy, and understands what it means to own production at scale. You’ll likely bring:

  • 5+ years’ experience building distributed systems in Go within cloud-native environments.
  • Deep hands-on experience with Kubernetes and container orchestration.
  • A strong grasp of Infrastructure-as-Code (Terraform) and configuration management tools (Ansible, Puppet, or similar).
  • Strong observability experience using tools like Prometheus / Mimir, Loki, Tempo, Grafana, Alertmanager.
  • Experience deploying and operating large-scale GPU clusters or HPC systems (Ideally).
  • Working knowledge of ML infrastructure and familiarity with GPU drivers, CUDA, and container runtimes.
  • A low-ego, collaborative approach and a clear, proactive communication style.

Seniority Level Mid-Senior level

Employment Type Full-time

Job Function Engineering and Product Management

Industries Software Development, IT System Custom Software Development, and IT Services and IT Consulting

Base Pay Range This range is provided by Motive Group. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.

Principal Engineer employer: Motive Group

As a Principal Engineer at our company, you will be part of a dynamic and innovative team that thrives on tackling complex challenges in the realm of software, hardware, and AI. We foster a collaborative work culture that values autonomy and meaningful ownership, providing ample opportunities for professional growth and development in a cutting-edge environment. Located in a vibrant tech hub, we offer competitive benefits and a supportive atmosphere that encourages creativity and excellence.
M

Contact Detail:

Motive Group Recruiting Team

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 the industry, attend meetups, and connect with people on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.

✨Tip Number 2

Show off your skills! Create a portfolio or GitHub repository showcasing your projects, especially those involving distributed systems or Kubernetes. This gives potential employers a taste of what you can do and sets you apart from the crowd.

✨Tip Number 3

Prepare for technical interviews by brushing up on your knowledge of Infrastructure-as-Code and observability tools. Practice coding challenges and system design questions that reflect the complexities of the role. We want you to feel confident when it’s showtime!

✨Tip Number 4

Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are genuinely interested in joining our ambitious team.

We think you need these skills to ace Principal Engineer

Distributed Systems
Go Programming
Cloud-Native Environments
Kubernetes
Container Orchestration
Infrastructure-as-Code
Terraform
Configuration Management Tools
Ansible
Puppet
Observability Tools
Prometheus
Grafana
GPU Clusters
HPC Systems
ML Infrastructure
CUDA
Container Runtimes
Proactive Communication
Collaboration

Some tips for your application 🫡

Show Your Passion for Big Systems: When writing your application, let us see your enthusiasm for tackling big systems and complex problems. Share specific examples of projects where you've taken ownership and made a real impact.

Highlight Relevant Experience: Make sure to emphasise your 5+ years of experience with distributed systems in Go and cloud-native environments. We want to know about your hands-on work with Kubernetes and any large-scale GPU clusters you've managed.

Be Clear and Proactive: Your communication style matters! Use clear language and be proactive in explaining your skills and experiences. This will help us understand how you can fit into our collaborative team.

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 don’t miss out on any important updates from our team.

How to prepare for a job interview at Motive Group

✨Know Your Tech Inside Out

Make sure you’re well-versed in the technologies mentioned in the job description, especially Go, Kubernetes, and Terraform. Brush up on your knowledge of distributed systems and be ready to discuss your hands-on experience with these tools during the interview.

✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills

Prepare to talk about complex problems you've tackled in the past. Think of specific examples where you’ve built or optimised systems, particularly in cloud-native environments. This will demonstrate your ability to thrive in complexity and take ownership of production at scale.

✨Communicate Clearly and Collaboratively

Since a low-ego, collaborative approach is key for this role, practice articulating your thoughts clearly. Be prepared to discuss how you’ve worked with teams in the past, highlighting your proactive communication style and how it contributed to successful projects.

✨Demonstrate Your Passion for AI and GPUs

Given the focus on AI and GPU clusters, show your enthusiasm for these areas. Discuss any relevant projects or experiences you have with ML infrastructure, GPU drivers, or CUDA. This will help convey your genuine interest in the role and the company’s mission.

Principal Engineer
Motive Group
Go Premium

Land your dream job quicker with Premium

You’re marked as a top applicant with our partner companies
Individual CV and cover letter feedback including tailoring to specific job roles
Be among the first applications for new jobs with our AI application
1:1 support and career advice from our career coaches
Go Premium

Money-back if you don't land a job in 6-months

M
Similar positions in other companies
UK’s top job board for Gen Z
discover-jobs-cta
Discover now
>