Principal Platform Engineer

rowdentech; West of England; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Rowden, based in Bristol, seeks a Principal Platform Engineer to define and lead the platform that underpins development, deployment, and operation of technology. You will drive architecture, improve developer experience, and raise engineering standards across the organisation.

This is a high-impact, hands-on leadership role requiring collaboration with multiple teams. The position is hybrid with a minimum of 3 days on-site at the Bristol HQ.

Responsibilities

• Define and lead the engineering platform architecture and roadmap.
• Collaborate with Software, Infrastructure, ML, IT, Product, QA and Security teams.
• Hands-on leadership: build the platform and set engineering standards.
• Scale the platform to meet Rowden's growth and security requirements.

Job description

We're building the UK's next generation engineering powerhouse, providing critical technology that strengthens national security and resilience.

We specialise in turning advances in sensing, AI, and communications into operational capability for the edge, where connectivity may be degraded or denied. Our work focuses on accelerating the deployment of technology, improving decision-making for frontline teams, and protecting people and critical assets in demanding environments.

Headquartered in Bristol, Rowden employs around 200 people and operates over 20,000 square feet of engineering and manufacturing facilities. We have a growing international footprint and are one of Europe's fastest-growing engineering businesses.

About the role

We're seeking a Principal Platform Engineer to define and lead the engineering platform that underpins how Rowden develops, deploys, and operates technology. The platform will improve developer experience and make Rowden's engineering faster, more consistent, more scalable, and more secure. This is a high-impact opportunity to build the engineering foundations of one of the UK's most exciting technology companies.

Working closely with Software, Infrastructure, ML, IT, Product, QA, and Security teams, you'll lead the delivery of the platform vision, define its architecture, and raise the standard of engineering practice across the organisation. You'll ensure the platform scales with Rowden's ambitions and meets the demands of its engineering teams. This is a hands-on role; you will lead by building.

This role offers hybrid working with a minimum of 3 days per week on-site at our Bristol HQ.

For senior roles, compensation is tailored to the scope of the role and the specific experience a candidate brings. Because that can vary significantly, we do not always publish a fixed salary band. We will, however, discuss compensation openly at the first stage of the process and can share an indicative range before either side invests significant time.

Candidates must be eligible for SC Clearance.

More information about security clearance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/united-kingdom-security-vetting-clearance-levels