Principal Engineer (Architecture)

TL;DR

Principal Engineer (Architecture): Shape platform architecture for global fare collection systems with an accent on scalability, resilience, performance, and cost efficiency. Focus on defining blueprints and standards, designing robust services, and guiding complex technical decisions across engineering teams.

Location: London - Remote

Company

We build fare collection platforms powering mobile ticketing for public transport in over 250 global locations, partnering with Uber, Moovit, and Transit.

What you will do

• Shape platform architecture, including blueprint definition, standards, and best practices
• Design and deliver scalable, robust, cost-efficient services
• Stay hands-on with code reviews, contributions, and technical delivery
• Address complex challenges in scalability, performance, resilience, and cost
• Act as senior technical advisor, influencing decisions and ensuring standards
• Contribute to technical roadmaps, RFP scoping, documentation, and forums

Requirements

• Strong experience designing and evolving distributed systems and microservices architectures
• Principal or Staff level experience shaping technical direction across teams
• Comfortable hands-on coding, design, and delivery
• Strong experience with cloud platforms (AWS preferred) and modern infrastructure
• Proven data architecture experience (data platforms, pipelines, warehousing, lakes)
• Ability to turn loosely defined problems into actionable technical approaches
• Clear communication of complex ideas and structured documentation

Nice to have

• REST API design in multi-service environments
• Breaking monoliths into microservices
• Event-driven architectures (Kafka, schema governance)
• Cloud cost and efficiency improvements at scale
• Familiarity with Kotlin, Java, DynamoDB, MySQL, Terraform, GitLab CI/CD

Culture & Benefits

• 25 days holiday + option to buy 5 more
• Private healthcare via AXA (including pre-existing and mental health)
• Life insurance, pension scheme, enhanced family leave
• Up to 3 months per year working from any country (limitations apply)
• £1000 training allowance, £200 home office allowance, cycle to work
• Regular socials, fun collaborative environment focused on impact