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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 Stockport 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 Stockport
✨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 job openings or can refer you directly.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio or GitHub repository showcasing your projects, especially those related to cloud platforms and automation. This gives potential employers a taste of what you can do beyond your CV.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on your technical knowledge and soft skills. Practice common interview questions and scenarios related to platform engineering, and be ready to discuss your past experiences in detail.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! We’re always on the lookout for talented individuals like you. Plus, it’s a great way to ensure your application gets the attention it deserves.
We think you need these skills to ace Principal Platform Engineer in Stockport
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV speaks directly to the role of Principal Platform Engineer. Highlight your experience with cloud platforms, Kubernetes, and any relevant projects that showcase your architectural skills. We want to see how you can bring value to our team!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're passionate about education technology and how your background aligns with our mission at StudySmarter. Let us know what excites you about the role and how you can contribute to our platform.
Showcase Your Technical Skills: Don’t hold back on your technical expertise! Be specific about your experience with Terraform, Bicep, and CI/CD processes. We’re looking for someone who can lead and innovate, so make sure we see your strengths in these areas clearly.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother application process. It helps us keep everything organised and ensures your application gets the attention it deserves. Plus, it’s super easy!
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, Kubernetes, Terraform, and Bicep. Brush up on your knowledge of CI/CD processes and observability tools like Datadog. Being able to discuss these confidently will show that you’re not just familiar but truly understand how they fit into the role.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Principal Platform Engineer, you’ll be expected to lead and influence. Prepare examples from your past experiences where you’ve successfully led teams or projects, particularly in cloud migrations or architecture decisions. Highlight how you’ve improved developer experience or operational excellence in previous roles.
✨Emphasise Security and Compliance
Security is a big deal in this role, so be ready to discuss how you’ve embedded security practices into platforms and pipelines. Share specific instances where you’ve implemented automated security controls or managed compliance in a cloud environment. This will demonstrate your understanding of 'Security by Design'.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect scenario-based questions that assess your problem-solving skills and technical decision-making. Think about challenges you’ve faced in platform engineering and how you overcame them. Be ready to discuss how you would approach designing self-healing systems or establishing observability standards in a complex cloud environment.
