Simple Machines

Data architecture, engineering, science, and apps

Principal Software Engineer

Full-Stack EngineeringConfirmed live in the last 24 hours

Full-timeLondon, UKNo salary listed

About the Job

Requirements

Strong foundation in Java Virtual Machine-based development, with Kotlin preferred and Java accepted.
Experience designing and implementing data-driven application programming interfaces.
Background working on large-scale web services.
Solid Structured Query Language experience, including schema design and performance-aware queries.
Deep experience with automated testing, including unit and integration testing; test-driven development or behavior-driven development is preferred.
Experience with React, TypeScript, Redux, and Tailwind or similar modern frameworks.
Experience with AWS, Google Cloud Platform, Microsoft Azure, or similar cloud platforms.
Experience with infrastructure as code, such as Terraform or CloudFormation.
Experience with containerized deployments using Docker, Elastic Container Service, Kubernetes, or equivalent.

Responsibilities

Design and build backend services for a highly scalable marketing platform.
Own the design of application programming interfaces, applications, and supporting infrastructure.
Document technical designs and requirements clearly for internal teams and clients.
Deliver solutions end-to-end by building, automating, deploying, operating, and supporting them.
Partner with clients and delivery teams to translate business requirements into robust technical solutions.
Work within an Agile, iterative delivery model.
Collaborate in a hybrid setup with remote and in-person team members and stakeholders.
Work across backend services, application programming interfaces, frontend components, data pipelines, and cloud infrastructure.
Influence technical direction while remaining involved in design and delivery.
Collaborate with data scientists and adjacent teams to design cross-system solutions.

Desired Qualifications

Kotlin is preferred; Java is welcome.
Test-driven development or behavior-driven development experience is preferred.
Exposure to Scala or functional programming concepts.
Experience with asynchronous and highly concurrent backend frameworks such as Ktor, http4k, Play, or RxJava.
NoSQL experience, including DynamoDB, Cassandra, BigTable, or Cosmos DB.
Strong Git workflow experience and ability to adapt workflows to project needs.
Interest in learning and adopting new technologies quickly.

Principal Software Engineer

Simple Machines · London, United Kingdom (Hybrid) · Full-time · Posted 2026-07-24

Workplace: hybrid

Department: UK Software Engineering

Description

Principal Software Engineer - Simple Machines
Hybrid · Full-time · London, UK

About Simple Machines

Simple Machines is a leading independent boutique technology firm with a global footprint across London, Poland, Sydney and New Zealand. We operate at the intersection of data, AI, machine learning, data engineering, and software engineering—building bespoke platforms and products that turn complex data into real-world outcomes.

We work with enterprises, technology companies, and governments to help them better understand their organisations, customers, and citizens. Our teams design and build large-scale data platforms, intelligent systems, and high-impact software products.

We engineer data to life™.

Requirements

The Role

As a Principal Software Engineer, you’ll play a key role in delivering complex, scalable systems for ambitious clients. This is a hands-on engineering role where you’ll work across the full stack—backend services, APIs, frontend components, data pipelines, and cloud infrastructure.

You’ll collaborate closely with our internal engineering teams and client stakeholders, influencing technical direction while remaining deeply involved in design and delivery. This role suits someone who enjoys solving hard problems, owning outcomes end-to-end, and operating in a consultative engineering environment.

What You’ll Be Doing

Design and build backend services for a highly scalable marketing platform
Own the design of APIs, applications, and supporting infrastructure
Document technical designs and requirements clearly for both internal teams and clients
Deliver solutions end-to-end: build, automate, deploy, operate, and support
Partner with clients and delivery teams to translate business requirements into robust technical solutions
Work within an Agile, iterative delivery model
Collaborate in a hybrid setup with both remote and in-person team members and stakeholders

The Team

You’ll join a high-performing engineering team working on a large-scale machine learning platform for a global telecommunications client.

The team operates with a high degree of autonomy and shared ownership. Engineers work across the full stack, support one another’s growth, and collaborate closely with data scientists and adjacent teams to design cross-system solutions.

Strong engineering culture, real influence, and meaningful problems to solve.

Benefits

What We’re Looking For

Core Experience

Strong foundation in JVM-based development (Kotlin preferred, Java welcome)
Experience designing and implementing data-driven APIs
Background working on large-scale web services
Solid SQL experience, including schema design and performance-aware queries
Deep experience with automated testing (unit, integration; TDD/BDD preferred)

Frontend & Full Stack Exposure

Experience with React, TypeScript, Redux, and Tailwind (or similar modern frameworks)

Cloud & Infrastructure

Experience with AWS, GCP, Azure, or similar
Infrastructure-as-code (Terraform, CloudFormation, etc.)
Containerised deployments using Docker, ECS, Kubernetes, or equivalent

Nice to Have

Exposure to Scala or functional programming concepts
Experience with asynchronous and highly concurrent backend frameworks (e.g. Ktor, http4k, Play, RxJava)
NoSQL experience (DynamoDB, Cassandra, BigTable, Cosmos DB, etc.)
Strong Git workflow experience and the ability to adapt workflows to project needs
A genuine appetite for learning and adopting new technologies quickly

Apply

Apply at Simple Machines

About the Company

Simple Machines

Data architecture, engineering, science, and apps

Simple Machines is an Australian consulting firm that combines data architecture, data engineering, data science and software development to build large-scale, distributed data platforms and machine learning applications. They design end-to-end data systems that process streaming and batch data at massive scale and help clients operationalize analytics and AI in real-world apps. Unlike firms that offer only consulting or only training, they pair hands-on implementation with formal partnerships—Confluent for Kafka, Databricks for Spark, and Lightbend for Scala—across advisory, implementation, and training. Their goal is to help enterprises, governments, and global tech companies unlock the value of their data through scalable, reliable data pipelines and AI workloads.

Company size: 11-50
Company stage: Not listed
Total funding: Not listed
Headquarters: Sydney NSW, Australia
Founded: 2008

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