Principal Product Engineer (Software)

Automata; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Vitality Health Insurance

Eye Care

Salary Sacrifice - EV

Salary Sacrifice - Bike & Tech

Wellbeing & Support

Wellbeing & Development Allowance

Spill & Employee Assistance Programme

Additional Leave

Pension Scheme

Group Life & Critical Illness cover

Job summary

Automata is seeking a hands-on technical leader to own end-to-end Product Engineering (Software) within PEDDAI, turning strategy into fast, high-quality delivery. You will be the single point of accountability for Product Technical Architecture and the Product Engineering function.

Based in London, you will lead a high-performing team, hire and mentor staff engineers, evolve scalable operating systems, and embed AI-native and automation-first ways of working to boost productivity.

Qualifications

• 15+ years engineering experience.
• 10+ years building products.
• Experience leading multiple Staff/Senior Staff engineers.
• Proven knowledge of AI and automation in day-to-day work.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end Product Engineering (Software) within PEDDAI; turn strategy into delivery.
• Serve as the single point of accountability for Product Technical Architecture and Engineering.
• Partner with PEDDAI, Customer Success, and Sales leadership on challenges and roadmaps.
• Build, lead and elevate a high-performing Product Engineering (Software) function.
• Architect and evolve operating systems to scale and enable autonomous teams.
• Embed AI-native and automation-first ways of working.

Skills

Hands-on leadership

Ownership mindset

Fast execution

Team performance

Clear communication

Accountability

Job description

Level: 6

Minimum 3 days per week on site at our office in Angel, London

At Automata, we're on a mission to transform how scientists work by making automation accessible to every lab in the world. We believe that by giving labs the power to automate, we can unlock discoveries that will shape the future of life sciences—from diagnostics and drug discovery to synthetic biology.

But we’re more than just a company disrupting the industry—we're a team of innovators, problem-solvers, and creators passionate about empowering scientists. Our LINQ platform combines hardware and software to streamline workflows, making lab automation fast, flexible, and affordable. This means our customers can focus on groundbreaking research, while we take care of the rest.

Why Work at Automata?

• Impact: Your work will directly contribute to advancements in science and medicine, supporting labs around the globe as they push boundaries in research and innovation.
• Innovation: You’ll be part of a team solving complex problems (seriously, no one else has figured out how to do this yet), using cutting-edge technology (we have robots).
• Growth: We invest in our people. Whether through hands‑on experience, professional development, or collaborative projects, you’ll grow both professionally and personally.
• Community: Join a diverse, passionate team that values collaboration.

Your Day-to-Day in This Role

• Own end-to-end the Product Engineering (Software) within a department with Product, Engineering, Design, Data & AI (PEDDAI)—turning strategy into fast, predictable, high‑quality product delivery
• Operate as the single point of accountability for Product Technical Architecture and the Product Engineering (Software) function—bringing clarity, discipline, and best practices
• Partner with PEDDAI, Customer Success, and Sales leadership to align on challenges, initiatives, and roadmap
• Build, lead, and level‑up a high-performing Product Engineering (Software) function that reports to you—hiring, mentoring, and setting an uncompromising bar for execution
• Architect, and continuously evolve operating systems that scale—eliminating bottlenecks, increasing velocity, and enabling teams to move autonomously
• Embed AI‑native and automation‑first ways of working—unlocking step‑change improvements in productivity and throughput
• Bridge strategy and execution—ensuring we build what we defined; that what we build, ships fast; and what we ship, delivers results with high quality

Who You Are

• You are a hands‑on technical leader (not a manager)–you are the best and lead by example
• You are wired for ownership—you don’t wait for clarity, you create it
• You bring intensity and pace—and channel it into structured, repeatable execution
• You care deeply about teams and performance—holding a high bar while enabling people to do their best work
• You balance sharp decision‑making with strong judgment—knowing when to push, when to unblock, and when to step back
• You’ve already operated at a high bar in engineering—you’ve seen what “great” looks like and know how to get there again
• You are resilient, accountable, and outcome‑focused—you don’t hide behind process or complexity
• You communicate with precision and influence—aligning other stakeholders without noise
• You are curious, adaptable, and constantly evolving—never static in how you think or operate

Role Requirements

• More than 15 years of experience as an engineer, with more than 10 years building products
• Demonstrable experience of leading and building a highly complex product
• Experience managing multiple Staff and Senior Staff engineers
• Proven knowledge and use of AI and Automation in the day‑to‑day as a multiplier and accelerator
• Experience operating in environments that demand both speed and quality (scale‑ups, top‑tier tech, or product driven enterprise transformation)

Function Requirements

• London‑based, with 3 days per week in‑office (near Angel station)
• Thrive in a high‑performance, fast‑scaling environment with high expectations and low tolerance for drag
• Able to introduce structure that accelerates teams—not slows them down

Why You’ll Want to Join Us

• You want to operate at the edge of your capability—where expectations are high and impact is real
• You’re motivated by ownership and autonomy—not hierarchy or process
• You want to build and scale something meaningful—our product directly saves lives
• You’re currently under‑leveraged, moving faster than your environment allows
• You want to work with people who are equally driven, pragmatic, and focused on outcomes

UK Team Benefits

• Vitality Health Insurance
• Eye Care
• Salary Sacrifice - EV
• Salary Sacrifice - Bike & Tech
• Wellbeing & Support
• Wellbeing & Development Allowance
• Spill & Employee Assistance Programme
• Additional Leave
• Pension Scheme
• Group Life & Critical Illness cover

We are an equal‑opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Discrimination of any kind based on race, colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status is strictly prohibited.