Principal Engineer

Principal Engineer Engineering Lead Varicon · Melbourne, Australia · Full-time / Hybrid About Varicon Varicon is on a mission to level the playing field for civil contractors. We build powerful, easy-to-use construction management software that gives small and mid-size civil contractors the same tools the big players have, without the cost or complexity. From real-time cost tracking and progress claims to timesheets, site diaries, and accounts payable automation, our platform connects site and office so contractors can focus on delivering projects and winning more work. Backed by leading investors and trusted by civil contractors across Australia, we're a Melbourne-headquartered team with engineering capability in Nepal, building software that genuinely makes a difference to the people who build our infrastructure. The Opportunity Varicon is at an inflection point. We have a live product, an engineering team inhouse based offshore in Nepal and are building momentum. We're looking for a Principal Engineer to help us level up how we build, ship, and scale. This is a rare kind of role: one where you get real technical authority and real leadership responsibility, without having to choose between them. You'll shape our architecture, set the standard for how we work, and be a hands-on contributor to what we ship. You'll also be a key force in developing our engineering culture towards excellence. It could be a great fit if you're an engineer who grew into leadership but never lost the love of the craft, and you want to join a business where urgency, quality, and customer obsession are core values. What You'll Do Technical Leadership Own architecture decisions across our web, backend, and mobile stack Write and review production code , this is a hands-on role, not just an oversight one Set and enforce engineering standards across code quality, testing, documentation, and release management Drive the adoption of modern development practices, including agentic workflows and AI-assisted tooling Team Leadership Lead, mentor, and actively develop a 26-person engineering team based in Nepal Partner with Melbourne-based stakeholders to shape priorities, requirements, and delivery cadence Build a high-performance engineering culture across both locations Create accountability structures and ways of working that let good engineers do their best work Delivery & Strategy Identify and resolve delivery bottlenecks, fast Work closely with the founders and product team to translate ambition into execution Build out Varicon's Melbourne engineering capability over time Bring the right mix of structure and pragmatism to a fast-moving environment What We're Looking For Extensive software engineering experience, including senior or principal-level roles Genuinely hands-on , you still write code, review PRs, and make technical calls Experience leading or mentoring distributed or offshore engineering teams Strong communication and stakeholder management skills High standards, high urgency , you move fast and bring others with you Comfortable operating in environments where the path isn't always clear Our Stack Backend: Python / Django, FastAPI Frontend: React Mobile: Flutter (Flutter experience is a bonus, but not essential) Infrastructure: AWS, Docker / ECS Why Varicon Meaningful technical authority from day one The chance to build something that lasts and moves the industry forward in a meaningful way Huge impact potential with a team to invest in and develop A business culture based that values ownership, impact, speed and craft Salary + ESOP Varicon is based in Melbourne, Australia. This role is on-site / hybrid in Melbourne. Department Engineering Locations Melbourne Head Office Remote status Hybrid