Principal Software Engineer - Squad Lead Engineer

LexisNexis Risk Solutions; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible hours

Wellbeing initiatives

Parental leave

Study assistance

Sabbaticals

Job summary

Elsevier in London is seeking a Principal Software Engineer - Squad Lead Engineer to combine hands-on software delivery with technical leadership across a cross-functional squad. You will shape technical direction, drive architecture, design complex features, and mentor engineers while ensuring secure, reliable, and observable systems.

You will lead ceremonies, translate product goals into executable plans, and partner with Product, Architecture, QE, SRE/Platform teams to deliver high-throughput

Qualifications

• Experience leading through influence across design, delivery and operations.
• Knowledge of distributed services, data platforms or high-throughput apps.
• Advanced Agile/Lean practices and backlog refinement.
• Experience with test strategy, automation, CI/CD gates and release readiness.
• Technical proficiency in multiple languages (Java, JavaScript/TypeScript, .NET/C#, Python, C/C++).
• Familiarity with relational and non-relational data stores, performance tuning, data modelling.

Responsibilities

• Serve as first line of technical escalation for the squad.
• Facilitate ceremonies and translate product goals into technical designs.
• Design and implement complex features and performance improvements.
• Define and uphold quality gates, security checks, and observability.
• Establish CI/CD pipelines, release strategies, and SLOs with partners.

Skills

Leadership through influence

Distributed services

Data platforms

High-throughput apps

Agile / Lean

Test strategy

CI/CD quality gates

Release readiness

Java/JVM

JavaScript/TypeScript

.NET/C#

Python

C/C++

SQL

Linux / Windows

CI/CD platforms

Containers

Cloud technologies

Observability

Security awareness

Incident response

Tools

CI/CD platforms

Containers

Cloud technologies

Job description

## Principal Software Engineer - Squad Lead EngineerApply: London Wall: Full time: Posted Yesterday: R118269*Are you passionate about leading technical excellence while remaining hands-on in building high-quality software?**Do you enjoy influencing teams, shaping engineering practices, and delivering reliable, secure, and observable solutions in a collaborative environment*? **About our Team**Our global team support products education electronic health records that introduce students to digital charting and prepare them to document care in today’s modern clinical environment. We have a very stable product that we’ve worked to get to and strive to maintain. Our team values trust, respect, collaboration, agility, and quality. **About the Role**As a Technical Lead, you will act as the technical facilitator and engineering leader for a cross-functional squad, balancing hands-on software development with leadership through influence. You will help shape technical direction, guide delivery planning, drive quality strategy, and collaborate closely with Product, Architecture, QE, SRE/Platform teams, and partner squads to deliver secure, reliable, and scalable software solutions. **Responsibilities*** Serve as the first line of technical escalation for the squad’s services/components* Facilitate team ceremonies (refinement, technical grooming, sprint planning, design reviews) with a focus on flow and outcomes* Translate product objectives into sound technical designs and testable acceptance criteria; decompose epics into implementable stories* Design and implement complex features; complete complex bug fixes and performance improvements* Define and uphold Definition of Ready/Done including code quality, automated test coverage, security checks, and observability* Establish/maintain CI/CD pipelines, quality gates, and sensible branching/release strategies* Drive a pragmatic quality strategy: test pyramid balance, contract tests, data management, environments, and non-functional testing* Partner with TIO on SLOs, alerting, runbooks, incident response, and post-incident learning **Requirements*** Demonstrated experience leading through influence (tech lead, feature lead, guild lead, or similar) across design, delivery, and operations* Strong track record in at least one domain: distributed services, data platforms, or high-throughput web/mobile applications* Advanced knowledge of Agile/Lean practices including backlog refinement, technical grooming, and risk-based planning* Experience with test strategy, test automation, CI/CD quality gates, and release readiness* Proficiency in one or more of the following: Java/JVM, JavaScript/TypeScript, .NET/C#, Python, C/C++, SQL, Linux, or Windows* Experience with relational and non-relational data stores, performance tuning, and data modelling* Knowledge of CI/CD platforms, containers, cloud technologies, observability, and monitoring practices* Understanding of secure coding, performance optimisation, reliability engineering, and incident response **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 Pattern**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. **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.**We know your well-being and happiness are key to a long and successful career. We are delighted to offer country specific benefits. Click** **here** **to access benefits specific to your location.**We are committed to providing a fair and accessible hiring process. If you have a disability or other need that requires accommodation or adjustment, please let us know by completing our Applicant Request Support Form or please contact 1-855-833-5120.**Criminals may pose as recruiters asking for money or personal information. We never request money or banking details from job applicants. Learn more about spotting and avoiding scams** **here****.**Please read our Candidate Privacy Policy.We are an equal opportunity employer: qualified applicants are considered for and treated during employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, citizenship status, disability status, protected veteran status, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.