At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the transformation of legacy systems to modern cloud-native platforms.
- Company: Join a tech organisation driving genuine platform change in Belfast.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, leadership bonus, and hybrid working options.
- Other info: Clear progression paths and a supportive engineering culture await you.
- Why this job: Own the technical direction and make a real impact on platform evolution.
- Qualifications: 10+ years in software engineering with strong .NET and cloud experience.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 £ per year.
A principal-level architecture and engineering leadership role focused on .NET, cloud-native (Azure/AWS), Kubernetes, and event-driven systems.
About the Company
Our client is a technology organisation undergoing a genuine platform transformation, moving away from complex legacy systems towards a modern, cloud-native architecture. They are investing seriously in engineering leadership to facilitate this shift, both technically and culturally, and are building out teams across Belfast and international sites.
The Role
This is a senior leadership position that combines architectural ownership with people leadership. You will define the long-term technical direction for the platform, guide teams through significant legacy modernisation, and raise the engineering bar across the wider organisation. Reporting into the CTO / Head of Engineering, you will work closely with senior stakeholders to ensure every architecture decision supports both product ambition and future scale.
Key Responsibilities
- Define and own the target architecture, leading the transition from legacy systems to modern, cloud-native platforms.
- Drive the decomposition of monolithic systems into modular services, APIs, and event-driven components.
- Lead platform evolution initiatives including cloud migration, containerisation, and CI/CD automation.
- Provide architectural oversight across multiple teams and applications.
- Establish and run architecture governance through review boards and technical working groups.
- Lead and mentor engineering managers and senior engineers.
- Champion software craftsmanship, testing strategies, and design patterns.
- Collaborate with frontend and backend leaders to ensure scalability, performance, and consistency across the platform.
- Work with product, infrastructure, and senior leadership to define architectural roadmaps.
- Communicate architectural decisions clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
What You'll Need
Essential:
- 10+ years of professional software engineering experience.
- Strong .NET background with modern cloud-based architecture experience.
- Proven track record leading large-scale platform modernisation.
- Experience operating at Principal Engineer, Architect, or Engineering Manager level.
- Deep understanding of distributed systems, APIs, and event-driven architectures.
- Hands-on experience with Azure or AWS and container platforms such as Kubernetes.
Nice to have:
- Java or Python experience for architectural experimentation and prototyping.
- Experience scaling engineering teams across multiple sites.
Why Apply?
- Competitive salary plus leadership bonus.
- Hybrid working from Belfast.
- Real ownership and genuine influence over technical direction.
- Lead a major platform transformation with long-term, visible impact.
- Clear progression paths across Principal, Head of Engineering, and Enterprise Architecture.
- A supportive engineering culture built on quality, trust, and delivery.
- Work alongside experienced engineers and leaders who care about doing things properly.
Get in Touch
For a confidential conversation, reach out to Ryan Quinn directly on LinkedIn or apply via the link below.
.Net Lead employer: Ocho
Our client is an exceptional employer, offering a unique opportunity to lead a significant platform transformation in a supportive and innovative engineering culture based in Belfast. With competitive salaries, hybrid working options, and clear progression paths, employees are empowered to take genuine ownership of their work while collaborating with experienced professionals who prioritise quality and trust. This role not only promises impactful contributions but also fosters personal and professional growth within a forward-thinking technology organisation.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land .Net Lead
✨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 Ocho 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 Ocho.
✨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 Ocho.
✨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 Ocho 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 .Net Lead
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 Ocho.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Ocho 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 Ocho
✨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 Ocho 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.
