Principal Software Engineer

Job Title: Principal Software Engineer

Type: Contract

Location: Berlin, Germany (Remote options available)

Start Date: ASAP

Duration: 12 months

Working Hours: Full-time, 40 hours per week

Role Overview:

Our client’s Robotics Division is seeking a Principal Software Engineer / Technical Lead to join its Artificial General Intelligence Team. As part of a highly skilled and multidisciplinary team of engineers and scientists, you will apply the latest advancements in AI planning and search algorithms to build robotic systems that operate in dynamic, complex environments. You’ll play a critical role in designing, implementing, and optimising planning systems that are consumed by other science and engineering teams across the organisation.

We are looking for an experienced and opinionated technical leader with a strong background in Python, machine learning, and data pipeline engineering. You should be a confident hands-on coder who can also lead architectural decisions and mentor engineers in a research-heavy context.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the design, architecture, and development of intelligent planning systems for integrating machine learning and algorithmic approaches in innovative ways.
• Collaborate with scientists and engineers to turn research prototypes into robust, scalable software used across the business.
• Drive technical direction for the team, making key design and implementation decisions in line with strategic goals.
• Build and optimise data pipelines, model training infrastructure, and deployment systems to support cutting-edge AI research and robotic experimentation.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, AI, or a related technical field.
• 8+ years of professional software engineering experience with a focus on Python
• Proven experience leading software teams or initiatives from a technical point of view.
• Strong experience designing and deploying machine learning and planning systems in real-world applications.
• Deep understanding of modern software development principles: scalable architecture, version control, automated testing, and continuous deployment.
• Demonstrated ability to work across teams and disciplines, particularly with researchers and ML scientists