Principal Engineer Cloud AWS

Salary: £43,000 - 83,000 per year

Requirements:

• We require extensive experience in cloud infrastructure, specifically AWS.
• We require expert knowledge of the AWS ecosystem, including complex networking, compute, data storage, and enterprise security configurations.
• We require exceptional proficiency in Infrastructure as Code and configuration management.
• We require a strong software background with deep expertise in at least one modern programming language such as Python, Go, Java, or Node.js.
• We require demonstrated experience leading large technical projects, influencing engineering culture, and driving cross-team consensus.
• We require a proven track record of designing, deploying, and maintaining large-scale distributed software systems and microservices architectures.
• We require at least an AWS Associate certification or higher.
• We require eligibility for SC clearance.
• We require the ability to work 37 hours per week, with a minimum average site attendance of three days per week.
• We may ask you to work across shift patterns between 0730 and 1830 GMT and to participate in an on-call rota.

Responsibilities:

• We lead the technical direction of our cloud infrastructure and platform engineering initiatives.
• We define our overarching cloud strategy and architect highly resilient, scalable, and secure distributed systems on AWS.
• We act as the highest level of technical escalation and serve as a trusted advisor to engineering leadership.
• We provide technical leadership and mentorship to Senior, Mid-Level, and Junior Engineers.
• We foster a culture of continuous learning, rigorous peer review, and operational excellence.
• We architect complex, multi-region, highly available AWS cloud environments aligned with business goals and product roadmaps.
• We evaluate emerging AWS services and third-party tools to assess their value in improving our technology stack and reducing time-to-market.
• We guide technical decision-making across multiple engineering squads and support cross-functional collaboration.
• We maintain complex, modular codebases using Terraform, AWS CDK, and Pulumi.
• We architect internal developer platforms and enterprise-grade CI/CD frameworks.
• We implement AWS cost optimisation strategies.
• We drive optimisations to resolve systemic performance bottlenecks across microservices, databases, and network layers.

Technologies:

• AWS
• Architect
• CI/CD
• Cloud
• Support
• Java
• Network
• Pulumi
• Python
• Security
• Terraform
• microservices
• NodeJS
• DevOps

More:

We are QinetiQ, a defence, security, and technology company focused on creating cutting-edge innovations that help empower and protect lives. We operate state-of-the-art facilities across the UK and work on research, testing, and development for military and civilian applications, supporting national security and advancing technology. We offer a collaborative, diverse, and inclusive environment where teams from different backgrounds, disciplines, and experiences work openly together. Our benefits include a matched contribution pension scheme with life assurance, generous holiday allowance with the option to purchase additional days, optional Health Cash Plan, Private Medical Insurance and Dental Insurance, an employee discount portal, volunteering opportunities, and support for the Armed Forces community. This role is based at any of our main UK sites with a minimum average of three days on site per week, and it requires participation in an on-call rota.

last updated 34 week of 2026