Principal Engineer - Developer Platforms

Hsbc Global Services Limited; Greater London; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

HSBC Global Services Limited in London (or Hong Kong) seeks a Principal Engineer - Developer Platforms to elevate tooling, build, deployment, and software supply chain security across the SDLC. This Director-level role sits in GCIO/CTO Developer Platforms and shapes standards for engineering teams globally.

You’ll drive cross‑functional initiatives, mentor engineers, and apply AI to modern software delivery while ensuring risk controls and compliance.

Qualifications

• What we're looking for is substantial enterprise-scale engineering experience across platform improvements.
• Deep knowledge of software design patterns data structures algorithms and system architecture.
• Proven experience improving build deployment and CI/CD practices with modern tooling and automation.
• Experience strengthening secure coding practices and implementing security measures against vulnerabilities.
• Demonstrated ability applying AI to software development patterns at scale.
• Experience with IT controls and automation within products.
• Ability to communicate technical concepts clearly to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Experience guiding teams of engineers through delivery including planning and execution.

Responsibilities

• Oversee software development initiatives from inception to completion across the developer platforms estate
• Shape architecture and engineering standards for tools and services from code writing to deployment
• Strengthen software supply chain security within the delivery pipeline including vulnerability controls
• Establish approaches to artefact management and compliance evidencing aligned to platform and risk needs
• Partner with product managers and cross-functional teams to define goals requirements and timelines
• Evaluate emerging technologies including AI-assisted development to improve SDLC quality and outcomes
• Govern code quality through code reviews testing practices and adherence to best practices
• Mentor and coach engineers and small squads to improve delivery and grow technical capability

Skills

Enterprise-scale engineering

Software design patterns

System architecture

CI/CD practices

Secure coding practices

AI in software development

IT controls & automation

Stakeholder communication

Team leadership

Tools

CI/CD tooling

Automation frameworks

Job description

Principal Engineer - Developer Platforms HSBC Global Services Limited London, GB

Ready to strengthen our developer platforms and software supply chain security?

This role can be in London or Hong Kong

Why HSBC

HSBC is one of the largest banking and financial services organisations in the world. Guided by our purpose of opening up a world of opportunity, our ambition is to become the world’s most trusted bank globally, putting customers at the heart of everything we do.

The Role

This Principal Engineer - Developer Platforms, is a Director level which role sits within GCIO/CTO Developer Platforms and focuses on improving how software is built, tested and deployed across HSBC’s engineering organisation. Developer Platforms is a high-leverage area - when we raise the bar on tooling, standards and controls the impact scales across GCIO and when it fails it can disrupt delivery across the organisation. You’ll take a broad remit across the software delivery lifecycle, moving across the platform estate as priorities shift and the biggest gaps and risks emerge. Initial focus areas include build and deployment capabilities and strengthening cyber and software supply chain security across the delivery pipeline. You’ll also help shape how AI is applied to modern software delivery, including the controls and assurance needed as AI agents write more code. Success means safer, more reliable developer tooling, clearer standards and measurable improvements to quality and delivery outcomes for engineering teams.

What you'll be doing

• Oversee software development initiatives from inception to completion across the developer platforms estate
• Shape architecture and engineering standards for tools and services used from code writing to deployment
• Strengthen software supply chain security within the delivery pipeline including vulnerability and integrity controls
• Establish approaches to artefact management and compliance evidencing aligned to platform and risk needs
• Partner with product managers and cross-functional teams to define goals requirements and timelines
• Evaluate emerging technologies including AI-assisted development to improve SDLC quality and outcomes
• Govern code quality through code reviews testing practices and adherence to best practices
• Mentor and coach engineers and small squads to improve delivery and grow technical capability

What we're looking for

• Bring substantial enterprise-scale engineering experience where platform improvements affect large numbers of engineers
• Demonstrate deep technical knowledge across software design patterns data structures algorithms and system architecture
• Show proven experience improving build deployment and CI/CD practices using modern tooling and automation
• Evidence experience strengthening secure coding practices and implementing security measures against vulnerabilities and threats
• Demonstrate experience applying AI to software development patterns and processes to improve how teams build products at scale
• Bring experience working with IT controls and automation of control compliance within products
• Ability to communicate technical concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Demonstrate experience guiding a team or small squad of engineers through delivery including planning and execution

Strengthening the SDLC backbone

This role is an opportunity to improve the platforms that thousands of engineers rely on every day. The work spans modern engineering practices, AI-enabled delivery and the controls needed to keep software supply chains secure and dependable. You’ll have scope to move across the platform pipeline as priorities change and to make practical improvements that teams can feel in their day-to-day delivery. If you want to shape tooling and standards that scale across a global engineering organisation we’d like to hear from you.

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, socio-economic background 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.