Principal Software Engineer

RELX; Oxford; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A global leader in information and analytics is seeking a Principal Software Engineer to lead the design and architecture of their Backstage platform. Your role will involve driving technical vision, mentoring engineers, and maintaining engineering standards in a highly collaborative environment. The ideal candidate has deep expertise in TypeScript, Node.js, and React, along with strong leadership skills. They promote flexibility in work hours and a culture of innovation, making a significant impact in advancing science and healthcare.

Benefits

Comprehensive Pension Plan

Home, office, or commuting allowance

Generous vacation entitlement

Flexible working hours

Employee Assistance Program

Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional software engineering experience, including leadership of complex, multi‑team initiatives.
• Proven ability to mentor engineers and conduct design and code reviews.
• Strong communication skills to interface with non‑technical stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Own the technical vision, architecture, and delivery of Backstage platform capabilities.
• Design and build high-quality, full-stack TypeScript solutions.
• Define and uphold engineering standards across the platform.

Skills

TypeScript

Node.js

React

OAuth/OIDC/SSO

Unit/integration/e2e testing

Docker

Kubernetes

Education

BS in Engineering/Computer Science or equivalent

Job description

Principal Software Engineer

Are you passionate about designing scalable, high-performance systems?

Do you thrive on solving complex technical challenges and leading innovative solutions?

About our team:

We’re building Elsevier’s Internal Developer Portal on Spotify’s Backstage framework—an entry point for all things engineering at Elsevier. Our mission is to streamline service discovery, documentation, workflow automation, and self-service for thousands of engineers. We’re a cross-functional team partnering with product, UX, platform, and security to deliver a cohesive, high-quality developer experience.

About the role:

We are seeking an experienced, hands‑on Principal Software Engineer to lead the architecture, development, and adoption of our Backstage platform. You will design and deliver core capabilities and plugins, set engineering standards, and guide teams across Elsevier in how they use and contribute to the portal. This role blends deep technical execution with consulting, stakeholder engagement, and community leadership. You will help define the roadmap, drive platform governance, and create the patterns that make our developer portal reliable, scalable, and delightful to use.

Key responsibilities:

• Owning the technical vision, architecture, and delivery of Backstage platform capabilities, plugins, and backend services.
• Designing and building high‑quality, secure, and maintainable full‑stack TypeScript solutions (React/Node.js) within Backstage's monorepo and plugin architecture.
• Defining and upholding engineering standards, patterns, and governance for contributed plugins, templates, and documentation across the platform.
• Partnering with product managers, UX, business analysts, and non‑technical stakeholders to translate needs into clear road, outcomes, and acceptance criteria.
• Mentoring engineers and contributors; conducting design and code reviews; elevating best practices in reliability, security, performance, and accessibility.
• Contributing back to the Backstage open‑source community where appropriate, tracking ecosystem changes, and guiding internal adoption.

Requirements:

Technical Skills:

• Expert proficiency in TypeScript, Node.js, and React; strong command of modern full‑stack patterns, state management, and component design.
• Authentication and authorisation: OAuth/OIDC/SSO, token management, session handling, role‑based access control.
• Testing at multiple layers: unit/integration/e2e (Jest, Cypress).
• Observability and reliability: logging, metrics, tracing, performance profiling, and resilience patterns.
• Experience with containers and cloud‑native delivery (Docker, Kubernetes) and infrastructure‑as‑code patterns.

Non‑Technical Skills:

• Exceptional communication and the ability to interface with non‑technical stakeholders; translate complex technical concepts into clear narratives and decisions.
• Strong product mindset: clarify outcomes, define acceptance criteria, and align solutions with business goals.
• Proven leadership in planning and road mapping; ability to balance strategic investments and near‑term value.
• Mentorship and coaching: elevate team practices through feedback, documentation, and example‑driven leadership.

Required Qualifications:

• Good years of professional software engineering experience, including leadership of complex, multi‑team initiatives.
• BS in Engineering/Computer Science or equivalent experience required; advanced degree preferred.

Why join us?

Join our team and contribute to a culture of innovation, collaboration, and excellence. If you are ready to advance your career and make a significant impact, we encourage you to apply.

Work in a way that works for you

We promote a healthy work/life balance across the organisation. We offer an appealing working prospect for our people. With numerous wellbeing initiatives, shared parental leave, study assistance and sabbaticals, we will help you meet your immediate responsibilities and your long‑term goals.

• Working flexible hours - flexing the times when you work in the day to help you fit everything in and work when you are the most productive.

Working for you

We know that your well‑being and happiness are key to a long and successful career. These are some of the benefits we are delighted to offer:

• Comprehensive Pension Plan
• Home, office, or commuting allowance.
• Generous vacation entitlement and option for sabbatical leave
• Maternity, Paternity, Adoption and Family Care leave
• Flexible working hours
• Personal Choice budget
• Internal communities and networks
• Various employee discounts
• Recruitment introduction reward
• Employee Assistance Program (global)

About the business –

A global leader in information and analytics, we help researchers and healthcare professionals advance science and improve health outcomes for the benefit of society. Building on our publishing heritage, we combine quality information and vast data sets with analytics to support visionary science and research, health education and interactive learning, as well as exceptional healthcare and clinical practice. At Elsevier, your work contributes to the world’s grand challenges and a more sustainable future. We harness innovative technologies to support science and healthcare to partner for a better world.

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