Principal Engineer - Cybersecurity Science & Analytics

Archer; Greater London; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Archer collaborates with HSBC to recruit a Principal Engineer who will lead data platform, infrastructure and advanced analytics engineering for cybersecurity at scale. You will influence a large team and work across the global Cybersecurity function to deliver data-driven security outcomes.

This role demands hands-on leadership as an individual contributor, with expertise in cloud-native architectures, big data, and secure-by-design engineering practices—impacting millions of customers globally.

Qualifications

• Strong software engineering fundamentals and solid coding ability.
• Experience building and maintaining scalable cloud-based applications (Azure preferred).
• Experience with big data technologies (Databricks, Spark).
• Ability to orchestrate and deliver complex change across teams and geographies.
• Strong stakeholder management and the ability to explain complex engineering topics clearly.
• Growth mindset and proactive learning attitude.
• A STEM-oriented background.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end SDLC: requirements, development, testing, release and production support.
• Build custom security applications, APIs and data-driven services in line with Cybersecurity mission outcomes.
• Ingest, curate and optimise massive datasets (100TBs/day) for high-value cyber use cases.
• Design, deliver and maintain cloud-native ML/analytics pipelines in Azure for real-time detection and response.
• Partner with threat hunters, threat intelligence and vulnerability management to translate requirements into scalable solutions.
• Be part of a global Principal Engineer community, shaping standards and best practices.

Skills

Software engineering

Azure

Databricks

Spark

Cross-team leadership

Stakeholder mgmt

Growth mindset

STEM background

Tools

Databricks

Spark

Azure

Job description

Archer is collaborating with HSBC to connect them with exceptional professionals for this role.

Engineer and defend the digital backbone of one of the world’s largest global banks with real hands-on impact and zero management overhead

HSBC Technology builds and runs digital services that help millions of customers bank quickly, simply and securely - on one of the largest and most complex technology estates in the industry. Cybersecurity is investing in a step-change in engineering capability, and this role is central to making that real.

Cybersecurity Science & Analytics (CSA) is a team of cybersecurity scientists, data and analytics professionals and engineers. Our mission is to harness data, analytics, AI/ML and cybersecurity science to innovate and advance HSBC’s cybersecurity capabilities. We’re looking for a Principal Engineer reporting directly to the Global Head of Cybersecurity Science & Analytics, to set engineering direction across CSA and help solve our most complex technical challenges at pace and at scale.

You’ll leverage a multi‑petabyte data platform to reduce enterprise-wide security risk, automate real-time advanced detections and protect critical financial applications used by millions worldwide.

What You’ll Do (hands-on, End-to-end)

You’ll be the most senior hands-on engineer in CSA, working across delivery teams to deliver the data platform, infrastructure and advanced analytics engineering that power Cybersecurity outcomes. Your work will influence ~150 technical staff in CSA and the wider global Cybersecurity function (~2,500).

Core Responsibilities

Software Engineering Leadership

• Build custom security applications, APIs and data-driven services aligned to Cybersecurity mission outcomes
• Lead end-to-end SDLC: requirements (functional & non-functional), development, technical testing, release and production support
• Set and actively enforce engineering standards (code quality, reliability, secure-by-design) as a sustainable competitive advantage
• Mentor and upskill engineers; raise the bar for engineering excellence across teams
• Drive major procedural and technological change in a complex global organisation connecting the dots across domains

Data Engineering at Scale

• Ingest, curate, centralise and optimise massive datasets (100TBs/day) for high-value cyber use cases
• Build and optimise reusable data assets and pipelines for large-scale cybersecurity analytics
• Productionise and optimise pipelines with a focus on cloud cost optimisation and data asset curation
• Use Databricks / Spark and advanced analytics to deliver actionable insights Cloud-Native Analytics & AI/ML Enablement
• Design, deliver and maintain cloud-native ML/analytics pipelines in Azure for real-time detection and response
• Design pipelines to automate deployment of production models and automations to counter emerging threats
• Prototype, validate and scale new analytic techniques - turning research into production capability Cybersecurity Science & Rapid Response
• Conduct cybersecurity industry research and rapidly develop data-driven prototypes for live operational problems
• Support mitigation of advanced criminal and nation-state adversarial techniques
• Jump in on urgent vulnerabilities or emerging threats - making a difference when it matters most
• Work across cyber domains: network, endpoint, cloud security, cryptography, malware analysis, vulnerability assessment, PAM, anomaly/intrusion detection, incident response, offensive security
• Leverage key cyber data sources: EDR, firewall logs, proxy logs, vulnerability reports

Cross-Organisational Influence

• Partner with threat hunters, threat intelligence, vulnerability management and more to translate complex requirements into scalable solutions
• Lead architecture reviews, establish reusable patterns and drive consistency across business units
• Be part of a global community of Principal Engineers / Distinguished Engineers / Engineering Fellows, shaping standards and sharing best practice

What You’ll Bring

Proven track record as a Senior Staff / Principal / Senior Principal hands‑on engineer (individual contributor)

• Strong software engineering fundamentals and excellent coding ability (repositories and technical reviews)
• Experience building and maintaining scalable cloud-based applications (Azure preferred)
• Experience with big data technologies (e.g., Databricks, Spark)
• Ability to orchestrate and deliver complex change across teams and geographies
• Strong stakeholder management and the ability to explain complex engineering topics in an authoritative, actionable way
• Growth mindset, curiosity and a positive attitude to learning
• A strong STEM oriented background

Why this role is different

This is a pure engineering leadership role: your influence comes from your technical vision, credibility and delivery - not from managing people. You’ll work on problems where scale is real, stakes are high and outcomes protect customers and colleagues across the bank.

Ready to build what Cybersecurity runs on?

If you want to combine full-stack engineering, data engineering at extreme scale and cybersecurity science - and you’re energised by solving hard problems with global impact - this is your seat at the table.

Being open to different points of view is important for our business and the communities we serve. At HSBC, we’re dedicated to creating diverse and inclusive workplaces - no matter their gender, ethnicity, disability, religion, sexual orientation, or age. We are committed to removing barriers and ensuring careers at HSBC are inclusive and accessible for everyone to be at their best. We take pride in being a Disability Confident Leader and will offer an interview to people with disabilities, long term conditions or neurodivergent candidates who meet the minimum criteria for the role.

If You Have a Need That Requires Accommodations Or Changes During The Recruitment Process, Please Get In Touch With Our Recruitment Helpdesk

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