Principal Engineer

Principal Engineer - Build the Future of SME Finance

Remote-first (UK-based) London meetups

️ Hands-on Architecture Team Leadership Fintech for Good

We're working with a mission-driven fintech that's solving a massive problem: small businesses - the backbone of the UK economy - are still underserved by traditional finance. This company is changing that, helping banks and lenders make faster, smarter, fairer credit decisions using real-time financial data.

Already trusted by 80+ major banks and lenders, they're scaling fast - and now they're looking for a Principal Engineer to shape the next stage of their platform and lead from the front.

Why This Role is Great

• You'll architect the core of the platform used by major UK banks and lenders
• Get in early enough to influence big decisions - but with real traction already proven
• Work across multiple product teams, mentoring, guiding, and building alongside them
• Blend strategy and code - be the go-to technical voice in the room
• Remote-first with the flexibility to come together in London when it counts
• Genuinely meaningful work: better finance access for 5.5 million UK SMEs

What You'll Be Doing

• Lead architecture decisions and make them real - from developer-friendly APIs to scalable platform components
• Guide cross-functional teams (frontend, backend, QA) with your experience and technical instincts
• Collaborate closely with product, design, and commercial teams to build solutions that actually solve real problems
• Balance pragmatism with perfection - make things work first, then make them beautiful
• Mentor senior engineers and help scale a top-class team
• Be a visible, respected voice across the business, bringing clarity and confidence to complex tech questions
• Help shape hiring, team growth, and long-term engineering strategy

️ Tech Snapshot

• Languages: Java, Kotlin, JavaScript
• Frontend & Frameworks: React, Spring, Temporal
• Databases: PostgreSQL, MongoDB
• Cloud: AWS (heavy use), with IaC (Terraform)
• Practices: TDD, CI/CD, clean architecture, pragmatic testing
• Bonus Points: Data engineering or machine learning experience

What They're Looking For

• A Principal Engineer, Tech Lead, or Software Architect with at least 2 years at this level
• You've built and scaled SaaS platforms - ideally in fintech or data-heavy domains
• You're a hands-on problem-solver who can step back, see the big picture, and then guide others through it
• You're confident working with stakeholders from execs to product managers - turning complexity into clarity
• You care deeply about engineering craft, team health, and customer impact
• You can mentor senior engineers and inspire confidence across the org

Perks & Benefits

• Remote-first role with London-based meetups (office in Shoreditch)
• 25 days holiday + public holidays
• Life assurance (4x salary)
• Pension contribution
• Virtual GP & wellbeing support
• Perks & discounts with top retailers (ASOS, Tesco, Amazon, etc.)
• Referral bonus scheme
• Regular socials & team events

Ready to Lead with Purpose?

If you're a Principal Engineer who loves shaping product direction, building great tech, and mentoring high-performing teams - this is your moment to lead from the front and make a difference.

Message me for a confidential chat or send over your CV - let's talk.