📍 Job Overview

• Job Title: Principal Application Engineer (SRE)
• Company: Discover Financial Services
• Location: Farnborough, Hampshire, United Kingdom
• Job Type: On-site, Full-time
• Category: DevOps Engineer, Site Reliability Engineer
• Date Posted: June 30, 2025
• Experience Level: 5-10 years
• Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Key Responsibilities: Develop high-impact software solutions, manage risks, and escalate customer-impacting issues. Act as a thought leader and coach technology communities at Discover.
• Key Skills: Software engineering, problem-solving, documentation, risk management, technology solutions, agile development, security, architecture, data engineering, and coaching.
• 📝 Enhancement Note: This role requires a broad range of technical skills and experience, making it an excellent fit for a seasoned DevOps or SRE professional looking to make a significant impact on a large-scale financial services platform.

💻 Primary Responsibilities

• Solution Development: Create technology solutions addressing high-impact business priorities, demonstrating expertise in multiple technical domains.
• Risk Management: Actively manage and escalate risks and customer-impacting issues within the day-to-day role.
• Strategic Decision Making: Participate in strategic technology decisions and understand their impact on Discover as a whole.
• Problem Solving: Proactively identify and mitigate issues based on intuition and experience in multiple domains.
• Coaching and Mentoring: Coach technology communities at Discover in areas of specific technology domains, design-thinking, agile software development, security, architecture, and/or data engineering.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Informatics, Information Security, Information Technology, or a related field.

Experience: 5-10 years of experience in Information Technology, Software Engineering, or a related field. Internal applicants must be proficient on the Dreyfus engineering scale.

Required Skills:

• Proficiency in multiple programming languages and technologies
• Strong problem-solving skills and experience in multiple domains
• Experience with risk management and customer-impacting issues
• Ability to work collaboratively and coach technology communities
• Knowledge of agile software development methodologies

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with financial services or large-scale platforms
• Familiarity with security, automation, testing, and business domains
• Knowledge of architecture and data engineering

📊 Web Portfolio & Project Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrate a strong track record of delivering high-impact software solutions
• Showcase experience in risk management and problem-solving in complex environments
• Highlight coaching and mentoring experience within technology communities

Technical Documentation:

• Provide examples of well-documented code and design decisions
• Showcase experience with version control, deployment processes, and server configuration
• Demonstrate understanding of testing methodologies, performance metrics, and optimization techniques

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: £70,000 - £90,000 per year (based on industry standards for a Principal Application Engineer in the United Kingdom)

Benefits:

• Competitive benefits package
• 401(k) matching
• Employee stock purchase plan
• Tuition assistance
• Employee discounts on Discover products and services

Working Hours: Full-time, Monday-Friday, with flexibility for deployment windows, maintenance, and project deadlines

🎯 Team & Company Context

Company Culture:

• Industry: Financial Services
• Company Size: Large (over 15,000 employees)
• Founded: 1985
• Team Structure: The Principal Application Engineer will work within the Technology department, collaborating with various teams to deliver high-impact software solutions and manage risks.
• Development Methodology: Agile/Scrum methodologies, with a focus on sprint planning, code review, testing, and quality assurance practices.

Company Website: https://www.discover.com/

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Web Technology Career Level: This role is at the senior level, with a focus on delivering high-impact software solutions, managing risks, and coaching technology communities. The Principal Application Engineer will have a significant influence on Discover's web products, user experience, and infrastructure decisions.

Reporting Structure: This role reports directly to the Senior Manager, Application Engineering.

Technical Impact: The Principal Application Engineer will have a direct impact on Discover's web products, user experience, and infrastructure, ensuring high availability, performance, and security.

Growth Opportunities:

• Technical Growth: Pursue specialized certifications, attend industry conferences, and engage in continuous learning to expand technical expertise.
• Leadership Growth: Develop leadership skills through coaching and mentoring technology communities, with potential opportunities to manage teams or take on more strategic roles.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Modern, collaborative workspace with multiple monitors and testing devices available.

Office Location(s): Farnborough, United Kingdom

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative web development environment with cross-functional interaction between developers, designers, and stakeholders
• Access to development tools, multiple monitors, and testing devices
• Opportunities for knowledge sharing, technical mentoring, and continuous learning

Work Schedule: Full-time, Monday-Friday, with flexibility for deployment windows, maintenance, and project deadlines

📄 Application & Technical Interview Process

Interview Process:

1. Technical Phone Screen: Assess problem-solving skills, programming language proficiency, and understanding of agile methodologies.
2. On-site Technical Deep Dive: Demonstrate expertise in multiple technical domains, risk management, and problem-solving in complex environments.
3. Behavioral Interview: Discuss coaching and mentoring experience, as well as cultural fit within Discover's Technology department.
4. Final Interview: Present a high-impact software solution or risk management strategy, showcasing the ability to make strategic technology decisions.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight a diverse range of projects demonstrating expertise in multiple technical domains
• Showcase experience with risk management and problem-solving in complex environments
• Include examples of coaching and mentoring experience within technology communities

Technical Challenge Preparation:

• Brush up on programming languages, agile methodologies, and risk management strategies
• Prepare for behavioral interview questions focusing on coaching and mentoring experience
• Research Discover's Technology department and company culture to ensure a strong cultural fit

ATS Keywords: Software Engineering, Problem Solving, Documentation, Risk Management, Technology Solutions, Agile Development, Security, Architecture, Data Engineering, Coaching, Automation, Testing, Design Thinking, Programming Languages, Customer Impact, Strategic Technology Decisions

🛠 Technology Stack & Web Infrastructure

Programming Languages:

• Proficiency in multiple programming languages, with a focus on Java, Python, and JavaScript

Web Frameworks & Libraries:

• Familiarity with web frameworks and libraries, such as Spring Boot, Django, and React

Databases:

• Experience with relational databases, such as MySQL and PostgreSQL
• Familiarity with NoSQL databases, such as MongoDB and Cassandra

Infrastructure Tools:

• Experience with infrastructure as code (IaC) tools, such as Terraform and CloudFormation
• Familiarity with containerization and orchestration tools, such as Docker and Kubernetes
• Experience with cloud platforms, such as AWS, Google Cloud Platform, or Microsoft Azure

Monitoring & Logging:

• Experience with monitoring and logging tools, such as Prometheus, Grafana, ELK Stack, or Datadog

CI/CD Pipelines:

• Experience with CI/CD pipelines and tools, such as Jenkins, GitLab CI/CD, or CircleCI

📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack for this role is broad and encompasses multiple domains. Candidates should be prepared to demonstrate expertise in multiple technical areas and be comfortable working with various tools and technologies.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Web Development Values:

• User-Centric: Prioritize user experience and accessibility in all software solutions
• Collaborative: Work closely with cross-functional teams to deliver high-impact software solutions
• Innovative: Embrace emerging technologies and continuously improve software solutions
• Quality-Focused: Ensure high-quality code, design, and documentation in all software solutions

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with developers, designers, and stakeholders to deliver high-impact software solutions
• Code Review Culture: Participate in code reviews to ensure high-quality code and knowledge sharing
• Peer Programming: Collaborate with team members to solve complex problems and improve software solutions

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Technical Challenges:

• Scalability: Design and implement highly scalable software solutions to support Discover's growing user base
• Performance Optimization: Identify and address performance bottlenecks in complex software systems
• Security: Implement and maintain secure software solutions, protecting user data and complying with industry regulations
• Emerging Technologies: Stay up-to-date with emerging technologies and integrate them into Discover's software ecosystem

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Technical Skill Development: Pursue specialized certifications, attend industry conferences, and engage in continuous learning to expand technical expertise
• Leadership Development: Develop leadership skills through coaching and mentoring technology communities, with potential opportunities to manage teams or take on more strategic roles
• Architecture Decision Making: Participate in strategic technology decisions and contribute to Discover's overall architecture and design

💡 Interview Preparation

Technical Questions:

• Problem-Solving: Prepare for questions assessing problem-solving skills in multiple technical domains, risk management, and complex environments
• Architecture & Design: Brush up on architecture and design principles, and be prepared to discuss trade-offs and decision-making processes
• Behavioral Questions: Prepare for questions focusing on coaching and mentoring experience, as well as cultural fit within Discover's Technology department

Company & Culture Questions:

• Discover's Technology Department: Research Discover's Technology department, its structure, and its role within the organization
• Discover's Culture: Familiarize yourself with Discover's core values and company culture, and be prepared to discuss how your skills and experiences align with them
• User Experience Impact: Prepare for questions focusing on the impact of your software solutions on Discover's users and their overall experience

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Demonstrate Breadth of Expertise: Showcase your experience in multiple technical domains, risk management, and problem-solving in complex environments
• Highlight Coaching & Mentoring Experience: Include examples of coaching and mentoring experience within technology communities
• Tell a Story: Use your portfolio to tell a narrative about your technical growth, problem-solving skills, and impact on Discover's software ecosystem

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Principal Application Engineer (SRE) position:

1. Tailor Your Resume: Highlight your experience in software engineering, problem-solving, risk management, and coaching within technology communities.
2. Prepare Your Portfolio: Showcase your experience in multiple technical domains, risk management, and problem-solving in complex environments. Include examples of coaching and mentoring experience within technology communities.
3. Research Discover: Familiarize yourself with Discover's Technology department, its structure, and its role within the organization. Understand Discover's core values and company culture, and be prepared to discuss how your skills and experiences align with them.
4. Prepare for Technical Interviews: Brush up on your programming language proficiency, agile methodologies, and risk management strategies. Prepare for behavioral interview questions focusing on coaching and mentoring experience, as well as cultural fit within Discover's Technology department.

📝 Enhancement Note: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and web development industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.