Principal Backend Engineer Python

Nordic Investin is recruiting a Principal Backend Engineer Python on behalf of one of our partner companies. You want the difficult backend problems: high throughput, unpredictable load, sensitive data and architectural choices that will still matter in five years.

The partner is developing a business critical product where Python services sit at the centre of transaction flows and operational decision making. You will set technical direction while remaining close to the code, helping several teams improve reliability, delivery speed and engineering judgement.

The environment will suit someone who enjoys building systems, testing assumptions in code and taking responsibility for production behaviour. Technical choices are expected to be explained in terms of maintainability, reliability and the people who use the product.

How you will work

You will work in short delivery cycles with direct access to product, domain and operational colleagues. The partner expects engineers to review designs, test assumptions early and follow important changes into production. Decisions should be recorded clearly enough that another engineer can understand the tradeoff months later.

As a principal specialist, you will be asked to make a small number of high consequence technical decisions and improve the judgement around you. You are expected to challenge respectfully, make uncertainty explicit and remain available when the chosen direction meets production reality. Influence will come through useful work, not title alone.

What you will do

Shape service boundaries, APIs and event driven workflows.

Build and review production Python services with measurable reliability targets.

Guide database, caching and messaging choices under real load.

Improve observability, incident learning and performance testing.

Mentor senior engineers and raise the standard of technical decision records.

Work with product and security leaders on risk, scope and sequencing.

What you will bring

Extensive production experience with Python and modern service frameworks.

Strong knowledge of distributed systems, concurrency and failure handling.

Experience with PostgreSQL or another relational database at scale.

Hands on ability with cloud infrastructure, containers and CI CD.

Evidence of architectural leadership without losing delivery focus.

Clear professional communication in English.

Experience that would add value

Experience in fintech, marketplaces or other transaction intensive environments.

Kafka or another event streaming platform.

Security sensitive or regulated systems.

A background that can succeed here

Your background may be in financial technology, telecom, logistics, public platforms or a scale up where downtime has a visible cost. We care more about the depth of your production decisions than a perfect match with one framework.

What makes the opportunity interesting

This is a chance to influence the technical shape of a product rather than inherit a fixed blueprint. The partner needs someone whose authority comes from sound engineering, useful questions and code that works under pressure.

The exact partner, employment model, compensation, start date and working arrangement will be explained openly during the process. Nordic Investin will make sure you understand the context, expectations and decision path before you are asked to commit significant time.

The recruitment conversation

During the process, Nordic Investin will focus on concrete decisions you have made: the context you received, the alternatives you considered, the result you observed and what you would change today. You do not need every optional technology if your core experience transfers and you can explain how you would close the gap.

How to apply

Apply with your CV or LinkedIn profile and a short note describing the most relevant system, product or transformation you have helped deliver. Nordic Investin welcomes candidates with different routes into technology and assesses applicants on relevant capability, judgement and potential.