At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead engineering excellence and empower teams to create scalable digital products.
- Company: ClearSky, a tech enabler focused on innovative software and AI solutions.
- Benefits: 34 days holiday, birthday off, health coverage, and tailored professional development.
- Other info: Hybrid work model with a focus on collaboration and growth.
- Why this job: Join a creative team and make a real impact in the tech world.
- Qualifications: Expertise in C#, .Net, SQL, and cloud infrastructure; leadership experience required.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
At ClearSky, we are The Tech Enabler. We unlock exponential business growth by taking complex technical challenges and turning them into simple, high-performance digital solutions. Our engineering teams do incredible work in bespoke software and AI. We believe in building solid software. We are looking for a talented Principal Engineer to champion engineering excellence.
Role Details
- Location: Edinburgh - 4 Queen Street - Hybrid (3 days on site)
- Salary: Up to 68K plus 10% company bonus
- Please note: We are unable to offer sponsorship.
How We Support Our Team
- 34 days holiday - because work-life balance matters.
- Birthday off - no one should work on their special day.
- Health and Security - Sick pay, private dental & medical insurance - we've got your health covered.
- Family First - Enhanced family-friendly policies.
- Growth Path - Tailored professional development - we support your growth so you can become the expert you're meant to be.
- Culture Matters - Office perks & team celebrations.
Your Mission
As a Principal Engineer, you won’t just write exceptional code, you will be the guardian of our technical landscape and a driving force behind strategic technical progress within individual projects and across ClearSky. Your mission is to empower our engineering squads to build brilliant, scalable digital products.
What You'll Be Doing
- Technical Strategy & Architecture: Demonstrate mastery of core technologies, oversee high-level design challenges across squads, and ensure alignment with client needs.
- Leadership & Mentorship: Guide Tech Leads and developers across squads to support professional growth and foster a collaborative culture.
- AI Advancement: Lead the adoption of AI engineering practices across the full engineering lifecycle, going beyond just AI-assisted coding tools.
- Knowledge Sharing: Drive appropriate documentation standards that support teams and lead technical discussions, guilds, and company-wide forums.
- Risk Management: Tackle complex challenges across multiple squads, breaking them into actionable steps while mitigating risks at an organizational level.
What You Bring to the Table
Technical Requirements
- Must-Haves: Deep mastery of C# & .Net, SQL database design, Solution Architecture experience, Cloud infrastructure (ideally Azure), and experience using AI coding tools.
- Nice-to-Haves: Deployment pipelines, identity management, front-end or mobile experience, and AI integration design.
Leadership & Approach
- Proven Track Record: Experience leading complex technical initiatives, setting engineering standards, and proactively managing risks.
- Collaborative Mindset: A self-starter who values sharing knowledge to help engineers "level up", incorporates feedback into strategies, and balances advanced initiatives with pragmatic client needs.
- Mature AI Understanding: You know when and how to apply AI safely, how to manage its associated risks, and when it is not the right tool for the job.
Why You'll Love It Here
You'll join a team that values quality, creativity, and autonomy. We're building a place where we can all thrive and become the best at what we do.
Our Values
- Initiative: We get things going; we start, we don't wait. With the rapid pace of technological change and opportunity, our initiative is what enables us to seize opportunities, push forward, and build an incredible new future.
- Focus: We prioritise what matters, we cut through distractions and ignore the noise to deliver on opportunities that deliver the biggest impact for our business.
- Simplicity: Life is complicated enough; we do the complicated thinking and building to deliver simple solutions. We communicate and share ideas in a clear and straightforward way.
- Support: We support businesses to reach their goals, innovate and excel, and we support each other to achieve incredible things.
Principal Engineer in Edinburgh employer: We Are ClearSky
ClearSky Edinburgh is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic hybrid work environment that fosters engineering excellence and innovation. With a strong focus on employee growth, competitive benefits including generous health and holiday packages, and a collaborative culture, this role provides the perfect opportunity for professionals to thrive while making a meaningful impact in the tech landscape of Edinburgh.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Principal Engineer in Edinburgh
✨Join Local Tech Meetups
Get out there and mingle with fellow developers by joining local tech meetups. It’s a fantastic way to meet people who might be working at We Are ClearSky or know someone who does. Plus, you can pick up some trendy tech skills and trends while you're at it!
✨Contribute to Open Source Projects
Show off your coding chops by jumping into open-source projects. Not only does this give you practical experience, but it also gets you noticed in the dev community. You'll create a killer portfolio that speaks volumes about your skills to We Are ClearSky.
✨Tap into Online Developer Communities
Don’t underestimate the power of online developer communities like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and even Reddit. Participate in discussions, share your projects, and build your visibility. We can often find opportunities through these channels that can lead to a full-time gig at companies like We Are ClearSky.
✨Explore Job Boards Specifically for Tech Roles
Keep your eyes peeled on job boards that focus on tech roles. Sites like TechCareers or Stack Overflow Jobs can often have listings for companies like We Are ClearSky that might not show up on broader job sites. Make it a habit to check these regularly, and don’t hesitate to apply directly through our website!
We think you need these skills to ace Principal Engineer in Edinburgh
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show off your coding skills:When applying for a software engineering role, it's super important to showcase your coding skills. Make sure your CV includes your tech stack, any relevant programming languages you’re comfortable with, and examples of projects you've worked on. If you have a GitHub profile, link it up! We love to see code in action.
Tailor your portfolio:For a full-time role, we’d expect to see some solid examples of your work in your portfolio. Make sure to include at least two or three projects that highlight your problem-solving skills and your ability to work with different technologies. Focus on the projects that are most relevant to the position at We Are ClearSky.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at We Are ClearSky and how your skills align with the role. Show us your passion for software development. We dig enthusiastic candidates who understand the value of collaboration and continuous learning!
Be clear and concise:When it comes to writing your CV and cover letter, clarity is key. Avoid jargon that could confuse us and stick to simple, direct language. Highlight your achievements with quantifiable results where possible, and keep everything easy to read. A well-organised application goes a long way!
How to prepare for a job interview at We Are ClearSky
✨Brush Up on Your Coding Skills
For a full-time software engineering role, it's crucial that we stay sharp with our coding abilities. Expect technical questions that might involve solving problems on the spot or discussing algorithms. Practise on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to get comfortable with the types of questions that often come up.
✨Know Your Tools and Frameworks
Make sure we’re well-acquainted with the tools and technologies listed in the job description. Familiarise ourselves with any specific frameworks or programming languages mentioned. If We Are ClearSky uses React or Node.js, for instance, be ready to discuss how we’ve used them in previous projects or coursework.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Bring along a portfolio that highlights our best work. This could be code samples, GitHub repositories, or any side projects we’ve built. Make sure we can talk through our thought process for each project, especially the challenges we faced and how we solved them—this shows our problem-solving skills in action.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
While technical skills are key, full-time positions also require cultural fit. Be ready to discuss our previous experiences and how we handle teamwork, conflict, and deadlines. Brush up on the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to clearly articulate our past experiences when discussing how we've contributed to a team.
