About this role.
Masabi is seeking a hands-on Principal Engineer to shape platform and data architecture for its global public-transit fare payment platform. The role leads cross-team technical direction while designing and delivering scalable, reliable, cost-efficient distributed services. Key emphasis is placed on data architecture, including data platforms, pipelines, warehousing or lakes, as well as API and architecture governance. Candidates should bring principal- or staff-level influence, strong AWS and microservices experience, and the ability to translate ambiguous problems into pragmatic technical plans.
Role DNA
A quick view of the complexity, pace, ownership and collaboration implied by the job description.
Job Complexity
5/5Pace & Pressure
4/5Autonomy Level
5/5Communication Load
5/5Salary analysis
Estimated compensation compared with the broader US market for similar roles.
Core skills
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Sample interview questions
I would begin by mapping business capabilities, current system boundaries, critical workflows, operational pain points, and measurable non-functional requirements. I would define a pragmatic target state with clear architectural principles, then create an incremental migration roadmap that prioritizes risk reduction and customer value rather than pursuing a wholesale rewrite.
I use production evidence first: service-level objectives, traffic patterns, latency profiles, failure modes, and unit economics. I identify the constraint that most affects user or business outcomes, test options through modelling or controlled experiments, and document the chosen trade-off with thresholds for revisiting it as scale or demand changes.
I would establish clear data ownership, domain-oriented contracts, quality and lineage standards, appropriate retention and access controls, and reliable schemas for operational and analytical use cases. The architecture should make trusted data discoverable while separating transactional workloads from analytical processing and enabling evolution without breaking downstream consumers.
I focus my direct contributions on the highest-leverage areas, such as critical designs, complex incidents, foundational components, and code reviews for significant changes. I pair that work with lightweight standards, architecture decision records, and coaching so teams can make sound decisions independently rather than becoming dependent on central approval.
I would first identify workflows where asynchronous events provide a clear benefit in resilience, decoupling, or scalability. I would define event ownership, versioning rules, compatibility expectations, schema review processes, observability requirements, and dead-letter or replay strategies, then pilot the approach with a bounded domain before broad adoption.
About Us_
// At Masabi, we’re driving the fare payment revolution, powering the journeys of millions all over the world. We build fare collection platforms that allow riders to seamlessly buy and present tickets for public transport either on their mobile phones, from a ticket machine, or even by tapping their bank card to travel.
Our Justride platform is used in over 250 locations globally, including some of the largest cities in the world. With our industry-first mobile ticketing SDK, we’ve partnered with large players in the transport space, including Uber, Moovit and Transit.
Your own journey is important to us too. Choosing a role here means joining a network of innovators from all walks of life; a group of passionate individuals who consistently deliver. Here, you’ll find the tools you need to build the career you want. Whether you’re taking the direct route or trying a new path, we’ll support you no matter what.
The Role_
// We’re looking for a Principal Engineer to join Masabi’s Architecture team.
This is a senior role for someone who combines deep technical expertise with strong judgement and the ability to operate across teams. You’ll help shape the technical direction of Masabi’s platform while staying close enough to the detail to design, review and deliver meaningful technical work.
Working across the engineering organisation, you’ll act as a senior technical leader: defining and evolving architecture, guiding complex decisions, and contributing hands-on where it matters most. A particular focus for this role is strengthening our data architecture, how we structure, use and build on the data our platform generates.
The role suits someone who can move between system-level thinking and implementation, someone who understands trade-offs, can navigate ambiguity, and helps turn complex or loosely defined problems into clear, practical technical approaches.
Location_
// This role is available in a fully remote model for candidates based in Romania
Responsibilities_
Shape Masabi’s platform architecture, including platform blueprint definition, standards and best practices
Help shape Masabi’s data architecture and strategy, including how we structure, store and make use of the data generated across our platform
Design and deliver scalable, robust, cost efficient services aligned with platform blueprint
Stay hands-on in code and technical delivery, including reviews and targeted contributions
Identify and work through complex platform challenges related to scalability, performance, resilience and cost
Act as a senior technical advisor across engineering teams, supporting and influencing technical decisions and ensuring Masabi standards are followed
Shape and contribute to technical roadmap planning and prioritisation of platform improvements
Support RFP estimation and technical scoping for complex initiatives
Produce clear, high-quality technical documentation and architecture artefacts
Improve how architecture is understood and applied across engineering and the wider business
Contribute to and help shape technical forums and working groups, including areas such as API and architecture governance
About You_
You bring strong experience designing and evolving distributed systems and microservices architectures
You’ve operated at Principal or Staff level, shaping technical direction across multiple teams or domains
You are comfortable staying hands-on, contributing in code, design and delivery when needed
You have strong experience with cloud platforms (AWS preferred) and modern infrastructure practices
You’ve worked on systems where scale, reliability, performance and cost trade-offs matter, and can navigate those decisions thoughtfully
You have proven experience in data architecture (e.g. data platforms, pipelines, warehousing or data lakes) and working on products built on top of large data stores
You can take loosely defined (early stage) business or technical problems and turn them into clear, actionable technical approaches
You communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively, and produce structured documentation that helps both technical and non-technical audiences make decisions
You’ve contributed to engineering standards, architecture patterns or platform direction
Strong experience with REST API design in complex, multi-service environments, ideally including how APIs are consumed on the front end
Interest in or exposure to AI-enabled systems, particularly understanding architectural implications in production
Nice To Have_
Experience breaking monolithic applications into microservices architectures
Experience with event-driven architectures (e.g. Kafka, schema governance)
Experience improving cloud cost and system efficiency at scale
Familiarity with a range of tools and technologies including:
Development: Kotlin, Java
Data storage/processing: DynamoDB, MySQL, Snowflake, Databricks, Spark
Infrastructure as code and CI/CD: Terraform, GitLab CI/CD
// You don’t need to have experience in every area listed above. If you bring strong fundamentals, good judgement and a willingness to learn, we’d still love to hear from you.
Some of Our Benefits_
25 days holiday per year plus the Christmas Shutdown (another 3-4 days)
Premium medical care via Regina Maria
Mental health support
Menopause support
Regular social gatherings with a monthly allowance for each employee
Up to €1000 training budget per year
€200 to spend on your home office
Choice of workstation
Ability to work for up to 3 months per year from any country in the world
Careers at Masabi are for people going places – driven by a mission to make transit fair and accessible for all.
// We are a network of innovators from all walks of life, passionate about making a difference. At Masabi, we operate with openness and trust, creating an environment where everyone feels empowered to bring their whole, authentic selves to work.
Whoever you are, just be yourself.
// We welcome applications from underrepresented groups, including disabled and neurodivergent people, and can make adjustments at any stage of the process. You’re also welcome to share your pronouns whenever you feel comfortable. Together, we simplify journeys, remove barriers, and improve daily life for millions.
Why Join Masabi?
Driven by Purpose – We believe in journeys made simple. The work isn’t always easy, but the best things never are.
Encouraged to Accelerate – Masabi is going places and our people are in the driving seat. Whether you’re taking the direct route or exploring new paths, we support your journey.
Advancing with Empathy – We put people first and foster a culture of learning, not blame. No matter your cargo, we share the load.
We’re already powering journeys – are you ready to join us?
Annual salary information is not provided for this position. Explore salary ranges for similar roles in our Salary Directory ›
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