Principal Software Engineer

Cathcart Technology; Lancashire; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance bonus

Pension scheme

Private medical cover

Hybrid work

Hands-on leadership

Job summary

Cathcart Technology is seeking a Principal Java Engineer in the South Manchester area. The role is hybrid, with one onsite day per week, and involves substantial hands-on coding alongside technical leadership.

You will design and deliver Java/Spring Boot solutions, mentor engineers, and help drive architectural standards within an Agile/XP environment. The position emphasizes quality, automation and scalable systems.

Qualifications

• Significant commercial experience developing applications with Java and Spring Boot.
• Strong technical judgement and the ability to influence engineering decisions.
• Experience mentoring, coaching or providing technical guidance to other developers.
• Interest in writing clean, maintainable and well-tested code.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop and deliver high-quality software using Java and Spring Boot.
• Provide technical leadership within the Scrum team and guide engineering decisions.
• Mentor and coach engineers to support their technical development.
• Collaborate with Principal Engineers and Development Managers on architecture and standards.
• Champion TDD, pair programming, automated testing and CI/CD.

Skills

Java

Spring Boot

AWS

Technical leadership

Mentoring

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

Terraform

CI/CD

Job description

Principal Java Engineer (Hands-On)

£70,000 - £85,000 + Bonus + Excellent Benefits

Hybrid - 1 Day Per Week Onsite in South Manchester

Java Spring Boot AWS Technical Leadership

Please note: Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

We're working with an established technology business in South Manchester who are looking to appoint a Principal Java Engineer to play a key role in the continued development of their software platforms and engineering teams.

This is an opportunity for an experienced Java Engineer who enjoys technical leadership but doesn't want to move away from writing code. The role is approximately 80% hands‑on, with the remaining time focused on mentoring, coaching, technical decision‑making and helping drive engineering standards.

The business has invested heavily in modern engineering practices, with Agile, Extreme Programming (XP), TDD and continuous delivery central to how their teams operate.

The Opportunity

You’ll work as part of an established Scrum team, taking ownership of technical delivery while helping influence the wider engineering approach.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Designing, developing and delivering high-quality software using Java and Spring Boot.
• Providing technical leadership within the Scrum team, helping guide engineering decisions and approaches.
• Mentoring and coaching engineers, supporting their technical development.
• Collaborating with other Principal Engineers and Development Managers on architecture, standards and engineering improvements.
• Championing practices including TDD, pair programming, automated testing and continuous integration.
• Helping break down complex technical challenges and ensuring solutions are scalable, maintainable and fit for purpose.
• Remaining actively involved in coding, code reviews and day-to-day delivery.

This isn't a traditional management position or a purely architectural role. You’ll have genuine technical influence while remaining closely involved in building software.

The engineering environment includes:

• Java and Spring Boot
• AWS cloud infrastructure, including serverless technologies
• Microservices and distributed systems
• Docker and Kubernetes
• Terraform and Infrastructure as Code
• CI/CD and automated deployment pipelines
• Test-Driven Development (TDD)
• Pair programming and Agile/XP practices

You don’t need to have worked with every technology listed. Strong Java engineering fundamentals and a commitment to good software development practices are the priorities.

What We’re Looking For

We’re interested in speaking with experienced Senior, Lead, Staff or Principal Java Engineers who can demonstrate:

• Significant commercial experience developing applications with Java and Spring Boot.
• Strong technical judgement and the ability to influence engineering decisions.
• Experience mentoring, coaching or providing technical guidance to other developers.
• A genuine interest in writing clean, maintainable and well‑tested code.
• Experience working in collaborative Agile engineering environments.
• An understanding of modern software architecture and distributed systems.
• The ability to balance hands‑on delivery with wider technical responsibilities.

Experience with AWS, DevOps tooling, containerisation and Infrastructure as Code would be particularly beneficial.

You don’t necessarily need to hold a Principal title already. If you’re a strong Senior or Lead Engineer who has been taking on wider technical responsibilities and is ready for the next step, we’d be keen to hear from you.

What’s On Offer?

• Salary of £70,000 - £85,000 depending on experience.
• Performance-related bonus.
• Excellent pension scheme.
• Private medical cover.
• Hybrid working, with approximately one day per week onsite in South Manchester.
• A genuinely hands‑on technical leadership position.
• Established engineering teams with a strong focus on quality, collaboration and continuous improvement.
• The opportunity to influence technical direction while working on complex, long‑term software platforms.