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- Tasks: Lead software development, mentor engineers, and design innovative solutions in an agile team.
- Company: Join the dynamic team at Very, a leading digital retailer.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexibility, great perks, and opportunities for personal growth.
- Other info: Be part of a culture that values continuous improvement and innovation.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on millions of customers while advancing your tech career.
- Qualifications: Extensive experience in software architecture, Java, AWS, and CI/CD tools.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
About us. We’re the team behind digital retailer Very. Our purpose, helping families get more out of life, powers everything we do. And we want our people to get more out of life too! If you’re high-performing, ambitious and make the most of every opportunity, we want to hear from you. In return, you’ll enjoy heaps of flexibility, great perks and benefits, and the freedom to be yourself, keep learning and take your career wherever you want it to go. If you love making a difference, you’ll love making it sparkle for millions of Very customers.
About The Teams Our software engineering teams are responsible for designing, building, integrating, and managing technology across all products and functions. They focus on developing secure, highly available, cloud-based solutions, utilising open-source technologies where appropriate. By employing APIs as a standard for integration, they facilitate robust communication between internal and external systems. Our teams adopt data and event-driven approaches, working iteratively and continuously to deliver high-quality solutions. This role sits within our Retail Technology team, they own the creation and maintenance of our product catalogue and the prices we sell products at. We set pricing strategy, including when to run offers and which types of promotions to use. We manage product set-up end to end, on-site copy, categorisation, and navigation to help customers find products easily. We also manage supplier contracts, stock planning, and forecasting to ensure timely replenishment. The Retail team are looking to leverage AI capability to improve our price decisioning process to improve our margin as an organisation and better value for our customers. Alongside this we want to create more bespoke product copy and attribution so customers can find the products they want more easily. The roles will be linked to new squads being set up to deliver these initiatives and maintain, run and enhance them going forward.
About the role. As a Principal Software Engineer, you will be responsible for designing, building and running front-end and/or back-end software solutions in an agile delivery squad. This role is hands-on, you’ll be actively involved in designing, implementing and running the products and services that your squad are responsible for. You’ll help shape best practices in software engineering, then both work to and coach other Squad members into driving and ensuring high quality solutions.
What you'll be doing:
- Lead the full software development lifecycle, including coding practices, frameworks, technical debt, and operations within your squad.
- Collaborate with Engineers, Product Owners, Business Analysts, and Architects to design and deliver industry-leading systems.
- Influence and implement engineering standards and tools, driving adoption across squads and tribes.
- Design and build software that balances commercial needs with the future tech roadmap.
- Take ownership of code quality, non-functional requirements (performance, security, scalability), and best practices for logging, monitoring, and alerting.
- Drive improvements in continuous integration and deployment processes.
- Identify and mitigate risks, obstacles, and issues impacting technical products.
- Provide run support for technical products within your squad.
- Mentor and coach other engineers, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
- Champion engineering successes internally and externally to build our brand and attract talent.
- Stay ahead of the curve by understanding the external technology landscape and applying insights to enhance our engineering practices.
About you
- Extensive experience in building, integrating, and managing complex software architectures, ideally across multi-cloud environments.
- Strong hands-on experience with Java, AWS components, and CI/CD tools (e.g., GitLab CI).
- Proven ability to mentor and guide less experienced engineers.
- Passionate about code quality, testing, and engineering best practices.
- Skilled in building applications with security, reliability, scalability, and high availability from the ground up.
- Excellent collaboration and communication skills.
- Degree in Computer Science or equivalent experience.
- Comfortable sharing knowledge and stories internally and externally to strengthen our engineering brand.
Principal Software Engineer - Retail Technology (Hiring Immediately) in Liverpool employer: The Very Group
Contact Detail:
The Very Group Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Principal Software Engineer - Retail Technology (Hiring Immediately) in Liverpool
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry, attend meetups, and engage on platforms like LinkedIn. We all know that sometimes it’s not just what you know, but who you know that can help you land that Principal Software Engineer role.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio or GitHub repository showcasing your projects and contributions. This is your chance to demonstrate your hands-on experience with Java, AWS, and CI/CD tools, making you stand out to potential employers.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for those interviews! Research common technical questions and practice coding challenges. We recommend using platforms that simulate real interview scenarios to boost your confidence and ensure you’re ready to impress.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are genuinely interested in joining our team at Very!
We think you need these skills to ace Principal Software Engineer - Retail Technology (Hiring Immediately) in Liverpool
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion: When writing your application, let your enthusiasm for software engineering shine through! We want to see how your passion aligns with our mission at Very and how you can contribute to making a difference for our customers.
Tailor Your CV: Make sure to customise your CV to highlight your experience with Java, AWS, and CI/CD tools. We’re looking for specific skills that match the role, so don’t be shy about showcasing your relevant projects and achievements!
Be Clear and Concise: Keep your application straightforward and to the point. Use clear language to describe your experiences and skills, and avoid jargon unless it’s relevant. We appreciate clarity as much as we appreciate technical expertise!
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it’s super easy to do!
How to prepare for a job interview at The Very Group
✨Know Your Tech Stack
Make sure you’re well-versed in the technologies mentioned in the job description, especially Java and AWS components. Brush up on your knowledge of CI/CD tools like GitLab CI, as you might be asked to discuss how you've used them in past projects.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Principal Software Engineer, you'll need to demonstrate your ability to mentor and guide others. Prepare examples of how you've successfully led teams or improved processes in previous roles. This will show that you can not only code but also inspire and elevate those around you.
✨Understand the Business Side
Since this role involves balancing commercial needs with tech roadmaps, be ready to discuss how your technical decisions have positively impacted business outcomes. Think about times when your work has directly contributed to revenue growth or customer satisfaction.
✨Prepare for Scenario Questions
Expect to face scenario-based questions that assess your problem-solving skills. Practice articulating your thought process when tackling challenges, such as mitigating risks or improving deployment processes. This will help interviewers see how you approach real-world issues.