Job description: Our client, amission-led consultancy, is looking for an experiencedPrincipal Software Engineer(Java) to join their growing team. They deliversecure, modern software solutionsto the UK Government and Defence sectors, enabling clients to buildscalable systemsandprogressive web applicationsthat drive real impact.This is a senior-level opportunity for a hands-on engineer who enjoysleading by example, thrives inagile environments, and is passionate about shapingengineering best practicewhile still contributing to the codebase.Key ResponsibilitiesLead the design, development, and testingof secure, scalable systems using Java with modern front-end frameworks (e.g., React)Architect and maintainAPIs, data pipelines, and cloud-native solutions(AWS, Azure, private cloud)Drive adoption ofDevOps practices CI/CD, containers, infrastructure-as-codeGuide and mentor engineers, promotingbest practice, clean coding, and agile deliveryCollaborate with stakeholders and clients toshape technical directionand ensure robust, user-focused solutionsContribute across thefull software development lifecycle, from discovery to production supportEssential Skills and ExperienceDeep expertise in Java, with strong full-stack engineering skillsProven experienceleading teams or projectsat a senior/principal levelStrong knowledge ofsystem architecture, cloud solutions, and API designFamiliarity withDevOps tools and automation(CI/CD, containers, IaC)Track record of deliveringsecure, production-gr