Principal Platform Engineer; Java, Architecture & Enablement

What You Will Do Daily:

• Build the "Glue": You won't just design on whiteboards; you will write the high-leverage code—whether it’s a custom Backstage plugin, a specific Git Hub Action, or a CLI in Go/Python—that bridges the gap between our raw infrastructure and the developer experience.
• Experiment & Prototype: You will create "Tracer Bullet" implementations for new architectural standards, proving they work in code before advocating for their adoption across the fleet.
• Engage as an Embedded Expert: You will partner directly with Product Squads, not as an auditor, but as a co-pilot—helping them adopt the Golden Paths and gathering direct feedback to iterate on the platform product.
• Mentorship & Technical Leadership: You will elevate the technical bar of the Platform Engineering division, mentoring other engineers on modern software design, automation strategies, and "Platform as a Product" thinking.

The Experience You Will Need:

• Principal-Level "Builder" Mindset: You have 10+ years of software engineering experience and still love to code. You are comfortable jumping into a complex Java/Python codebase to refactor a core component or writing a new tool in Go/Type Script from scratch.
• Cloud Native Architecture Mastery: You possess deep technical expertise in modern infrastructure standards— Networking, Containers and Kubernetes. You understand how to design distributed systems that fully exploit these platforms (e.g., resilience patterns, sidecars,
  ** ephemeral scaling**) rather than just "lifting and shifting" legacy applications.
• Forward-Looking Innovation (AI & Agents): You have a pulse on the future of software engineering. You are actively exploring how GenAI, LLM Agents, and intelligent automation can revolutionize the developer experience, and you have the curiosity to build the experimental tools that prove it.
• Platform Product Engineering: You treat internal infrastructure as a product, but you understand that the best interface is no interface. You have moved beyond building static Service Catalogs (like Backstage) and have experience building CLI-first platforms and IDE-integrated workflows that scale "Golden Paths" to hundreds of users without forcing them to switch contexts.
• Influence without Authority & Internal Evangelism (Dev Rel): You combine the empathy of a Developer Advocate with the strategic weight of a Principal Engineer. You drive adoption not by mandate, but by winning hearts and minds—marketing the platform’s value, building internal communities, and acting as the "Sales Engineer" for the Golden Path.

At Sonar, we believe that our diversity is our strength. We are a global company that values and respects different backgrounds, perspectives, and cultures. We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment where everyone feels valued and empowered to contribute their best. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and welcome all qualified applicants, regardless of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

All offers of employment at Sonar are contingent upon the precise results of a comprehensive background check and reference verification conducted before the start date.
We do not currently support visa candidates in the US.
Applications that are submitted through agencies or third party recruiters will not be considered.