Principal Software Engineer (Java)

About This Opportunity

Our talent team at Get A Job.ai is representing a leading enterprise SaaS organization in Manchester, UK. We are seeking a Principal Software Engineer (Java) to join their platform engineering team and drive the architecture of high-scale API infrastructure serving thousands of enterprise tenants.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, delivery, and architecture of platform capabilities powering enterprise-scale API gateways, edge routing, and developer acceleration
• Build and scale high-throughput backend engines that manage core request orchestration, seamless multi-tenant isolation, and API-first solutions serving thousands of tenants and tens of thousands of users
• Partner with architects and senior engineers across the platform domain to set technical direction, aligning implementation patterns for complex initiatives such as vanity URLs, JWT authentication flows, and cross-service proxying
• Drive the evolution of deployment infrastructure, championing modern GitOps workflows (ArgoCD, Helm) and highly available containerized orchestration
• Own foundational features end-to-end—from design through to production—while continuously improving system observability, implementing intelligent rate-limiting, and solving complex concurrency challenges including database locks and connection starvation
• Deliver thought leadership and coding excellence across Java/Kotlin, ensuring seamless integration between backend microservices and UI components, including resolving complex CORS and distributed edge proxy requirements
• Mentor and elevate engineers across global teams through design reviews, pair programming, and hands-on leadership to foster a resilient engineering culture

What We're Looking For

• Extensive background in software engineering within enterprise-scale, high-throughput platform or data-centric environments
• Deep expertise in backend JVM languages (Java and/or Kotlin) with a strong understanding of distributed systems internals
• Proven track record of delivering API-first infrastructures, API Gateways (e.g., Traefik), and edge routing solutions that guarantee enterprise reliability under sustained traffic loads (2K+ requests per second)
• Hands-on experience with Kubernetes, containerized deployments, and managing complex CI/CD pipelines with strong familiarity in GitOps, ArgoCD, and high-velocity release workflows
• Solid grounding in event-driven architecture, real-time data processing, and managing complex database transaction scopes at scale
• Experience balancing rapid prototyping and fast iteration with long-term sustainability and quality—you have a bias for action and prefer to try and iterate rather than wait for perfect information
• Exceptional technical communicator with a proven ability to align globally distributed teams, highly skilled at distilling complex concepts into clear, structured RFCs and architectural designs to build consensus
• Understanding and ability to leverage modern AI tools and concepts—including agentic programming patterns and LLM-assisted workflows—to accelerate platform engineering and developer velocity

Preferred Skills:

• Experience shaping architecture and platform strategy at an enterprise scale, navigating the trade-offs of hybrid and cloud-agnostic infrastructures
• Polyglot mindset, matching the right technology to the challenge rather than defaulting to a single stack (comfortable exploring React, Python, or Go when needed)
• Genuine curiosity and energy for learning new technologies and approaches to solve edge routing and platform enablement challenges
• Passion for mentoring others and raising the bar for engineering culture
• Comfort operating in distributed teams, embracing asynchronous collaboration, and driving consensus across distinct domains

How We Work With You

Candidates apply directly through Get A Job.ai. Our recruiting team will conduct an initial screening to understand your background and career goals. We will then submit qualified candidates to our client for consideration. Please do not contact the client directly—all communication should go through Get A Job.ai to ensure a smooth process for everyone involved.

Pay

Compensation details will be discussed during the screening process based on your experience and qualifications.

Equal Employment Opportunity: Get A Job.ai is committed to inclusive hiring practices. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds and provide equal opportunity regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any other protected characteristic.