Principal Software Engineer .NET / Cloud / APIs Location: Belfast (Remote First) Band & Level: Manager / Level 7 Type: Full-time | Remote First (Rare Opportunity) Contact: Ryan Quinn on LinkedIn Company: OCHO | Building Teams The Opportunity OCHO are hiring a Principal Software Engineer to join a high-performing engineering organisation delivering business-critical, globally scaled platforms. This is a technical leadership role offering full architectural influence, hands-on delivery, and ownership of engineering standards across a cross-functional team. Crucially, this client also provides a rare opportunity to gain real commercial experience in the productisation of AI. Youll work alongside senior technical peers to take AI concepts, models, and pipelines through the full lifecycle: from prototype, to platform integration, to productionised features used by customers at scale. Youll set engineering direction, champion quality and performance, and collaborate with global teams all within a remote-first environment that doesnt compromise impact or visibility. Role Responsibilities Lead and mentor a cross-functional engineering team, promoting technical excellence and accountability Work with Principal Engineers globally to define, uphold, and evolve engineering standards Own quality, scalability, and reliability across cloud-native, distributed platforms Drive continuous improvement through experimentation with new tools, frameworks, cloud services, and AI-driven capabilities Communicate clearly across teams and regions, identifying risks early and sustaining delivery momentum Champion clean architecture, maintainability, and future-proof system design Essential Experience / Competencies Proven experience building and leading high-performing engineering teams in an Agile environment Deep expertise in designing distributed, cloud-native, event-driven platforms Advanced knowledge of .NET Framework and .NET Core (C#) Strong background in API development and integration (REST and/or GraphQL) Proficiency in relational database design and optimisation (MSSQL, MySQL, etc.) Experience deploying and running systems on AWS or Azure Solid understanding of the full SDLC from architecture to post-release support Ability to assess, challenge, and refine complex solution designs Excellent communication and influencing skills Track record of implementing automated testing within large-scale systems Desirable Skills Experience with WPF application development Broader AWS expertise Exposure to Java, JavaScript, or React Familiarity with serverless and microservice architectures Experience with TDD, BDD, or similar quality-driven approaches Why Join? Gain hands-on, commercial AI productisation experience with real users and real scale Shape engineering practices across a globally recognised organisation Work remotely while remaining deeply connected to talented engineers across multiple regions Influence architectural decisions and engineering culture at a senior level Access an environment that encourages experimentation, innovation, and continuous learning Interested? Reach out to Ryan Quinn on LinkedIn for an informal chat, or apply directly with your CV. OCHO | Building Teams Skills: .Net Azure SQL Benefits: Work From Home Bonus Private Health