Engineering Lead – Principal Engineer for UK Financial Institution

About the role

As a Principal Engineer you will shape the technical DNA of a leading UK financial institution. You will drive modern engineering practices, influence product roadmaps and cloud‑migration strategies while mentoring high‑performing teams delivering cloud‑native platforms.

Key responsibilities

• Lead one or more software engineering teams, ensuring code quality, scalability and performance.
• Design and deliver high‑performance, resilient system architectures on AWS.
• Build reusable Java libraries, APIs and real‑time Kafka data pipelines for use across the bank.
• Partner with senior stakeholders to define and refine technical solutions for business‑critical features.
• Champion architectural excellence and automated testing practices.

Required profile

• Seasoned engineering leader with a strong background in Java development.
• Proven experience designing, deploying and operating large‑scale systems in AWS.
• Deep understanding of event‑driven architectures and real‑time streaming using Kafka.
• Ability to balance strategic vision with hands‑on technical delivery.

Required skills

• Java
• AWS
• Apache Kafka
• Microservices
• Cloud‑native platforms
• APIs
• Event‑driven architecture

What we offer

• Hybrid working from hubs in London, Manchester or Edinburgh (2 days a week onsite).
• Competitive salary £120k‑£125k per year plus bonus and pension.
• Opportunity to influence technical strategy at a top‑tier financial institution.
• Access to industry conferences and professional development.