Principal Platform Engineer | MC Digital

Description

Job Summary: MC Digital is seeking a Principal Platform Engineer to define the platform vision and strategy, guide the evolution of the ecosystem, and drive digital transformation through AI. Key Highlights: 1. Define the vision and strategy for Platform Engineering 2. Lead AI adoption across platforms and engineering 3. Promote technical excellence and innovation with new technologies MC Digital, the Information Technology division of MC, is looking for a Principal Platform Engineer to join its team. MC Digital believes technology can revolutionize the retail sector by delivering greater convenience and exceeding customer expectations. In this context, the team focuses on leveraging Artificial Intelligence in its products and technological systems to accelerate MC’s digital transformation. You can learn more about MC Digital’s work through Caixa Central, the division’s blog and podcast, at caixacentral.mcdigital.tech. **Responsibilities:** Define the vision and strategy for platforms and the Platform Engineering practice; Establish principles, operating models, and objectives to guide the evolution of internal platform ecosystems, aligned with MC’s technological transformation strategy; Identify opportunities to simplify the daily experience of technical roles by providing self\-service offerings with guardrails; Collaborate with platform product teams to coherently and cohesively define their respective product roadmaps; Serve as a reference and source of guidance for platform teams and engineering teams using the platforms daily; Promote technical excellence in development and operations activities; Lead experimentation, prototyping, and proof-of-concept initiatives to evaluate new technologies, approaches, and practices; Contribute directly, in a hands\-on manner, to the design, construction, and evolution of platforms; Promote adoption of Tech Fundamentals and platforms among development and operations teams; Work closely with product, infrastructure, security, and operations teams to ensure effective adoption of provided capabilities; Represent MC Digital at public and domain-specific forums and events, sharing Platform Engineering vision and practices with the external technical community; Develop the strategy for integrating AI capabilities and interfaces into platforms; Incorporate AI\-assisted engineering patterns, AI-as-a-Service capabilities, and intelligent interfaces to enhance technical role productivity; Apply AI to automation, observability, incident detection and remediation, capacity management, and operational efficiency of the platform ecosystem. **Requirements:** More than 15 years of proven experience in Platform Engineering, Engineering Tech Lead, Technical Architecture, or Solution Architecture roles; Strong knowledge and hands-on experience designing, building, and evolving internal platforms, particularly Internal Developer Platforms; Experience adopting Platform Engineering practices, including self\-service models and guardrail definition; Solid experience with Cloud\-Native architectures, hyperscalers such as AWS, Azure, or GCP, containerization, and orchestration with Kubernetes; Knowledge and experience orchestrating compositions in pipelines using Crossplane; Know\-how of the Kubernetes Operator pattern concept and implementation; Practical experience in software development and DevOps/GitOps methodologies; Proficiency in CI/CD practices and automation; Knowledge and practical experience with AI concepts and architectures, and their integration into platforms and engineering workflows; Ability to serve as a cross-cutting technical reference, inspiring and influencing engineering and platform teams; Hands\-on profile capable of combining strategic thinking with direct technical contribution; Strong analytical, communication, and collaboration skills in multidisciplinary environments with exposure to executive levels; Availability for DevOps model, including on\-call rotation. **Preferred Qualifications:** Relevant technical certifications, such as AWS, Azure, GCP, CKA, CKAD, or Terraform; Experience with observability practices, Security by Design, FinOps, and SRE; Experience with Platform Engineering tools and frameworks, such as Backstage or other developer portals, IaC, and policy\-as\-code; Knowledge of Product Thinking applied to platforms, notably Platform\-as\-a\-Product; Familiarity with developer experience metrics, such as DORA and SPACE; Knowledge of enterprise architecture frameworks, such as TOGAF and ArchiMate, and agile methodologies; Prior experience in technical governance of complex IT ecosystems and legacy application modernization. **Offer:** Competitive salary; Collaborative and dynamic work environment; Meal allowance via Dá Card; Telecommunications plan including voice, data, and equipment for permanent employees; Flex it Up program, including extra days off, unpaid leave, and flexible work arrangements where applicable; Health and life insurance for permanent employees, with optional extension of health insurance to family members under advantageous conditions; Flexible benefits program, where applicable; Onboarding and initial training plan; Continuous learning platform and financial literacy program; Scholarships and merit-based grants for employees’ children in regular and inclusive education; Holiday programs during school breaks; Newborn kit for the arriving baby; Internal mobility programs to foster talent promotion; Flu vaccination, including administration, subject to voluntary enrollment; Somos Sonae program, offering psychosocial, financial, and legal support to employees; Ergocoaching sessions; Mental health promotion programs and nutrition consultations; Discount and partnership program across 300+ leading brands; Free coffee and fruit available at the workplace.