Principal Backend Engineer

London (Occasional travel)

Salary: £95,000 - £120,000 + RSU's + Benefits

An established, global technology business within the hospitality-tech industry is seeking an accomplished Principal Software Engineer to lead the design and delivery of next-generation digital solutions. This is an opportunity to shape greenfield projects from the ground up - architecting scalable, data-driven systems that empower venues to deliver seamless guest experiences and drive long-term innovation.

What will I be doing?

• Lead the technical vision and architectural direction across complex Back End systems, ensuring scalability, reliability, and performance.
• Partner closely with engineering leadership to define best practices, coding standards, and long-term technical strategy.
• Design, develop, and oversee the delivery of robust, production-grade software built using Python, Django, Cloud Firestore, BigQuery, and Elasticsearch.
• Mentor and guide engineers at all levels, fostering a culture of technical excellence and continuous improvement.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams - including product, data, and design - to deliver innovative solutions that directly impact customer success.
• Evaluate and implement emerging technologies that enhance system performance and developer productivity.
• Take ownership of mission-critical initiatives, balancing technical depth with business priorities to deliver scalable, maintainable solutions.

What do I need to be successful?

• Degree in Computer Science or equivalent hands-on experience.
• 7+ years' experience in Back End software development, including several years in a senior or principal-level engineering role.
• Expertise in Python (or a similar Back End language), with proven experience designing distributed systems, APIs, and microservices at scale.
• Deep understanding of software architecture, cloud infrastructure (Google Cloud, AWS, or Azure), and modern DevOps practices.
• Strong knowledge of data structures, algorithms, and system design principles.
• Demonstrated experience influencing technical direction across teams and driving alignment on complex engineering decisions.
• Passion for delivering elegant, high-performance software and solving complex technical challenges that impact real users.

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age.