Principal Java Engineer - Backend Platform

In order to be considered for this role, after clicking "Apply Now" above and being redirected, you must fully complete the application process on the follow-up screen. Principal Java Engineer - Backend PlatformSalary: £76,340 - £100,340 Per AnnumContract: Full-Time, PermanentLocation: Hybrid - minimum 2 days per week in office, Basingstoke/London/BristolAbout the RoleWe are looking for a Principal Java Engineer to join a backend squad at Hawk-Eye Innovations. You will be working on a platform that delivers real-time athlete performance data to sports organisations globally. This is a hands-on engineering role where you will contribute to core backend systems from day one, in a fast-paced, collaborative team that values ownership and quality. What You’ll BuildYou will be a core contributor to a new backend platform being built from scratch. requirements for time-critical outputs delivered to coaches and analysts in near real-time. Event-driven processing using Kafka for streaming data and control messages between on-site devices and cloud services, handling both fast-path live outputs and asynchronous post-processing workflows via SQS and AWS Batch. Cloud infrastructure on AWS, including Greengrass for edge-to-cloud orchestration, S3 for video and data storage, and Lambda for lightweight processing tasks. Data transformation and aggregation layers that normalise tracking outputs, store them in a data lake, and make them available to downstream consumers via clean API contracts. REST and WebSocket APIs that serve both a live data product for immediate consumption and an insights portal for historical analysis and performance comparison. Observability and reliability - instrumentation, logging, and tracing are built in from the start, not bolted on. The platform needs to run 24/7 without on-site support. Key ResponsibilitiesDesign, build, and maintain backend services and data pipelines using JavaImplement and evolve event-driven architectures to handle high-volume, real-time data streamsDeploy and operate cloud-native services on AWS, ensuring scalability and reliability in productionDefine and maintain API schemas in close collaboration with front-end engineers to ensure clean data contractsBuild observability into services from the start - metrics, structured logging, distributed tracingContribute to CI/CD pipelines and infrastructure-as-code practices to support continuous deliveryWork closely with DevOps, computer vision, and product engineers across the squadParticipate in architectural decisions, particularly around data flow, storage strategies, and service boundariesSkills and ExperienceRequiredStrong Java experience - Java 11 or later preferred, with a focus on clean, performant codeHands-on experience with AWS in a production environment - S3, Lambda, SQS, and related servicesExperience building and operating microservices and distributed systems at scaleSolid understanding of data pipeline design, including transformation, normalisation, and storage patternsFamiliarity with observability tooling - Datadog, Prometheus, OpenTelemetry, or equivalentExperience designing or consuming REST APIs, with an understanding of schema management and versioningComfortable working in an agile, fast-moving environment with evolving requirementsNice to HaveExperience with Kafka or other message brokers - directly relevant to our stackFamiliarity with stream processing frameworks such as Apache Flink, Kafka Streams, or Spark StreamingExperience with AWS Greengrass or edge-to-cloud IoT patternsKnowledge of data lake architectures and columnar storage formats such as Apache Iceberg or ParquetExperience with WebSocket-based APIs or other real-time data delivery patternsCI/CD and Infrastructure as Code experience - GitHub Actions, Terraform, or similarExposure to low-latency or real-time data systems in any domainBenefits and Perks25 days annual leave (excluding bank holidays)Enhanced pension scheme with 5% matchingHybrid working modelComplimentary Unmind wellbeing appOnsite gym (Basingstoke)Access to sporting events and ticketsSony Group Company discountsEqual Opportunity EmployerHawk-Eye is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. We ensure all employees are treated fairly, regardless of gender, marital status, race, nationality, religion, age, disability, or union membership. We value diversity and strive to create an environment where everyone can reach their full potential. Apply TodayIf you are passionate about building high-performance backend systems and want to work on real-time data products at scale, we would love to hear from you.