Principal Engineer – Platform & Data

About This Opportunity

We are representing a confidential client in the transportation technology sector who is seeking a Principal Engineer to join their Architecture team. This is a senior technical leadership role combining deep platform expertise with hands-on contribution, focusing particularly on evolving their data architecture and platform standards.

Our talent team is conducting the initial search and screening process. Qualified candidates will be submitted directly to our client for consideration.

Location: UK (Remote). Candidates based in London may work hybrid with occasional office visits.

Responsibilities

• Shape platform architecture including blueprint definition, standards, and best practices
• Design and evolve data architecture strategy, including how data is structured, stored, and utilized across the platform
• Design and deliver scalable, robust, cost-efficient services aligned with platform standards
• Remain hands-on in code and technical delivery, including reviews and targeted contributions
• Identify and resolve complex platform challenges related to scalability, performance, resilience, and cost
• Act as senior technical advisor across engineering teams, influencing technical decisions and ensuring standards are followed
• Contribute to technical roadmap planning and prioritization of platform improvements
• Support RFP estimation and technical scoping for complex initiatives
• Produce clear, high-quality technical documentation and architecture artifacts
• Contribute to and help shape technical forums and working groups, including API and architecture governance

What We're Looking For

Required:

• Strong experience designing and evolving distributed systems and microservices architectures
• Experience operating at Principal or Staff level, shaping technical direction across multiple teams or domains
• Comfort staying hands-on, contributing in code, design, and delivery when needed
• Strong experience with cloud platforms (AWS preferred) and modern infrastructure practices
• Experience working on systems where scale, reliability, performance, and cost trade-offs are critical
• Proven experience in data architecture (data platforms, pipelines, warehousing, or data lakes) and working with products built on large data stores
• Ability to take loosely defined business or technical problems and turn them into clear, actionable technical approaches
• Strong communication skills with ability to produce structured documentation for both technical and non-technical audiences
• Track record contributing to engineering standards, architecture patterns, or platform direction
• Strong experience with REST API design in complex, multi-service environments
• Interest in or exposure to AI-enabled systems and their architectural implications

Preferred:

• Experience breaking monolithic applications into microservices architectures
• Experience with event-driven architectures (Kafka, schema governance)
• Experience improving cloud cost and system efficiency at scale
• Familiarity with: Kotlin, Java, DynamoDB, MySQL, Snowflake, Databricks, Spark, Terraform, GitLab CI/CD

How We Work With You

When you apply through Get A Job.ai, our recruiting team will review your profile and conduct an initial screening conversation. We'll discuss your background, technical experience, and career goals to ensure strong alignment with this role.

For candidates who are a strong match, we will submit your profile directly to our client for consideration. You will then enter their interview process, which we will coordinate and support you through.

Please apply only through Get A Job.ai. Do not attempt to contact the client directly, as we are managing this search exclusively.

Pay

Compensation details will be discussed during the screening process and will be commensurate with experience.

Equal Opportunity: Get A Job.ai is committed to inclusive recruiting practices. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds and can accommodate needs at any stage of the process.