Principal Engineer

Ordnance Survey · Southampton · £74,781–£87,244 (stated in the posting)

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Principal Engineer  

Full Time | £74,781.00 to £87,244.00 dependant on experience | OSHQ Southampton | Hybrid working 

Clear the path. Seek the story. Do what matters.

Who we are

We are Ordnance Survey, Great Britain’s national mapping service and a global leader in geospatial data and technology. For over 230 years, our data has helped governments, businesses and communities make better decisions about the world around them.

Our Business Systems team is at the heart of this — powering the platforms, services and integrations that keep the organisation running and evolving.

Join us, and you’ll play a pivotal role in shaping the future engineering landscape of OS — defining the standards, architecture and practices that underpin everything we do.

About the role

This is a rare and high-impact opportunity for an exceptional Principal Engineer to operate as the senior technical authority within Business Systems.

You won’t just contribute to engineering decisions — you will set the direction.

You will

• Lead on our most complex and business-critical engineering challenges
• Shape and influence technology strategy across the organisation
• Define engineering standards, architecture and best practice at scale
• Provide technical assurance across platforms, integrations and systems
• Elevate capability by mentoring and inspiring engineers across multiple teams

Working at the intersection of technology, strategy and delivery, you’ll partner with senior leaders, architects and product teams to ensure OS continues to build secure, scalable and future-ready systems.

Alongside leading 3 direct reports, you’ll operate as a technical leader across a wider network of c.20 engineers — influencing design decisions, embedding best practice, and driving engineering excellence across multiple teams.

This is a role for someone who thrives on influence, ownership and technical depth — and wants to leave a legacy on how we engineer at OS!

What we’re looking for

You are a recognised technical leader with the ability to operate at both strategic and hands-on levels, bringing clarity to complexity and driving meaningful change.

Essential

• Deep, broad technical expertise across software engineering, system design, integrations, Azure and enterprise platforms (e.g. CRM, Finance systems, APIs)
• Proven track record leading large-scale engineering or architectural transformation
• Strong ability to shape technical strategy and influence at senior level
• Experience providing technical governance and assurance across complex environments
• Excellent stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to translate complexity into clear direction
• A passion for coaching, mentoring and raising engineering standards
• Ability to balance long-term strategic thinking with pragmatic delivery focus

Desirable

• Experience in product-aligned or service-led operating models
• Strong understanding of modern engineering practices (Agile, DevOps, CI/CD)
• Knowledge of cloud-native architectures and modern platforms
• Experience improving engineering capability across multiple teams or domains

Our Principles

At OS, how we work matters just as much as what we deliver. We are guided by three principles and will use these to assess competencies during the hiring process

• Clear the path – Cut through complexity, remove blockers and create momentum
• Seek the story – Listen deeply, challenge assumptions and uncover insight
• Do what matters – Focus on impact, prioritise value and recognise contribution

The Rewards

We want you to love what you do and feel supported to do your best work.

Our benefits include

• Competitive salary and pension (OS contribute up to 12.07%)
• Performance-related bonus (where applicable)
• 28 days annual leave plus bank holidays (increasing with service)
• Enhanced family leave, including paid partner leave
• Hybrid and flexible working options
• Learning and development support, coaching and mentoring
• Free subscription to OS Maps and access to wellbeing support
• Volunteering leave and matched fundraising

Interview Process

• Stage 1: Microsoft Teams Introduction
• Stage 2: Competency based Interview + You’ll have the opportunity to present to us your ideas and approach to solving complex challenges, giving us a real insight into how you think and the impact you could have at OS.

Location

We embrace a hybrid working model, combining the energy of in-person collaboration at our Southampton HQ with the flexibility to work remotely.

Security

Pre-employment checks are required, including identity, right to work, employment history and criminal record checks (DBS).

Additional security vetting may be required depending on the role.

Closing Date: Sunday 18th October at 23:59pm

We are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that people may need during the recruitment process, and you will be asked whether you require any during the application process.    

Research indicates that women, individuals with disabilities, LGBTQ+ community members, neurodiverse individuals, and people from ethnic minority backgrounds often hesitate to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At Ordnance Survey, we are dedicated to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and genuine workplace where everyone can thrive.

If you’re enthusiastic about this role but your experience  doesn’t perfectly match every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You might be the ideal candidate for this or other roles within Ordnance Survey.    

Skills required for this role:

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