About Auto Trader

We’re Auto Trader, the UK's leading automotive marketplace and a FTSE 100 tech-listed company, uniting the largest and most engaged consumer audience with the most extensive network of vehicle sellers. At our core, it's all about people. We embrace diversity, celebrate our differences, and forge our own path. Our six core values define our distinct culture, and our dedication to in-person collaboration sets us apart.

About the role

We're looking for Principal Software Engineers to build data products and help us improve our platform potential.  Auto Trader makes data-informed decisions; we discuss and build solutions together, identifying areas and patterns in how we use our data, enabling our platform users to self-serve their needs.
 
We have teams working on a wide range of applications; from building the core data platform capabilities through to teams using insight to build specialized user experiences for our customers. We are at the cutting edge of applying data technologies to solve problems and you can expect to work with a range of technologies including dbt, Kotlin/Java, Python, Apache Spark and Kafka.
 
Join us as a Principal Software Engineer and, as well as shaping and creating the foundations for insight-driven, market-leading digital products, you’ll play an influential role coaching our apprentices, graduates and professional developers. Everyone contributes to delivering the goals of the team, so there are plenty of opportunities for you to input based on your experiences, and drive direction and solutions. Comfortable talking about system design and architecture, you’ll also know how to get the best out of our tribe-led, multifunctional, Agile working environment.
 
You might assume that our name, "Auto Trader," means you need to be a car enthusiast to work here. But that's not the case. We're looking for people who are passionate about their work and thrive in a collaborative environment.

What We're Looking For

 
  • Strong Software Engineering skills (we don’t mind what language you have experience in, but you should be comfortable learning new tech and tools)
  • Experience in various continuous delivery practices to deploy, support and operate data pipelines
  • Experience working across the full delivery chain, from data to products
  • You will have an understanding of data modelling and experience with data engineering tools and platforms such as, Kafka, Spark, and Hadoop
  • Comfortable presenting technical ideas to non-technical colleagues
  • Experience mentoring and coaching and sharing technical expertise
  • Strong team work ethic, communication and collaboration skills
  • Support with our recruitment process by evaluating candidates at all stages.
 
Although not essential, helpful experience includes:
 
  • Messaging systems such as Apache Kafka or Google Pub/Sub
  • Docker / Container Orchestration
  • Working experience with Google Cloud

Every candidate brings a unique mix of skills and qualities to the table. We're all about inclusivity and embracing diversity at Auto Trader. If you meet some of the requirements but not all of them, please don't let that put you off applying. Your distinct perspective and strengths could be a fantastic addition to our team. 

 

Benefits and more

We're offering a salary between £60,000 and £80,000 dependent on experience, and a flexible benefits package to support your health and well-being.

Enjoy 28 days of annual leave, in addition to bank holidays and half-day closures on Christmas and New Year's Eve. Our Aviva pension scheme offers employer contributions ranging from 5% to 7%. We also provide Bupa Healthcare enhanced medical coverage to all employees, which includes support for assisted fertility, gender dysphoria, menopause, and period care plans.

But that's not all. We offer enhanced parental leave, a car salary sacrifice scheme, share-save options, and much more. When you join us, you'll also become an owner of Auto Trader, receiving an additional 10% of your salary in shares each year. This allows you to share in the value you help create, and you'll also have the chance to increase your ownership through our Save As You Earn scheme.

Our hybrid model, Connected Working, combines the best of both worlds – office and home working. With Connected Working, you'll have two fixed weekly office days dedicated to team collaboration. In addition to your fixed office days, we expect you to be in more than you’re out. You can choose the specific days that suit your work requirements, home commitments, and team needs. Find out more about Connected Working here 

 

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Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form

For Auto Trader to be successful we want to attract and retain a diverse range of people. We believe everyone is unique in their own way and we are committed to making Auto Trader a diverse and inclusive environment for both employees and job applicants. Our dedication is to ensure you get the chance to be the best that  you can be, showcase your full potential and make the right choice for you.

We are requesting the information below to measure the impacts of our efforts to reach out to a wider range of individuals. Information about our commitment to hiring a diverse range of people and our Disability Leader accreditation can be found here. 

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