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- Tasks: Lead and innovate across four product teams, driving architectural excellence and modernising legacy systems.
- Company: Join a forward-thinking tech company focused on AI and cloud-native solutions.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible work options, and opportunities for mentorship and growth.
- Why this job: Be a key player in shaping the future of technology while mentoring the next generation of engineers.
- Qualifications: Expertise in Java, Kotlin, and AWS; strong leadership and strategic thinking skills.
- Other info: Dynamic environment with a culture of curiosity and continuous learning.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
We are looking for a Principal Engineer to serve as a technical North Star for four high-impact product teams. This is a role for a visionary who still loves to get their hands dirty in the code, but whose greatest satisfaction comes from elevating the entire engineering organization.
You will be the bridge between our high-level product strategy and the execution of our product squads. Whether it’s launching zero-to-one AI products or leading the strategic decommissioning of legacy systems to make way for modern architectures, your influence will be felt across the entire tech stack.
The Role: Technical Excellence at Scale
As a Principal Engineer, you aren’t just a "super-coder", you are a force multiplier. You will drive the architectural standards, principles, and DevOps practices that allow our teams to move with speed and safety.
What You’ll Do:
- Architectural Leadership: Define and drive the technical roadmap across 4 product teams. You’ll ensure our move toward Kotlin and Java microservices on AWS is resilient, scalable, and future-proof.
- Legacy Transformation: Lead the charge in identifying and strangling legacy applications, replacing them with modern, high-performance systems without disrupting global operations.
- Zero-to-One Innovation: Partner with Product Managers to rapidly prototype and build brand-new AI-integrated products, taking them from a whiteboard concept to a production-ready reality.
- AI-First Workflow: Champion the adoption of AI development tools (Claude, Copilot, etc.) to optimize our engineering lifecycle and reduce time-to-market.
- Mentorship & Culture: You don’t just "tell" you "teach." You will mentor Lead and Senior Engineers, fostering a culture of curiosity, technical excellence, and a "you build it, you run it" DevOps mindset.
- Drive Principles: Establish the "Golden Path" for development, ensuring that CI/CD, security, and observability are baked into everything we build.
What You Bring:
- Backend Mastery: Deep expertise in Java and Kotlin, with a strong opinion on when to use which.
- Cloud Native DNA: Extensive experience with AWS (Lambda, EKS, RDS, EventBridge) and Infrastructure as Code.
- Strategic Thinker: You can zoom out to see the big picture of a multi-team ecosystem, then zoom in to help a squad debug a complex concurrency issue.
- Pragmatic Modernizer: You have a proven track record of successfully migrating or replacing legacy systems in a production environment.
- AI Enthusiast: You are already using AI tools to 10x your own productivity and are excited to help a whole organization do the same.
- Leadership without Ego: You lead through influence and technical respect, not just title. You thrive on seeing others succeed.
Ready to lead the evolution? If you are a Principal Engineer who is passionate about building new things, fixing old things, and helping people grow, let’s talk.
Principal Engineer employer: MRJ Recruitment
Contact Detail:
MRJ Recruitment 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 your connections in the industry, attend meetups, and engage in online forums. You never know who might have the inside scoop on a Principal Engineer role or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio showcasing your projects, especially those involving Java, Kotlin, or AI tools. This will give potential employers a taste of your technical excellence and innovative mindset.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on your architectural leadership skills. Be ready to discuss how you've driven technical roadmaps and transformed legacy systems in past roles. We want to see that visionary side of you!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are genuinely interested in joining our team.
We think you need these skills to ace Principal Engineer
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Engineering: When writing your application, let your enthusiasm for engineering shine through. We want to see how you’ve not only tackled complex problems but also how you’ve inspired others along the way. Share specific examples that highlight your journey and love for tech!
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your application to reflect the role of Principal Engineer. Highlight your experience with Java, Kotlin, and AWS, and don’t forget to mention any innovative projects you've led. We’re looking for someone who can bridge strategy and execution, so show us how you fit that bill!
Be Clear and Concise: While we love a good story, keep your application clear and to the point. Use bullet points where possible to make it easy for us to see your key achievements and skills. Remember, we’re sifting through lots of applications, so clarity is key!
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows you’re keen on joining the StudySmarter team!
How to prepare for a job interview at MRJ Recruitment
✨Know Your Tech Inside Out
As a Principal Engineer, you need to demonstrate your deep expertise in Java and Kotlin. Brush up on the latest features and best practices, and be ready to discuss how you've applied them in real-world scenarios. This will show that you’re not just a visionary but also someone who can get their hands dirty.
✨Showcase Your Architectural Vision
Prepare to talk about your experience in defining technical roadmaps and driving architectural standards. Think of specific examples where you’ve led teams through legacy transformations or implemented modern architectures. This will highlight your ability to bridge high-level strategy with execution.
✨Emphasise Your Mentorship Skills
Since mentoring is a key part of the role, come prepared with stories that illustrate how you've helped others grow. Discuss your approach to fostering a culture of curiosity and technical excellence, and how you’ve instilled a 'you build it, you run it' mindset in your teams.
✨Be an AI Advocate
Given the focus on AI tools, share your experiences using AI to enhance productivity. Talk about specific tools like Claude or Copilot that you've used, and how they’ve impacted your workflow. This will show that you’re not only familiar with AI but are also excited to lead its adoption across the organisation.
