Principal Engineer

PLP Group; Stockholms kommun; On-site; SEK 1,076,536 - 1,498,537; Full time

Job summary

Klarna in Stockholm seeks a Principal Engineer to drive technical direction, ensuring scalable, resilient architectures and long-term growth across domains.

You will shape architectural strategy, set standards for observability and data management, and mentor senior engineers to grow Klarna’s technical community.

Qualifications

• Proven experience delivering and scaling distributed systems across domains.
• Strong background in system architecture, data integration, and observability.
• Experience with cloud-native architectures and modern infra tooling.

Responsibilities

• Lead cross-domain engineering strategy and execution across Klarna's domains.
• Architect and evolve technical foundations to simplify systems and align data models.
• Set and uphold technical standards for code quality, observability, and reliability.
• Partner with Product, Data Science, and Design to align tech investments with business goals.
• Mentor senior engineers and foster a culture of technical curiosity and accountability.
• Drive innovation by exploring new technologies and improving developer experience.

Skills

Distributed systems

System architecture

Data integration

Observability

Cloud-native

AWS

Kubernetes

Kafka

Mentoring

Cross-domain leadership

Tools

Kubernetes

Kafka

AWS

Job description

Principal EngineerJob detailsEngineeringStockholmFull-timekr 1,076,536 SEK - kr 1,498,537 SEK**What You Will Do**You will drive Klarna’s technical direction within and across Klarnas domains - ensuring that our systems are scalable, resilient, and architected for long-term growth. You’ll shape architectural strategy, connect cross-functional initiatives, and elevate Klarna’s engineering standards across the organization.● Lead cross-domain engineering strategy and execution - translating Klarna’s vision into scalable, secure, and efficient architectures that serve multiple business areas, while fostering technical alignment across teams and competences.● Architect and evolve Klarna’s technical foundations by simplifying systems, reducing duplication, and driving consistency in data models, APIs, and integration patterns that power global customer and merchant experiences.● Set and uphold Klarna-wide technical standards for code quality, observability, reliability, and data management - ensuring operational excellence and enabling teams to deliver confidently at scale.● Partner with Product, Data Science, and Design leaders to align technical investments with business outcomes, balancing long-term architectural evolution with short-term delivery priorities.● Mentor and grow Klarna’s senior technical community, guiding Lead and Principal Engineers in decision-making, design reviews, and career development, while nurturing a culture of technical curiosity and shared accountability.● Drive innovation and continuous improvement by exploring emerging technologies, improving developer experience, and enabling Klarna’s platforms to adapt to future opportunities and challenges.**Who You Are**● A recognized technical leader with deep experience delivering and scaling distributed systems across multiple business or product domains.● Strategic in thinking yet pragmatic in execution — able to balance innovation, speed, and stability across complex organizations.● Skilled in system architecture, data integration, and building reliable, observable systems that enable high-velocity teams.● Adept at influencing across teams and functions, aligning diverse stakeholders behind clear technical direction.● A committed mentor who builds inclusive, empowered teams and fosters technical growth across the organization.● Curious, reflective, and driven by continuous improvement - both personal and organizational.**Awesome to Have**● Experience leading cross-functional initiatives in payments, e-commerce, or large-scale technology platforms.● Expertise in distributed architecture, event-driven systems, and cloud-native technologies (AWS, Kubernetes, Kafka).● Proven success improving observability, reliability, or developer productivity at company scale.● A track record of translating technical strategy into measurable business impact across domains.