Principal Software Engineer (TypeScript, React, Node.js, AWS)

As a Principal Software Engineer, you will be responsible for designing, building and running front-end and/or back-end software solutions in an agile delivery squad. This role is hands on, you'll be actively involved in designing, implementing and running the products and services that your squad are responsible for. You'll help shape best practices in software engineering, then both work to and coach other Squad members into driving and ensuring high quality solutions.

What you'll be doing:

• Lead the full software development lifecycle, including coding practices, frameworks, technical debt, and operations within your squad.
• Collaborate with Engineers, Product Owners, Business Analysts, and Architects to design and deliver industry-leading systems.
• Influence and implement engineering standards and tools, driving adoption across squads and tribes.
• Design and build software that balances commercial needs with the future tech roadmap.
• Take ownership of code quality, non-functional requirements (performance, security, scalability), and best practices for logging, monitoring, and alerting.
• Drive improvements in continuous integration and deployment processes.
• Identify and mitigate risks, obstacles, and issues impacting technical products.
• Provide run support for technical products within your squad.
• Mentor and coach other engineers, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
• Champion engineering successes internally and externally to build our brand and attract talent.
• Stay ahead of the curve by understanding the external technology landscape and applying insights to enhance our engineering practices.

• Extensive experience in building, integrating, and managing complex software architectures, ideally across multi cloud environments.
• Strong hands on experience with TypeScript, React, Nest.js, AWS components, and CI/CD tools (e.g., GitLab CI).
• Proven ability to mentor and guide less experienced engineers.
• Passionate about code quality, testing, and engineering best practices.
• Skilled in building applications with security, reliability, scalability, and high availability from the ground up.
• Excellent collaboration and communication skills.
• Degree in Computer Science or equivalent experience.
• Comfortable sharing knowledge and stories internally and externally to strengthen our engineering brand.

Some of our benefits

• Flexible, hybrid working model
• Inclusive culture and environment
• £1,000 flexible benefits allowance to suit your needs
• 30 days holiday + bank holidays
• Udemy learning access
• Up to 25% discount on Very.co.uk
• Matched pension up to 6%
• More benefits can be found on our career site

We are The Very Group and we're here to help families get more out of life. We know that our customers work hard for their families and have a lot to balance in their busy lives. That's why we combine amazing brands and products with flexible payment options on Very.co.uk to help them say yes to the things they love. We're just as passionate about helping our people get more out of life too; building careers with real growth, a sense of purpose, belonging and wellbeing.