This is a Principal Software Engineer role with Compare the Market Australia based in Brisbane, QLD, AU Compare the Market Australia Role Seniority - senior More about the Principal Software Engineer role at Compare the Market Australia Brief Description Who We Are iSelect and Compare the Market are trusted, well-known brands dedicated to helping millions of Australians compare and buy personal finance and household products such as insurance, energy, and loans. Together, we provide a seamless, customer-focused experience that makes it easier for Australians to find the right products to suit their needs. What You’ll Be Doing The Principal Software Engineer is a senior, hands-on technical leader who works across teams to solve the organisation’s most complex, high-impact engineering challenges. They write code, tackle problems at scale, and address systemic issues early to prevent future constraints. Partnering with Engineering Managers and senior engineers, they shape and uphold technical standards, architecture patterns, and non-functional guardrails across the organisation. Success is measured by improved delivery speed, reliability, security, and consistent adoption of best-practice patterns. Hands-on Software Development at Scale - Focuses on early-stage engineering work including proofs of concept, technical feasibility assessments, spike solutions, and reference implementations. Writes illustrative and exploratory code to validate approaches, reduce uncertainty, and guide teams, rather than owning or delivering long-term production-ready solutions. Teams and pods take responsibility for hardening, operating, and evolving production code. Cross-Team Technical Leadership - Works across multiple teams to guide technical direction, unblock complex challenges, and ensure consistent application of engineering standards. Acts as a trusted technical advisor for teams facing difficult architectural or scalability problems. Early-Stage Problem Solving & Design - Engages early in initiatives to shape technical approaches, de-risk delivery, and explore solution options before work is handed into teams. Focuses on large, ambiguous, or systemic problems that require deep technical expertise. Architecture Forums & Technical Standards - Actively participates in architecture and engineering forums, contributing pragmatic, experience-based input. Partners with Engineering Managers and senior engineers to define, evolve, and uphold technical standards, patterns, and best practices. Coaching, Guidance & Influence - Guides and mentors engineers through pairing, code reviews, design discussions, and informal coaching. Influences through technical credibility and collaboration rather than formal authority. Continuous Improvement & Engineering Excellence - Champions modern engineering practices including automated testing, CI/CD, observability, security, and operational excellence. Identifies opportunities to improve system reliability, performance, and developer experience across the organisation. What’s In It For You At Compare the Market and iSelect, we’re all about helping people make smart choices – and joining us might just be yours. We offer an environment where your ideas are heard, your contributions are valued, and your growth genuinely matters. Collaboration is part of our DNA, and you’ll be joining a supportive, forward-thinking team where you can do meaningful work (and be recognised for it!) We’re guided by three shared values that shape how we work, how we treat each other, and how we show up for our customers - Drive, Noble Intent and All Together. Plus, we offer a range of great perks to help you thrive both in and out of work: Vibrant and social community who have annual celebrations, family fun days and regular events Enjoy flexible work arrangements, including the option of one day working from home each week or a 9-day fortnight Enjoy additional leave days - ‘ME’ leave and ‘Volunteer Day’ leave Option to purchase additional leave Return To Work bonus for returning parents Quarterly Award and Recognition program What Sets You Apart 12 years of professional software engineering experience in complex, production environments. Demonstrated strength as a hands-on engineer, with a sustained track record of delivering high-quality code at scale. Deep expertise in one or more of the following: JavaScript (React), Java, C#. Strong experience with AWS cloud platforms, including serverless, event-driven, and distributed architectures. Proven ability to design, build, and operate scalable, resilient systems. Advanced understanding of software design principles, data modelling, APIs, and integration patterns. Strong experience with CI/CD, observability, and operational best practices. Comfortable working across multiple teams and domains, influencing without direct authority. Demonstrated experience engaging directly with business and product stakeholders to assess ideas, evaluate technical feasibility, and provide clear guidance on options, trade-offs, and risks. Strong leadership capability within an individual contributor career path, recognised for sound judgement, technical credibility, and the ability to command respect across engineering and non-technical audiences. At Compare the Market and iSelect we’re proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and we embrace diversity. This role is available to candidates with unlimited Australian working rights only. Sponsorship is not available. Compare the Market and iSelect are committed to protecting your privacy. All applications and personal information are kept confidential and securely stored in line with Australian privacy laws, used only for recruitment purposes, and not shared with third parties outside the Auto and General Holdings Group without your consent. Before we jump into the responsibilities of the role. No matter what you come in knowing, you’ll be learning new things all the time and the Compare the Market Australia team will be there to support your growth. Please consider applying even if you don't meet 100% of what’s outlined Key Responsibilities Hands-on software development at scale Cross-team technical leadership Coaching and mentoring Key Strengths Software engineering experience ☁️ Cloud platforms expertise Leadership capability ⚛️ JavaScript (React) CI/CD practices ️ Technical advisory skills A Final Note: This is a role with Compare the Market Australia not with Hatch.
