Senior Principal Software Engineer - R&D Tech

GSK
Charing Cross, United Kingdom
2 days ago

Role details

Contract type
Permanent contract
Employment type
Full-time (> 32 hours)
Working hours
Regular working hours
Languages
English
Experience level
Senior

Job location

Charing Cross, United Kingdom

Tech stack

Query Performance
A/B testing
API
Agile Methodologies
Artificial Intelligence
Data analysis
Application Performance Management
Azure
Big Data
Cloud Computing
Cloud Computing Security
Cloud Engineering
Apache Lucene
Software Quality
Code Review
Databases
Continuous Integration
D3.js
Information Engineering
ETL
Data Security
Data Visualization
Software Debugging
Software Design Patterns
DevOps
Disaster Recovery
Distributed Systems
Django
Text Processing
Elasticsearch
Github
Identity and Access Management
Iterative and Incremental Development
Python
Network Security
PostgreSQL
Microsoft SQL Server
SQL Azure
Named Entity Recognition
NoSQL
Performance Tuning
Software Architecture
Role-Based Access Control
Cloud Services
TensorFlow
Azure
Next.js
Search Technologies
Secure Coding
Software Engineering
SQL Databases
Data Streaming
TypeScript
Unstructured Data
Management of Software Versions
Highcharts
Data Logging
Data Processing
Azure
PyTorch
React
System Availability
Flask
Large Language Models
Multi-Agent Systems
Prompt Engineering
Spark
Software Security
Backend
GIT
FastAPI
Containerization
Kubernetes
Information Technology
HuggingFace
Bicep
Real Time Data
Plotly
Kafka
Cosmos DB
Data Management
Machine Learning Operations
Front End Software Development
REST
Terraform
Document Classification
Software Version Control
Data Pipelines
Serverless Computing
Azure
GXP
Docker
Databricks
Microservices

Job description

  • Write production-grade code for full-stack applications using Python and modern frontend frameworks
  • Build and maintain scalable REST APIs and microservices architectures
  • Design application architectures and implement technical solutions
  • Develop user interfaces and data visualization components
  • Write comprehensive tests and ensure code quality
  • Debug and optimize application performance

Cloud Architecture & Services

  • Design and architect cloud-native applications and solutions on Azure
  • Leverage Azure services including App Services, Azure Functions, AKS, Storage, Data Factory, Cosmos DB
  • Implement scalable, resilient, and cost-effective cloud architectures
  • Optimize cloud resource utilization and performance
  • Design for high availability, disaster recovery, and security
  • Implement cloud security best practices and governance

Data Engineering

  • Build and maintain data pipelines for large-scale data processing
  • Implement ETL/ELT processes for diverse data sources
  • Optimize data workflows and processing performance
  • Design and implement data models and schemas
  • Work with structured and unstructured data at scale

AI/ML & GenAI Integration

  • Integrate AI/ML models and APIs into production applications
  • Build GenAI applications using LLMs and frameworks like LangChain
  • Implement RAG (Retrieval Augmented Generation) architectures
  • Work with vector databases for semantic search capabilities
  • Apply prompt engineering techniques for optimal LLM performance
  • Understand and implement basic NLP tasks (text classification, entity extraction, embeddings)
  • Collaborate with data scientists to productionize ML models
  • Evaluate and integrate new AI/ML technologies

Database & Data Management

  • Write SQL queries for data analysis and application needs
  • Design and optimize database schemas for both relational and NoSQL databases
  • Tune query performance and implement indexing strategies
  • Implement data access patterns and ORM frameworks

DevOps & Infrastructure

  • Implement Infrastructure as Code and CI/CD pipelines
  • Containerize applications and orchestrate deployments with Docker and Kubernetes
  • Implement monitoring, logging, and alerting solutions
  • Automate deployment and operational processes
  • Ensure application scalability and reliability

Cross-team Collaboration

  • Work closely with data scientists, engineers, and product owners across R&D
  • Participate in code reviews and knowledge sharing
  • Contribute to technical discussions and solution designs
  • Identify innovations and architect solutions
  • Evaluate and integrate new technologies

Requirements

We are looking for professionals with these required skills to achieve our goals:

  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or equivalent relevant industry experience
  • Significant hands-on software development experience with demonstrated progression in technical complexity
  • Expert-level Python programming with extensive production application development experience
  • Strong full-stack development experience with modern frameworks:
  • Backend: Python (FastAPI, Flask, Django)
  • Frontend: React, Next.js, TypeScript, or similar modern frameworks
  • Cloud services experience, preferably Azure (App Services, Functions, Storage, or equivalent cloud services)
  • Strong SQL skills: Writing complex queries, data modeling, and optimization
  • Data engineering fundamentals: Building data pipelines and working with large datasets
  • Understanding of AI/ML concepts and practical experience:
  • Familiarity with LLMs and GenAI applications
  • Basic understanding of how to integrate AI/ML APIs into applications
  • Knowledge of prompt engineering basics
  • Understanding of RAG architectures or willingness to learn quickly
  • Experience building production-grade applications: Scalable, maintainable, well-tested code
  • Understanding of software architecture: Design patterns, microservices, distributed systems, cloud-native architectures
  • Version control with Git and collaborative development workflows
  • DevOps practices: CI/CD pipelines, containerization basics
  • Agile development practices and iterative development
  • Excellent problem-solving and debugging skills
  • Strong communication and collaboration skills
  • Ability to quickly learn and adapt to new technologies

Highly Desired Skills:

  • Azure cloud platform expertise: Deep knowledge of Azure services (App Services, Azure Functions, AKS, Storage Accounts, Azure Data Factory, Cosmos DB, Azure SQL, Key Vault, Application Insights)
  • Cloud architecture and design: Designing scalable, secure, and cost-effective cloud solutions
  • Databricks and Apache Spark for large-scale data processing
  • Hands-on experience with GenAI platforms: OpenAI, Azure OpenAI, LangChain, or similar frameworks
  • Experience building RAG applications with chunking, vectorization, retrieval strategies
  • Vector databases: pgvector, Pinecone, Weaviate, or similar
  • DevOps maturity: Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, Bicep, ARM templates), advanced CI/CD
  • Containerization and orchestration: Docker and Kubernetes (AKS)
  • Database expertise: PostgreSQL, SQL Server, Azure SQL with performance tuning
  • Cloud security: Identity management, RBAC, network security, encryption
  • Azure DevOps or GitHub Actions for CI/CD pipelines
  • Experience with REST API design and microservices patterns

Preferred Qualifications:

If you have the following characteristics, it would be a plus:

  • Azure certifications (Azure Solutions Architect, Azure Developer, Azure Data Engineer)
  • Advanced AI/ML knowledge:
  • Experience with ML frameworks (TensorFlow, PyTorch, Hugging Face)
  • Understanding of model training and evaluation
  • Knowledge of NLP techniques beyond basic text processing
  • Experience with multi-agent systems or advanced RAG patterns
  • MLOps knowledge: Model deployment, versioning, monitoring, A/B testing
  • Azure AI services: Document Intelligence, Cognitive Search, Azure AI Studio, Azure Machine Learning
  • Search technologies: Azure Search, Sinequa, Elasticsearch, Lucene-based systems
  • Advanced Spark optimization and performance tuning
  • Real-time data processing and streaming architectures (Kafka, Azure Event Hubs)
  • Pharmaceutical, healthcare, or regulated industry experience
  • Experience with compliance requirements: HIPAA, GxP, 21 CFR Part 11
  • Experience with data visualization libraries (D3.js, Plotly, Chart.js)
  • Software security best practices and secure coding
  • FinOps practices: Cloud cost optimization and management
  • Experience mentoring junior engineers

About the company

GSK remains committed to achieving bold commercial ambitions for the future. By 2031, we aim to deliver £40 billion in annual sales, leveraging our existing strong performance momentum to significantly increase our positive impact on the health of billions of patients globally. Our Ahead Together strategy is centered on early intervention to prevent and alter the course of disease, thereby protecting people and supporting healthcare systems., Why GSK? Uniting science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together. GSK is a global biopharma company with a purpose to unite science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together. We aim to positively impact the health of 2.5 billion people by the end of the decade, as a successful, growing company where people can thrive. We get ahead of disease by preventing and treating it with innovation in specialty medicines and vaccines. We focus on four therapeutic areas: respiratory, immunology and inflammation; oncology; HIV; and infectious diseases - to impact health at scale. People and patients around the world count on the medicines and vaccines we make, so we're committed to creating an environment where our people can thrive and focus on what matters most. Our culture of being ambitious for patients, accountable for impact and doing the right thing is the foundation for how, together, we deliver for patients, shareholders and our people. GSK is an Equal Opportunity Employer. This ensures that all qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), parental status, national origin, age, disability, genetic information (including family medical history), military service or any basis prohibited under federal, state or local law. We believe in an agile working culture for all our roles. If flexibility is important to you, we encourage you to explore with our hiring team what the opportunities are. Should you require any adjustments to our process to assist you in demonstrating your strengths and capabilities contact us at UKRecruitment.Adjustments@gsk.com where you can also request a call. Please note should your enquiry not relate to adjustments, we will not be able to support you through these channels. However, we have created a Recruitment FAQ guide. Click the link where you will find answers to multiple questions we receive Important notice to Employment businesses/ Agencies GSK does not accept referrals from employment businesses and/or employment agencies in respect of the vacancies posted on this site. All employment businesses/agencies are required to contact GSK's commercial and general procurement/human resources department to obtain prior written authorization before referring any candidates to GSK. The obtaining of prior written authorization is a condition precedent to any agreement (verbal or written) between the employment business/ agency and GSK. In the absence of such written authorization being obtained any actions undertaken by the employment business/agency shall be deemed to have been performed without the consent or contractual agreement of GSK. GSK shall therefore not be liable for any fees arising from such actions or any fees arising from any referrals by employment businesses/agencies in respect of the vacancies posted on this site. Please note that if you are a US Licensed Healthcare Professional or Healthcare Professional as defined by the laws of the state issuing your license, GSK may be required to capture and report expenses GSK incurs, on your behalf, in the event you are afforded an interview for employment. This capture of applicable transfers of value is necessary to ensure GSK's compliance to all federal and state US Transparency requirements. For more information, please visit the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) website at https://openpaymentsdata.cms.gov

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