Principal Software Engineer
Build the Platform That Powers Our Next Phase of Growth
Location:
Gold Coast, QLD
Salary:
$180,000 - $190,000 + Super (Flexible)
Employment Type:
Full-Time
Work Arrangement:
Hybrid
About:
I'm working with an Australian business redefining a traditionally outdated industry through technology, data and automation.
With a strong in-house engineering capability, the company is investing heavily in building the next generation of proprietary platforms that power operations, compliance, sales and future acquisitions.
This is a business that thinks like a startup, moves quickly, embraces AI-driven development and gives engineers genuine ownership over architecture and technical direction.
For the right person, it's a rare opportunity to work on large-scale greenfield and re-architecture projects while having a direct impact on the growth and future strategy of the company.
This role will primarily operate as an individual contributor position, working directly alongside business leaders and the Head of Engineering to rethink, redesign and rebuild the platforms that support operations, acquisitions, integrations and future product strategy.
The Opportunity
We're looking for a hands-on Principal or Staff Engineer who thrives in ambiguity, enjoys solving complex business problems and can take ownership of technical decisions from architecture through to production.
You'll be working across a suite of systems that support internal operations, sales enablement, compliance workflows and acquisition integration.
Much of the functionality already exists today, giving you the opportunity to learn from real-world usage while reimagining the future architecture.
Working closely with the Head of Engineering and leadership team, you'll play a key role in defining how these platforms evolve as the business continues to scale.
This role is ideal for someone who enjoys operating at the intersection of engineering,



architecture and product thinking.
What You'll Be Doing
Design and build scalable software platforms from the ground up.
Make key architecture decisions that will shape the future direction of the technology landscape.
Work directly with founders and stakeholders to translate ideas, prototypes and business requirements into production-ready systems.
Re-engineer existing platforms to improve scalability, maintainability and performance.
Build backend services, integrations and core application functionality.
Leverage AI-assisted development tools to accelerate delivery and improve engineering productivity.
Evaluate technologies, frameworks and architectural patterns to determine the best solution for business requirements.
Collaborate with senior technical leaders on long-term platform strategy.
Take ownership of technical outcomes from concept through deployment.
What We're Looking For
Essential
Extensive experience building and shipping commercial software products.
Robust software architecture and system design experience.
Proven ability to design and build scalable applications from scratch.
Deep backend engineering expertise.
Experience operating at Staff Engineer, Principal Engineer or equivalent level.
Strong understanding of cloud architecture and modern engineering practices.
Ability to work independently and make sound technical decisions.
Excellent communication skills and the ability to work directly with business stakeholders.
Comfortable operating in fast-moving and evolving environments.
Highly Regarded




Experience with Python, Ruby, Node.js, Go or similar backend technologies.
React, Next.js or modern frontend development experience.
Startup, scale-up or product company experience.
Experience modernising or re-architecting legacy systems.
Exposure to AI-enabled software products and workflows.
M&A;, acquisition integration or operational software experience.
AI-First Engineering
We believe modern software engineering is changing rapidly, and AI is becoming a fundamental part of how great engineers work.
You'll be expected to incorporate AI-assisted development tools into your daily workflow.
Whether that's Cursor, Claude, GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT or emerging AI technologies, we're looking for engineers who view AI as a force multiplier and are excited about what it enables.
This isn't a business that's experimenting with AI.
It's becoming part of how we build.
What Success Looks Like
Within your first 12 months, you'll:
Influence the future architecture of multiple business-critical platforms.
Help define how our systems evolve as the company grows through acquisition and expansion.
Work alongside highly capable engineers in a lean, high-impact environment.
Deliver solutions that directly improve operational efficiency and business outcomes.
Become a trusted technical voice within the organisation.
What You Won't Find Here
Layers of management
Endless meetings
Excessive process
Ticket factories
Heavy bureaucracy
Micromanagement
Instead, you'll find autonomy, ownership, challenging technical problems and the opportunity to build systems that genuinely matter.
Interested?
If you're an experienced engineer who enjoys architecture, wants meaningful ownership and is excited about building the next generation of business-critical software within an AI-enabled engineering environment, we'd love to hear from you

📌 Principal Engineer - (Architecture & Platform) (Gold Coast)
🏢 Pair People
📍 Gold Coast