Principal Engineer - AI & Architecture Transformation (m/w/x)

Job Description We're looking for a Principal Engineer to lead two critical transformations: driving AI tool adoption across our 70+ person engineering org and architecting our evolution from monolith to domain-driven services. This is a hands-on leadership role where you'll influence technical direction, remove blockers, and make architectural decisions that shape sevDesk's engineering future. About The Role We are seeking an exceptional Principal Engineer to join our engineering leadership team and drive critical transformation initiatives across our technology organization. This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of our technical architecture while championing AI adoption and modernization efforts that will define our competitive edge. As our second Principal Engineer, you will partner with our existing principal engineer and chief architect to provide the senior technical leadership needed to accelerate our engineering evolution. You will play a pivotal role in addressing our most pressing technical challenges while building a culture of innovation and technical excellence. What You'll Do Define and drive technical vision across multiple teams and domains, with particular focus on modernizing our technology stack and integrating AI capabilitiesLead the architectural transformation from legacy PHP monolith to a modern Kotlin service-based distributed architectureChampion AI adoption throughout the engineering organization, breaking down skepticism and driving bottom-up innovation through practical implementations and proof of conceptsSolve critical technical debt challenges that are impacting team productivity, feature velocity, and system scalabilityDrive end-to-end architectural decisions that optimize the entire application stack from frontend to backendServe as a trusted technical advisor to engineering leadership, product management, and key stakeholders on strategic technology decisionsElevate engineering maturity through mentorship, establishing best practices, and building strong technical foundations across teams Job Requirements What We're Looking For Required Qualifications 12+ years of software engineering experience with significant time in senior technical leadership rolesExperience in leading AI integration initiatives in engineering organizations across the whole SDLCDeep expertise in both frontend and backend technologies with ability to architect full-stack solutionsProven track record of successfully leading architectural transformations in enterprise environmentsStrong background in modern backend technologies (preferably JVM-based) and modern frontend frameworks (React ecosystem preferred)Demonstrated ability to drive technical change and influence without authorityExperience working across the entire stack, from database design to API architecture to frontend user experienceExcellence in technical communication with both technical and non-technical stakeholders Your Sevdesk Experience Drive Impact: Make meaningful contributions and help move initiatives forward across teams. Your input will be valued, and your work will have a direct influence on sevdesk's success. Empowered Ownership: take charge of your work and projects with the expectation of making decisions independently, supported by a team that's there when you need guidance. Competitive Compensation: Includes company pension to reward your contributions. Time to Recharge: 30 vacation days, 3 additional days for social engagement, plus 30 Workation days to work from anywhere in the EU. Flexible Work Environment: We believe in working where you’re most productive, whether that’s at home or in the office. Our hybrid approach balances flexibility with in-person collaboration, fostering trust and strong teamwork when we come together. Comprehensive Benefits: learning budget, bike leasing, monthly voucher of choice (Amazon, IKEA, Car Sharing, …), Amazon book flat, corporate discounts and more. Team Vibes: Enjoy regular team offsites and quarterly events packed with networking and fun!