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Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # Principal Full Stack Engineer - **Company:** Tla - **Location:** Liverpool, UK - **Salary:** £75,000.0 - £80,000.0 - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), Artificial Intelligence, Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, Cloud Computing, Code Review, Continuous Integration, Software Architecture, Next.js, Data Streaming, Systems Integration, ReactJS, Backend, Event Driven Architecture - **Published:** August 13, 2026 - **Apply:** https://www.careerjet.co.uk/job/gbf29c97698d283f61f26b74a9cceb2970/eaa ## About the Role * Deep experience building production systems in Node.js / TypeScript, with strong full-stack credibility (Next.js / React on the front end) * Strong track record of architectural decisions on systems that handle real scale and real complexity * Cloud experience - Azure ideal, AWS / GCP fine * Demonstrated fluency with modern AI coding tools as part of how you work - not "open to AI", but already curious and experimenting/doing * The seniority and presence to lead technically without needing a formal mandate every time * A strong product instinct - understanding why you're building something, not just what Helpful * Experience leading a platform rebuild or major modernisation * Background in marketing tech, automotive, or consumer-facing data-rich businesses * Experience shaping engineering practices (CI/CD, IaC, testing, code review culture) * Exposure to event-driven architectures and message-based integration ## Description We're hiring a Principal Full Stack Engineer to play a leading technical role in the rebuild and in shaping how the engineering function operates over the next several years. You'll be heavily weighted towards backend - designing services, data flows, and the integrations that make consumer journeys work at scale - while being credible across the full stack. You'll set patterns others follow, make the architecture decisions that matter, and have real influence over how we build, not just what we build. This is a role for someone who wants to do their best work on a platform that genuinely matters to the business, with the autonomy to shape it. The engineering team is small and senior, and we're in a deliberate hiring phase to grow it around the new platform and the AI-first practice. That makes this hire materially important - you'll be one of a small group setting the tone for what comes next. The opportunity A few things make this role interesting right now. A new consumer facing platform is well underway - foundational architecture in place, plenty still to build - so there's real scope to shape what comes next. Alongside the platform, we're rebuilding the engineering team itself as an AI-first function and looking for people who can help define what that means in practice. The work reaches hundreds of thousands of car buyers and the biggest brands in automotive. What you'll do * Lead the technical design of significant parts of the new consumer platform * Make architecture and pattern decisions that other engineers build on * Build and own backend services (APIs, data flows, integrations) while staying hands-on across the stack * Shape how the team uses AI tooling as part of standard engineering practice * Mentor senior engineers and influence how we hire and grow the function ## Related Videos - [Build and Deploy a Fullstack App with Open Source Tooling](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/775-build-and-deploy-a-fullstack-app-with-open-source-tooling) - [Developing the Backend with Stefan Lingler, CTO at Shpock](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100360-developing-the-backend-with-stefan-lingler-cto-at-shpock) - [Watch Tests Go Brrrr! : Getting Started with Cypress in ReactJS](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/282-watch-tests-go-brrrr-getting-started-with-cypress-in-reactjs) - [GraphQL + Apollo + Next.js: A Lovely Trio](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/311-graphql-apollo-next-js-a-lovely-trio) - [Meet Your New BFF: Backend to Frontend without the Duct Tape](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/682-meet-your-new-bff-backend-to-frontend-without-the-duct-tape) - [Navigating the Corporate Jungle: Life as a Developer in a large Company](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/621-navigating-the-corporate-jungle-life-as-a-developer-in-a-large-company) ## Related Articles - [Navigating the AI Shift](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/629-navigating-the-ai-shift) - [Dev Digest 120 - Apple and peers](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/455-dev-digest-120-apple-and-peers) - [Dev Digest 121 - AI goes offline](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/456-dev-digest-121-ai-goes-offline) - [Dev Digest 132 - Binging WADFlix?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/473-dev-digest-132-binging-wadflix) - [Fullstack Developer Salary UK](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/251-fullstack-developer-salary-uk) - [Dev Digest 159: AI Pipelines, 10x Faster TypeScript, How to Interview](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/563-dev-digest-159-ai-pipelines-10x-faster-typescript-how-to-interview)