Principal Engineer

Are you a seasoned Principal Engineer who thrives on driving technical excellence and delivering seamless digital experiences? As we expand our presence in the Sydney area, we are seeking an experienced Principal Engineer to join our Digital Experience practice. This role involves leading our team in developing innovative go-to-market solutions for our customers and supporting their digital transformations to achieve outstanding outcomes. As a Principal Engineer, you will be crucial in setting the technical direction for our customers. You will act as the liaison between the engineering team and stakeholders, lead a small team of engineers, and provide guidance and support in implementing cutting-edge technologies. Your expertise will be key to ensuring seamless delivery and surpassing client expectations. On a day to day, you'll be doing; Lead an engagement technically providing thought leadership and technical direction focusing on customer needs and achieving project goals. Leading and building engineering and design best practice, standards and deliverables in production ready systems, to meet customer agreed outcomes to time, budget and quality. Producing and gaining customer approval on high level designs, detailed designs, solution architectures, operational and handover documentation; sequencing of projects and backlog that provide clarity and direction for the engineering team with team endorsement and support as the key metric. Lead a team of engineers, providing leadership, direction and mentorship Drive innovation and excellence in digital and cloud native solutions Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure alignment with business goals Utilise your Digital AppDev and Cloud expertise to deliver high-quality technical solutions Champion craftsmanship and quality outcomes in all aspects of technology delivery Extensive experience in software engineering, across AWS and Azure platforms Proven track record of technical leadership and delivering successful projects Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively in a team environment Passion for technology craftsmanship and a commitment to delivering quality outcomes People lead a small team of seniors and engineers Required Skills & Experience Proven experience as a Principal or Lead Engineer delivering complex, cloud-native solutions in enterprise environments Strong full stack engineering capability, with deep expertise in backend services and distributed systems Proficiency in core languages including Java (Spring Boot), TypeScript/JavaScript, Python or similar Frontend development experience using React and/or Next.js or similar Deep hands-on experience with AWS, including designing and building cloud-native architectures Strong experience with microservices and event-driven architectures Hands-on expertise with Docker and Kubernetes in production environments Solid understanding of DevOps practices, including CI/CD pipelines, Infrastructure as Code, and observability Experience using AI-assisted coding tools (e.g., GitHub Copilot, Claude Code or similar) ideally in real-world development Proven ability to lead technical delivery, including architecture, design, and implementation oversight Highly Desirable Experience in financial services (banking, payments, or superannuation) Experience building go-to-market products or reusable engineering platforms Track record of mentoring and developing engineers in high-performing teams Life at Versent We're a diverse team of motivated humans who think outside the box and strive to deliver what others might consider impossible. At Versent we truly care about our people and put real focus on cultivating a culture of learning, collaboration and growth.  We provide our teams with the space, trust, and support, to deliver the best work of their careers. To enable this, we have a culture that places a high value on continual feedback, excellence, and invention anchored in customer success. We also offer our team: Flexibility: We give you the freedom to excel, providing as much autonomy and flexibility around when you work so you can manage your time in a way that best suits you to get the job done. Learning: We are passionate about continuous improvement and care about you investing in and developing your craft. Our Craft 180 Program is a holistic strategy for ongoing, meaningful skill and capability development with an ultimate goal to create an environment where people can learn and contribute in different ways to develop, practice and become masters of their craft. Access to Benefits That Fit Your Life: From salary packaging and purchased leave to novated leasing options, we offer a range of benefits designed to suit different lifestyles and priorities. There's something for everyone. Health & Wellbeing Programmes: We focus on you as a whole person, with wellbeing initiatives that are to support you mentally, physically, emotionally and financially. Connection: Regular social activities across your team and the organisation. Recognition: We offer several reward & recognition programmes to acknowledge the amazing work that you do! Career opportunity: We provide the opportunity to work on diverse projects and initiatives that enable you to create a brilliant career. At Versent, we don't adhere to a one-size-fits-all hiring strategy. We understand that you might not fulfill all the criteria for this position. Our celebration of diverse perspectives isn't just a value, it's a way to gain an edge. If you believe this opportunity is where you can thrive, don't be shy and apply! If you require any accommodations throughout the interview process, please get in touch with us by emailing careers@versent.com.au. Versent is a leading technology consultancy. We exist to architect, build and operate cloud-native applications, data streams, platforms, and services.  We work with customers to transform their business' through technology, in ways they never imagined. Australia's leading businesses and top technology companies choose to partner with us because of our deep expertise, unwavering integrity and dedicated focus on ensuring our customer success.