Principal Engineer
Job Description:
Senior / Principal Software Engineer - Embedded
- Location (New Zealand): North Shore, Auckland
- Employment Type: Permanent, Full-time
- Base (NZD): 150k – 170k per annum
- Start Date: Immediate / Negotiable
About the Company
We are a global leader in technology, systems, and solutions across Marine, RV, and Speciality Vehicles.
Our portfolio includes industry-leading brands across power systems, digital systems, fishing technology, and performance components.
Innovation is at the heart of everything we do — and our people make it possible
Position Overview
We are looking for a Senior / Principal Software Engineer to lead the design and development of complex, high-performance software systems within a globally distributed engineering organisation.
In this role, you will act as a technical authority, driving architectural decisions, influencing long-term system design, and mentoring engineers across multiple levels.
You will work closely with product, hardware, and engineering teams to ensure our solutions are not only technically excellent — but aligned with real-world user needs and business outcomes.
This is a hands-on leadership role where you will shape architecture, elevate engineering standards, and help define the future of our technology platform.
At our core, we care deeply about building reliable, elegant, and high-performing systems that stand up to real-world marine environments.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the design and development of scalable, high-performance software systems
- Drive architectural decisions and contribute to long-term technical strategy
- Mentor and support junior and mid-level engineers, raising technical excellence across the team
- Partner with product and engineering leadership to align technical solutions with business goals
- Lead technical design sessions and perform detailed, high-quality code reviews
- Champion modern engineering practices, including test automation, CI/CD, and clean architecture principles
- Influence system design across embedded, cloud, and cross-platform environments
- Support hands-on development, testing, and real-world product validation (including on-water testing)
Required Qualifications
- Deep understanding of scalable architecture and performance optimisation
- Strong proficiency in C and C++
- Experience with Make, CMake, QT/QML or similar frameworks
- Exposure to multi-platform development (Linux, iOS, Android, Windows)
- Experience working with embedded systems and CAN bus
- Strong leadership, communication, and mentoring capability
- Ability to contribute to architectural thinking and technical decision-making
Bonus Points
- Experience with IoT systems (MQTT, ThingsBoard, Mender, etc.)
- Background in embedded security, bootloaders, or firmware updates
- Experience with Linux kernel drivers or hardware bring-up
- Familiarity with networking (WiFi, Bluetooth, TCP/IP, Ethernet)
- Experience with CI/CD tools (Azure, Jenkins, Docker, etc.)
- Exposure to safety-critical or high-reliability systems
- Ability to read and interpret electronic schematics
- Experience leading Agile teams or technical initiatives
Working Environment
- Hands-on engineering role in a technical, product-focused environment
- Includes real-world testing on water with advanced prototypes
- Primarily based in Auckland, with collaboration across global teams
- Occasional international collaboration with engineering colleagues
Why Join Us?
We are the clear leader in the marine industry, committed to our values and supporting our exceptional people. We offer:
- Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits.
- A robust Wellness Program.
- Career growth opportunities within a global organisation.
- The chance to work on products that are "making a splash" worldwide!