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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the design and evolution of a cutting-edge cloud platform for education.
- Company: Join a forward-thinking tech company focused on transforming education through technology.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible working options, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in education by shaping innovative cloud solutions.
- Qualifications: Extensive experience in platform engineering and deep knowledge of Kubernetes and cloud architecture.
- Other info: Dynamic role with a focus on AI-driven operations and continuous improvement.
The predicted salary is between 72000 - 108000 £ per year.
The Principal Platform Engineer is the technical and architectural leader for a large-scale, education-focused cloud platform. This role defines and evolves an AI-first, cloud-native Internal Developer Platform (“Golden Path”) that enables global product teams to deliver secure, reliable SaaS solutions at speed. The platform is treated as a product, optimised for developer experience, automation, security, and operational excellence.
Key Objectives
- Platform as a Product: Design and govern a standardised, self-service Internal Developer Platform that abstracts infrastructure complexity.
- Architecture & Delivery: Establish enterprise Infrastructure-as-Code and CI/CD standards across a complex cloud environment.
- Security by Design: Embed automated, non-bypassable security and compliance controls into platforms and pipelines.
- Observability: Own global observability standards to enable proactive monitoring, incident response, and service visibility.
Technical Environment
- Cloud: Azure (primary), with AWS and hybrid/on-prem exposure
- IaC: Terraform, Bicep
- Containers: Kubernetes / managed Kubernetes
- CI/CD: Azure DevOps, TeamCity, Octopus Deploy
- Observability: Datadog and native cloud tooling
- Data: SQL Server, MySQL
Responsibilities
- Own the architectural roadmap for platform tooling, CI/CD, and observability.
- Design self-healing systems and standardised Golden Paths that eliminate manual operations.
- Act as the senior authority for platform and cloud architecture decisions.
- Lead cloud migrations and infrastructure modernisation initiatives.
- Embed security, compliance, resilience, and FinOps practices by default.
- Advise Engineering Leads and Managers on platform standards and strategy.
- Continuously improve developer experience, delivery velocity, and platform reliability.
- Research and introduce emerging technologies, including AI-driven operations.
Success Measures
- 3 months: Unified observability standards, architectural discovery, and risk assessment.
- 6 months: Flagship product migrated to target architecture; reusable IaC patterns delivered.
- 12 months: Fully self-service developer platform with measurable DORA and stability improvements.
Experience & Skills
- Essential: Senior leadership experience in platform engineering within large-scale SaaS environments.
- Deep Kubernetes and cloud-native architecture expertise.
- Mastery of Terraform and Bicep.
- Proven delivery of complex cloud migrations.
- Strong security, compliance, and vulnerability management background.
- Experience applying AI-assisted automation across the SDLC.
- Desirable: AI/ML applied to observability or operations.
- DORA metrics and developer experience optimisation.
- FinOps and cloud cost optimisation.
- Designing resilient, highly available data platforms.
Principal Platform Engineer in Reading employer: Shaw Daniels Solutions
Contact Detail:
Shaw Daniels Solutions Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Principal Platform Engineer in Reading
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry, attend meetups, and engage in online forums. The more people you know, the better your chances of landing that Principal Platform Engineer role.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio or GitHub repository showcasing your projects, especially those involving Kubernetes, Terraform, and cloud migrations. This will give potential employers a taste of what you can bring to the table.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on your technical knowledge and soft skills. Be ready to discuss your experience with CI/CD, security practices, and how you've improved developer experience in past roles.
✨Tip Number 4
Don't forget to apply through our website! We love seeing candidates who are genuinely interested in joining our team. Plus, it makes the process smoother for everyone involved.
We think you need these skills to ace Principal Platform Engineer in Reading
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that align with the Principal Platform Engineer role. Highlight your expertise in cloud-native architecture, Kubernetes, and Terraform to catch our eye!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Use your cover letter to tell us why you're passionate about platform engineering and how you can contribute to our mission at StudySmarter. Share specific examples of your past achievements that relate to the job description.
Showcase Your Technical Skills: Don’t shy away from listing your technical proficiencies! We want to see your experience with CI/CD, observability tools, and security practices. Be clear and concise about your hands-on experience in these areas.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website for the best chance of getting noticed. It’s the easiest way for us to keep track of your application and ensure it reaches the right people!
How to prepare for a job interview at Shaw Daniels Solutions
✨Know Your Tech Inside Out
Make sure you’re well-versed in the technologies mentioned in the job description, especially Azure, Terraform, and Kubernetes. Brush up on your knowledge of Infrastructure-as-Code and CI/CD practices, as these will likely be key discussion points during the interview.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Principal Platform Engineer, you'll need to demonstrate your senior leadership experience. Prepare examples of how you've led teams or projects in the past, particularly in large-scale SaaS environments. Highlight your ability to make architectural decisions and guide engineering leads.
✨Emphasise Security and Compliance
Given the focus on security by design, be ready to discuss your experience with embedding security controls into platforms and pipelines. Share specific instances where you’ve implemented security measures and how they improved the overall system integrity.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect scenario-based questions that assess your problem-solving skills and technical expertise. Think about challenges you've faced in cloud migrations or platform optimisations, and be prepared to explain your thought process and the outcomes of your decisions.
