Principal Full Stack Engineer – TypeScript, React, Node, Agentic Workflow (Claude Code), AWS, Forward Deployed, AI‑Native Engineering – OUTSIDE IR35
Reporting to the Director of Engineering, this is a genuinely outstanding contract opportunity for a rockstar Principal Engineer to lead the development of a greenfield SaaS product. We’re looking for a ‘best of breed’, deeply senior, technically hands‑on engineer who thrives in complex problem spaces and fast-moving start-up & scale-up environments. You’ll need a genuinely Product Centric mindset and approach twinned with experience of AI‑Native Engineering and Agentic Workflow.
You’ll be embedded into a product squad, frequently working Forward Deployed; sitting shoulder‑to‑shoulder with clients to understand their workflows, shape solutions in real time, and ship production-grade software that transforms how they operate.
You’ll own outcomes end‑to‑end across the stack, setting the technical bar for the squad and helping define the future of AI‑native engineering.
Skills we’re looking for:
* Senior-to-Staff-level Full Stack Engineer with deep, current expertise in TypeScript, React and Node; comfortable reasoning across the entire stack from database design to DOM performance.
* Authority in React and the modern front-end ecosystems; component-driven architecture, design systems, advanced state management (Redux Toolkit, Zustand, TanStack Query or Apollo), and modern toolchains (Vite, ESBuild) with pnpm/yarn/npm.
* Strong Node.js engineering capability; REST and GraphQL API design, integration patterns, relational/NoSQL modelling, and practical experience deploying into modern cloud/serverless environments (AWS and Cloudflare preferred).
* Proven experience with Claude Code and advanced agentic workflows; shipping real work using multi-agent patterns, orchestrating sub-agents, managing context, defining custom commands/skills and scaling AI-assisted delivery across a team.
* Exceptional communication and client readiness; you’ve worked Forward Deployed or in comparable client-facing roles, can run discovery sessions, challenge requirements constructively, and turn whiteboard conversations into shippable code.
* A strong product mindset; comfortable operating without a traditional Product Owner, making sensible trade-offs, prioritising ruthlessly and owning outcomes.
* A keen eye for design; able to interpret a design system and produce intuitive, interactive UX without needing high-fidelity mock-ups.
* Rigorous engineering standards; Git-based workflows, trunk-based development, CI/CD (GitHub Actions), comprehensive testing (Jest, React Testing Library, Playwright), accessibility, performance and secure-by-default coding.
* Technical leadership without the title; lifting teams through pairing, mentoring, PR review and example.
* Outcome-oriented pragmatism; comfortable with ambiguity, biased to shipping, and able to make sensible calls on scope, sequencing and technical debt under pressure.
What You’ll Do:
* Architect, build and ship complex Full Stack TypeScript applications; owning substantive feature sets end‑to‑end across React front‑ends and BFF Node services.
* Operate as a Forward Deployed Engineer; working directly with clients to elicit requirements, shape solutions, prototype live in the room and translate messy real‑world workflows into elegant, production-ready software.
* Own each feature’s solution end‑to‑end; partnering with Business Analysts on high‑level problem framing, then driving product thinking, scoping, trade‑offs and delivery yourself.
* Leverage Claude Code and advanced agentic workflows at pace; orchestrating sub‑agents, managing context, running parallel workstreams and embedding AI-native patterns into everyday engineering.
* Craft beautiful, highly interactive UX workflows from low‑fidelity inputs; interpreting our design system and producing polished UI without waiting for polished Figma.
* Shape architecture and technical direction; making well‑reasoned decisions on frameworks, patterns, state management, API design and performance.
* Champion engineering excellence; test coverage, peer review, CI/CD discipline (GitHub Actions), secure coding, accessibility (WCAG) and performance.
* Mentor and elevate engineers around you through pairing, PR review, architectural guidance and practical coaching on AI‑assisted development.
£875-£900 per day OUTSIDE IR35. 100% remote. 6 months rolling.