Principal Software Engineer Backend Technologies, Platform (UK Remote) in Manchester

• Full-time
• Company Description

When you join Turnitin, you'll be welcomed into a company that is a recognized innovator in global education.

For over 25 years, Turnitin has partnered with educators and institutions to develop learning integrity solutions that recognize the enduring value of critical thinking in a rapidly changing world.

Over 16,000 academic institutions, publishers, and corporations use our services in more than 185 countries around the world: Turnitin Feedback Studio, Clarity, Originality, Gradescope, Exam Soft, Similarity, and i Thenticate.

Protecting the value of an authentic education is at the heart of who we are.

Experience a remote‑first culture that empowers you to work with purpose and accountability in a way that best suits you, supported by a comprehensive package that prioritizes your overall well‑being.

Our diverse community of colleagues are all unified by a shared desire to make a difference in education.

Turnitin is a global organization with team members in over 35 countries including the United States, Mexico, United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, India, and the Philippines.

Job Description

Turnitin is seeking a Principal Backend Engineer with a strong focus on backend development, particularly in Java and serverless architectures, combined with solid frontend experience.

This role is ideal for engineers passionate about building scalable distributed systems, data modeling, and delivering high‑performing, reliable software solutions for our award‑winning educational platform.

As a core contributor to our shared services team, you will play a key role in developing and enhancing the foundational systems that power both existing and new applications.

This role is fully hands‑on, requiring active involvement in coding, development, and implementation of technical solutions.

You will also be called upon to lead more junior engineers and collaborate with other teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead and design, development, and optimization of scalable backend services using Java and serverless technologies (e. g., AWS Lambda).
• Architect and implement RESTful APIs and event‑driven systems to support high‑performance, distributed applications.
• Provide technical leadership to the team, ensuring alignment with architectural standards and best practices.
• Contribute to the development and integration of user‑facing frontend components when needed.
• Analyze and optimize existing services to enhance performance, scalability, and cost‑efficiency.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams, including Architects, Product Managers, and engineering leads, to deliver innovative and impactful solutions.
• Mentor and guide junior developers, fostering a culture of continuous learning and knowledge sharing.
• Oversee the implementation and maintenance of CI/CD pipelines to ensure efficient and reliable software delivery.
• Maintain high standards of code quality through rigorous peer reviews, comprehensive testing, and adherence to industry best practices.
• Create comprehensive documentation for the developed shared components, including usage guidelines and examples.

Qualifications

Essential Qualifications, Skills, and Knowledge/Experience

• Over 10 years of experience in backend development with deep proficiency in Java and extensive hands‑on experience with serverless frameworks (e. g., AWS Lambda, Google Cloud Functions).
• Solid understanding of frontend technologies, including React and Web Components, with the ability to contribute when needed.
• Expertise in designing and managing distributed systems, ensuring scalability, and advanced data modeling techniques.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and collaborate effectively with cross‑functional teams and stakeholders across multiple locations, including distributed teams in Europe and the USA, to deliver impactful, high‑quality solutions.
• Practical expertise in cloud technologies, specifically developing serverless applications on AWS using services such as Lambda, Dynamo DB, API Gateway, SNS/SQS, and Event Bridge.
• Deep understanding of software development best practices, including design patterns, test‑driven development (TDD), behavior‑driven development (BDD), and clean code principles.
• Experience implementing and managing CI/CD pipelines for automated build, deployment, and testing.
• Familiarity with modern Dev Ops practices and infrastructure‑as‑code (Ia C).
• Proven ability to conduct comprehensive system design reviews, ensuring architectural alignment, scalability, performance, and adherence to best practices.
• Proven experience as a Tech Lead, with a strong track record of mentoring and coaching junior engineers, promoting skill development, and driving adherence to best practices to ensure team growth and technical excellence.
• Exceptional collaboration skills, working effectively across cross‑functional teams, including Product Managers, Architects, and other engineering leads.
• Ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly to both technical and non‑technical stakeholders.
• Strong problem‑solving skills, with a track record of troubleshooting and optimizing existing systems for performance, scalability, and cost‑efficiency.
• Ability to make strategic technical decisions while balancing project deadlines and business goals.

Preferred Skills

• Experience with frontend technologies such as React, Angular, or Web Components is a plus.
• Familiarity with monitoring and observability tools (e. g., Cloud Watch, New Relic, Datadog).
• Knowledge of data modeling and working with both No SQL databases.
• Understanding of agile methodologies, including Scrum, XP and Kanban.
• Understanding or experience with AI/ML.

Benefits

• Total Rewards @ Turnitin
• Remote First Culture
• Health Care Coverage*
• Education Reimbursement*
• Competitive Paid Time Off
• Self‑Care Days
• National Holidays*
• Charitable contribution match*
• Monthly Wellness or Home Office Reimbursement/*
• Access to Modern Health (mental health platform)
• Retirement Plan with match/contribution*
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