Principal Software Engineer

Principal Software Engineer | $200,000 - $220,000 + Super | Sydney-based, Hybrid

One of our top clients are looking for their next Principal Software Engineer to join their team, based in Sydney. They're a forward-thinking technology company that builds and operates systems at scale, solving complex technical challenges in high-performance environments.

As the Principal Software Engineer, you'll be working closely with their CTO, who is at the heart of their engineering vision. This role is perfect for an exceptional hands-on, technical leader who thrives in designing and delivering high-performance, high-throughput systems while guiding a small team of talented engineers.

If you love diving deep into architecture, solving hard technical problems, and writing elegant code, this is the role for you. Ideal profile is a principal-level engineer who can take ownership, make impactful decisions, and still find joy in writing code.

Their core technologies include React, Node.js, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP), but the key elements they're looking for is a deep understanding of computer science fundamentals and strong JVM language skills (or similar). We value first-principle thinkers who can adapt quickly to new environments and tools.

Principal Software Engineer Responsibilities

• Architectural Leadership: Design and oversee system architecture to ensure scalability, performance, and reliability.
• Hands-On Development: Spend a significant amount of your time coding, optimising, and solving problems.
• Mentorship: Provide technical guidance and mentorship to team members, helping them grow and succeed.
• Collaboration: Partner with the CTO to shape the technical direction of our systems and prioritise engineering initiatives.
• Innovation: Push the boundaries of what’s possible, finding creative ways to optimise systems for performance and low latency.

Principal Software Engineer Requirements:

• Proven experience at the Principal Engineer level or equivalent.
• Deep expertise in designing and building scalable, high-performance systems.
• A strong foundation in computer science (algorithms, data structures, distributed systems).
• Proficiency in a JVM-based language (e.g., Java, Kotlin, Scala) or equivalent.
• Hands-on, collaborative, and passionate about staying technical.
• Excellent problem-solving skills with a bias for action and simplicity.
• Experience in or enthusiasm for leading small teams and mentoring others.

What you'll be gaining:

• A chance to work on challenging, impactful projects that push technical boundaries.
• The opportunity to shape the future of our systems and work alongside some of the brightest minds in the industry.
• A collaborative, supportive team that values growth and innovation.
• Competitive compensation, flexible work arrangements, and a culture that prioritises balance and well-being.

If you’re ready to take on a pivotal role that combines technical mastery with leadership, please reach out with your most recent CV & we'll be in touch.