Principal Software Engineer Backend Technologies (Platform)

Turnitin; Newcastle upon Tyne; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Disability Insurance

Life Insurance

Vision Insurance

AD&D Insurance

Flexible Spending Account (FSA)

Health Savings Account (HSA)

Supplemental Life Insurance

Job summary

Turnitin is seeking a Principal Backend Engineer focused on Java and serverless architectures, with strong frontend awareness. You will lead the design of scalable backend services, APIs, and event-driven systems, while mentoring a team of engineers and collaborating with cross-functional groups across locations.

You will balance technical leadership with delivery deadlines, optimize performance and costs, and contribute to CI/CD and documentation.

Qualifications

• Over 10 years of backend development experience with Java.
• Strong focus on serverless architectures and cloud services.
• Experience leading teams and mentoring engineers.

Responsibilities

• Develop and enhance foundational backend services powering applications.
• Lead design, development, and optimization of scalable backend systems.
• Architect RESTful APIs and event-driven architectures for high performance.
• Provide technical leadership and ensure architectural standards.
• Oversee CI/CD pipelines for reliable delivery.
• Mentor junior developers and foster knowledge sharing.
• Collaborate with Architects, Product Managers, and leads to deliver solutions.

Skills

Java

Serverless

Frontend knowledge

Distributed systems

Leadership

AWS Lambda

APIs

CI/CD

Tools

AWS Lambda

DynamoDB

API Gateway

SNS/SQS

EventBridge

Job description

Overview

Turnitin is seeking a Principal Backend Engineer with a strong focus on backend development, particularly in Java and serverless architectures, combined with solid frontend experience.

This role is ideal for engineers passionate about building scalable distributed systems, data modeling, and delivering high-performing, reliable software solutions for our award-winning educational platform.

Responsibilities

• As a core contributor to our shared services team, you will develop and enhance the foundational systems powering existing and new applications.
• Work hands-on with coding, development, and implementation of technical solutions.
• Lead and mentor more junior engineers and collaborate with other teams.
• Lead the design, development, and optimization of scalable backend services using Java and serverless technologies (e.g., AWS Lambda).
• Architect and implement RESTful APIs and event-driven systems to support high-performance, distributed applications.
• Provide technical leadership to ensure alignment with architectural standards and best practices.
• Contribute to the development and integration of user-facing frontend components when needed.
• Analyze and optimize existing services to enhance performance, scalability, and cost efficiency.
• Collaborate with Architects, Product Managers, and engineering leads to deliver innovative solutions.
• Mentor and guide junior developers, fostering a culture of learning and knowledge sharing.
• Oversee the implementation and maintenance of CI/CD pipelines for efficient and reliable software delivery.
• Maintain high standards of code quality through peer reviews, testing, and adherence to best practices.
• Create comprehensive documentation for shared components, including usage guidelines and examples.

Qualifications

• Solid understanding of frontend technologies, including React and Web Components, with the ability to contribute when needed.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and collaborate with cross-functional teams across multiple locations (distributed teams in Europe and the USA) to deliver high-quality solutions.
• Over 10 years of backend development experience with deep proficiency in Java and extensive hands-on experience with serverless frameworks (e.g., AWS Lambda, Google Cloud Functions).
• Proven ability to conduct system design reviews for architectural alignment, scalability, and performance.
• Familiarity with modern DevOps practices and infrastructure-as-code (IaC).
• Deep understanding of software development best practices (design patterns, TDD, BDD, clean code).
• Ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Strong problem-solving skills with a track record of optimizing systems for performance and cost efficiency.
• Exceptional collaboration skills across Product Managers, Architects, and engineering leads.
• Experience implementing and managing CI/CD pipelines for automated build, deployment, and testing.
• Practical expertise in cloud technologies, specifically serverless AWS services (Lambda, DynamoDB, API Gateway, SNS/SQS, EventBridge).
• Proven experience as a Tech Lead, mentoring junior engineers and driving adherence to best practices.
• Expertise in designing and managing distributed systems with advanced data modeling techniques.
• Ability to balance technical decisions with project deadlines and business goals.
• Familiarity with monitoring and observability tools (e.g., CloudWatch, New Relic, Datadog).
• Experience with frontend technologies such as React, Angular, or Web Components is a plus.
• Knowledge of data modeling and working with NoSQL databases.
• Understanding or experience with AI/ML concepts.
• Understanding of agile methodologies (Scrum, XP, Kanban).

Benefits

• Health Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Disability Insurance
• Life Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Supplemental Life Insurance