Principal Engineer in Peterborough

Principal Engineer in Peterborough

Peterborough Full-Time 90000 - 120000 £ / year (est.) No home office possible
Synergetic

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead the design and optimisation of a large-scale observability platform.
  • Company: Join a forward-thinking tech company focused on cloud infrastructure.
  • Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible working options, and opportunities for professional growth.
  • Other info: Mentor engineers and drive innovation in a dynamic environment.
  • Why this job: Be the expert shaping impactful infrastructure solutions at scale.
  • Qualifications: 15+ years in distributed systems, strong Kubernetes and Golang skills.

The predicted salary is between 90000 - 120000 £ per year.

Our client is scaling a large, distributed cloud platform and is looking for a Principal Engineer to act as the Subject Matter Expert (SME) across observability and cloud infrastructure. You’ll be working at serious scale managing thousands of Kubernetes nodes, handling tens of terabytes of logs daily, and supporting millions of real-time metrics across a highly distributed environment.

The Role

This is a senior, hands-on role where you will own the technical direction and standards of the observability ecosystem. As the SME, you’ll define best practice, guide architectural decisions, and act as the go-to expert across engineering teams, ensuring scalable, cost-efficient, and high-performance systems.

Key Responsibilities

  • Act as the SME for observability and cloud infrastructure across the organisation
  • Lead architecture across metrics, logs, and tracing systems
  • Design and optimise high-throughput data pipelines and storage layers
  • Implement strategies such as sampling, aggregation, and down-sampling
  • Extend and enhance open-source observability tools at scale
  • Partner with engineering teams to standardise tooling and improve adoption
  • Drive reliability, scalability, and cost optimisation across the platform
  • Define and promote best practices aligned with OpenTelemetry and modern observability standards
  • Mentor engineers and elevate engineering quality across teams

Tech Environment

  • Kubernetes at scale (thousands of nodes)
  • High-volume telemetry (hundreds of thousands of events per second)
  • Observability stack: Prometheus, Grafana, Loki, Tempo, ELK/OpenSearch, ClickHouse

What We’re Looking For

  • 15+ years building and scaling distributed systems
  • Strong hands-on experience with Golang (plus Python or Shell)
  • Deep expertise in observability at scale
  • Strong Kubernetes and cloud infrastructure experience
  • Proven ability to design systems for performance, scale, and cost efficiency
  • Experience with service mesh technologies (e.g. Istio/Envoy)
  • Ability to operate as a technical authority and trusted advisor across teams

Nice to Have

  • Open-source or CNCF contributions
  • Experience using AI tools to improve engineering efficiency

Why Join

  • Be the go-to expert shaping a large-scale observability platform
  • Work on complex, high-impact infrastructure challenges
  • Strong ownership and influence at Principal level

Principal Engineer in Peterborough employer: Synergetic

Join a forward-thinking company that values innovation and expertise, where as a Principal Engineer, you will play a pivotal role in shaping a large-scale observability platform. With a strong emphasis on collaboration and mentorship, the work culture fosters continuous learning and professional growth, while the opportunity to tackle complex infrastructure challenges ensures your contributions have a meaningful impact. Located in a vibrant tech hub, this position offers not only competitive benefits but also the chance to work alongside industry leaders in a dynamic environment.
Synergetic

Contact Detail:

Synergetic Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

We think this is how you could land Principal Engineer in Peterborough

✨Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Attend industry meetups, conferences, or webinars related to cloud infrastructure and observability. Engaging with others in the field can lead to valuable connections and potential job opportunities.

✨Tip Number 2

Show off your skills! Create a portfolio showcasing your projects, especially those involving Kubernetes, Golang, or observability tools. This gives you a chance to demonstrate your expertise and passion for the role.

✨Tip Number 3

Prepare for technical interviews by brushing up on your knowledge of distributed systems and observability best practices. Practise explaining complex concepts clearly, as you'll need to communicate effectively with various teams.

✨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 Engineer in Peterborough

Subject Matter Expert (SME)
Kubernetes
Cloud Infrastructure
Observability
Data Pipeline Design
High-Throughput Systems
OpenTelemetry
Golang
Python
Shell Scripting
Service Mesh Technologies (e.g. Istio, Envoy)
Mentoring
Architectural Decision Making
Cost Optimisation

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that align with the Principal Engineer role. Highlight your expertise in observability, cloud infrastructure, and any relevant projects you've worked on. 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 this role and how your background makes you the perfect fit. Don’t forget to mention your experience with Kubernetes and high-volume telemetry – we love those details!

Showcase Your Technical Skills: In your application, be sure to highlight your hands-on experience with Golang, Python, or Shell. We’re looking for someone who can dive deep into technical challenges, so don’t hold back on sharing your achievements in building scalable systems.

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’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows us you’re keen on joining our awesome team at StudySmarter!

How to prepare for a job interview at Synergetic

✨Know Your Tech Inside Out

Make sure you’re well-versed in the technologies mentioned in the job description, especially Kubernetes, Golang, and observability tools like Prometheus and Grafana. Brush up on your knowledge of high-throughput data pipelines and be ready to discuss how you've tackled similar challenges in the past.

✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills

Prepare to share specific examples of how you've designed systems for performance, scale, and cost efficiency. Think about times when you’ve optimised processes or mentored others, as these experiences will highlight your ability to lead and influence teams effectively.

✨Understand the Company’s Needs

Research the company’s current observability practices and cloud infrastructure. Be ready to discuss how you can enhance their existing systems and what best practices you would implement. This shows that you’re not just a tech expert but also someone who understands the business side of things.

✨Be Ready for Technical Challenges

Expect technical questions or even a live coding session. Practice solving problems related to distributed systems and observability. This will help you demonstrate your hands-on experience and reassure the interviewers that you can handle the role's demands.

Principal Engineer in Peterborough
Synergetic
Location: Peterborough

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