Principal Software Engineer

GSSTech Group; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 120,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A technology solution provider is seeking a Principal Software Engineer in Abu Dhabi to lead the design and development of RESTful and SOAP APIs. The ideal candidate will have over 10 years of experience in software engineering, strong skills in API lifecycle management, DevOps, and cloud-native deployments. Responsibilities include mentoring junior engineers, optimizing API performance, and implementing best practices in API governance. This position offers a significant opportunity to influence architectural decisions and drive innovation within the team.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science / Engineering is required.
• 10+ years in software engineering and API development.
• Strong experience in Open Banking and cloud-native deployments.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, test, and deploy REST & SOAP APIs.
• Implement unit testing and manage artifacts in Git, Nexus.
• Continuously monitor API performance and availability.

Skills

API lifecycle management

DevOps

Open Banking

Cloud-native deployments

Performance monitoring

Java Spring Boot

Maven

AWS Lambda

Kubernetes

Docker

GitLab

API gateways

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science / Engineering

Tools

Swagger

Postman

AppDynamics

ELK

Job description

We are seeking a Principal Software Engineer responsible for end-to-end design, development, testing, deployment, and governance of RESTful and SOAP APIs using Java Spring Boot and Maven , along with AWS Lambda functions and API components. The role requires strong expertise in API lifecycle management, DevOps, Open Banking, cloud-native deployments, API governance, and performance monitoring, while collaborating with cross-functional teams and mentoring engineers.

Requirements

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, test, and deploy REST & SOAP APIs using Java Spring Boot and Maven, AWS Lambda functions, and reusable API components / libraries.
• Implement unit testing, maintain secure and high-quality code, manage artifacts in Git, Nexus , and deploy APIs on AWS EKS clusters.
• Document and maintain API specifications using Swagger , Postman , and ensure proper API cataloguing.
• Continuously monitor, troubleshoot, and optimize API availability and performance using AppDynamics, ELK , and observability tools.
• Research & adopt emerging technologies and trends in API development, DevOps, containers, and cloud services.
• Lead cross-functional collaboration with developers, product owners, security teams, and stakeholders.
• Oversee full API lifecycle including design, deployment, versioning, deprecation, and retirement.
• Establish API development standards, best practices, and enforce API governance policies.
• Drive API platform strategy, contribute to architectural decision-making, and solve complex system integration challenges.
• Mentor and guide junior engineers; share best practices and promote team growth.
• Lead and maintain API Governance framework, API management tool evaluation, KPI tracking, API security (OAuth, JWT, API keys), compliance alignment, and adherence to FAB governance, strategy, and CB UAE guidelines .
• Conduct design reviews, ensure contract standardization, and improve developer experience across teams.
• Support audit and compliance recommendations and participate in system improvement initiatives.
• Own assigned projects, meet deadlines, communicate effectively, perform thorough unit testing, and adapt to changing priorities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science / Engineering (Master’s is a plus).
• 10+ years in software engineering, API development, AWS Lambda, DevOps, automation, and SDLC.
• Strong experience in Open Banking , Kubernetes, Docker, GitLab, Nexus, API gateways (Apigee / Kong / AWS API Gateway).
• Expertise in API security (OAuth, JWT, API keys) and DevSecOps practices.
• Experience improving monitoring, alerting, performance tuning, fixing vulnerabilities, and debugging large codebases.
• Strong skills in Python / other scripting languages (nice to have), design tools like Visio / Draw.io, and performance analysis tools.
• Proven ability to design large-scale API solutions in financial environments.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, leadership, problem-solving, and ability to work independently or in teams.
• Ability to implement FAB’s API governance requirements, evaluate new technologies, and support strategic delivery.