Find a job 
Featured Companies 
Featured Universities 
For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the development of high-performance software solutions in a fast-paced environment.
- Company: Join a beloved brand known for its innovative B2C2B services and rapid growth.
- Benefits: Enjoy a hybrid work model, competitive salary, and a supportive team culture.
- Why this job: Be part of a mission-critical project that impacts millions and drives technological change.
- Qualifications: 10+ years in software engineering with expertise in C# or Java and cloud technologies.
- Other info: This role offers opportunities for mentorship and influence within a diverse remote team.
The predicted salary is between 54000 - 84000 ÂŁ per year.
Are you an experienced Senior Principal Engineer looking for your next challenge? We’re looking for an exceptional Senior Principal Engineer to lead the technical direction and architecture of our most critical systems. This is a high‑impact leadership position where you’ll define engineering standards, mentor senior teams, and shape the future of our technology stack.
As a Senior Principal Engineer, you’ll be the go‑to expert for architecture, scalability, and innovation, partnering closely with Product, Engineering, and Executive leadership. This is an individual contributor role.
Our client, a well‑known product & tech‑lead eCommerce business, is going through a major re‑architecture to help 10x scale their platform to ingest > 10Bn data‑points a day. We are looking for a principal engineer who can technically lead this initiative while also being a bar‑raiser across the broader engineering division.
If you enjoy variety in your role, have experience building large‑scale distributed systems, and know how to balance a \”start‑up scrappy\” approach with best‑in‑class practices for fast, optimal customer outcomes, then we’d love to hear from you.
Essential skills for the role:
- Minimum of 15 years software engineering experience, with at least 5 in technical leadership roles responsible across multiple teams.
- Proven experience building large‑scale distributed systems.
- A strong commercial focus with experience partnering with strong technical product organizations and interacting with executive leadership.
- Comfortable moving fluidly between strategic architecture leadership and hands‑on coding—whether shaping long‑term vision, testing emerging technologies, or crafting exemplar code to raise engineering standards.
- Polyglot engineering mindset: while a background in OO (Java, C#, Python) is useful given the existing tech stack, the focus is on using the best tool to solve the problem.
- Deep expertise with cloud technology—AWS is a big plus.
- Proven experience using innovation to drive better commercial outcomes.
- Experience as a bar‑raiser, constructively challenging the status quo with insight and empathy—fostering a culture of continuous improvement through influence and expertise.
If you enjoy being challenged, work with exceptional people, and want to make a significant impact on a business that already generates > £1Bn in revenue, we’d love to hear from you.
Interested Principal Engineer candidates are encouraged to apply. Promising applicants can expect a response within 24 hours, including full details of the role, progression, and the excellent benefits package on offer.
This is a remote‑first role; candidates will be expected to visit the company offices at least once a month for company‑wide meet‑ups.
The Difference Engine is a recruitment agency working exclusively in support of our client.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Principal Engineer employer: The Difference Engine
Contact Detail:
The Difference Engine Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Principal Engineer
✨Tip Number 1
Network with professionals in the software engineering field, especially those who have experience in high throughput and low latency systems. Attend industry meetups or webinars to connect with potential colleagues and learn more about the company culture.
✨Tip Number 2
Showcase your leadership skills by discussing your experiences in mentoring and developing teams during interviews. Be prepared to share specific examples of how you've influenced positive change and improved team performance in previous roles.
✨Tip Number 3
Familiarise yourself with the latest trends in cloud technology and microservices architecture. Being able to discuss recent advancements and how they can be applied to improve system performance will demonstrate your commitment to staying current in the field.
✨Tip Number 4
Prepare for technical discussions by brushing up on your knowledge of SDLC processes, particularly TDD and CI/CD pipelines. Being able to articulate your understanding of these concepts will help you stand out as a candidate who is not only technically proficient but also aligned with the company's goals.
We think you need these skills to ace Principal Engineer
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights your experience in software engineering, particularly with C# or Java. Emphasise your expertise in cloud technologies and your ability to deliver high throughput, low latency solutions.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: In your cover letter, showcase your leadership style and how you build empathy within your team. Mention specific examples of how you've mentored high-performing teams and influenced stakeholders positively.
Highlight Relevant Experience: Detail your experience with microservices architecture, SDLC processes, and any relevant tools like Kafka. Be sure to include your understanding of Agile methodologies and how you've applied them in past roles.
Showcase Communication Skills: Since excellent written and verbal communication skills are essential for this role, ensure your application is well-structured and free of errors. Consider including examples of how you've effectively communicated technical concepts to diverse audiences.
How to prepare for a job interview at The Difference Engine
✨Showcase Your Technical Expertise
Be prepared to discuss your experience with C# or Java in detail. Highlight specific projects where you delivered high throughput, low latency solutions, and be ready to explain the technical challenges you faced and how you overcame them.
✨Demonstrate Leadership Qualities
As a Principal Engineer, you'll need to show that you can lead and mentor a team. Share examples of how you've supported the learning and development of your team members, and how you've fostered an empathetic and compassionate work environment.
✨Communicate Effectively
Excellent communication skills are essential for this role. Practice articulating complex technical concepts in a way that is accessible to non-technical stakeholders. Be ready to discuss how you've influenced decisions at various levels within an organisation.
✨Emphasise Your Innovative Mindset
The company is looking for a change maker who can spot opportunities for improvement. Prepare to discuss instances where you've implemented innovative solutions or disrupted the status quo in your previous roles, showcasing your ability to think outside the box.
