Principal Engineer

Back to all rolesPrincipal EngineerApplyJob detailsEngineering / EngineeringMilanFull-time€93,142 EUR - €129,653 EURWhat You Will DoYou will drive Klarna’s technical direction within and across Klarnas domains - ensuring that our systems are scalable, resilient, and architected for long-term growth. You’ll shape architectural strategy, connect cross-functional initiatives, and elevate Klarna’s engineering standards across the organization.● Lead cross-domain engineering strategy and execution - translating Klarna’s vision into scalable, secure, and efficient architectures that serve multiple business areas, while fostering technical alignment across teams and competences. ● Architect and evolve Klarna’s technical foundations by simplifying systems, reducing duplication, and driving consistency in data models, APIs, and integration patterns that power global customer and merchant experiences. ● Set and uphold Klarna-wide technical standards for code quality, observability, reliability, and data management - ensuring operational excellence and enabling teams to deliver confidently at scale. ● Partner with Product, Data Science, and Design leaders to align technical investments with business outcomes, balancing long-term architectural evolution with short-term delivery priorities. ● Mentor and grow Klarna’s senior technical community, guiding Lead and Principal Engineers in decision-making, design reviews, and career development, while nurturing a culture of technical curiosity and shared accountability. ● Drive innovation and continuous improvement by exploring emerging technologies, improving developer experience, and enabling Klarna’s platforms to adapt to future opportunities and challenges.Who You Are● A recognized technical leader with deep experience delivering and scaling distributed systems across multiple business or product domains. ● Strategic in thinking yet pragmatic in execution — able to balance innovation, speed, and stability across complex organizations. ● Skilled in system architecture, data integration, and building reliable, observable systems that enable high-velocity teams. ● Adept at influencing across teams and functions, aligning diverse stakeholders behind clear technical direction. ● A committed mentor who builds inclusive, empowered teams and fosters technical growth across the organization. ● Curious, reflective, and driven by continuous improvement - both personal and organizational.Awesome to Have● Experience leading cross-functional initiatives in payments, e-commerce, or large-scale technology platforms. ● Expertise in distributed architecture, event-driven systems, and cloud-native technologies (AWS, Kubernetes, Kafka). ● Proven success improving observability, reliability, or developer productivity at company scale. ● A track record of translating technical strategy into measurable business impact across domains.Upload your resume to autofill the applicationUploadFirst name *Last name *Email *Dial codePhone numberLinkedIn profile *Please upload your resume (preferably as a PDF file) *Click or drag file to uploadSupported file format: .PDF; Maximum file size: 10.49 MB; Maximum file: 1;Mandatory Are you currently based in the location the job is posted in? *YesNoAre you legally authorised to work in the location where this position is based? *YesNoWill you now or in the future require sponsorship for employment authorization or visa status in the location this position is based? *YesNoAI disclaimerThis application process may use AI-enabled systems to support candidate evaluation based on factors such as experience, technical skills, and qualifications. All processing is carried out in accordance with applicable data protection, AI governance, and labour laws. Human oversight is maintained at all stages, and final hiring decisions are made by people. Personal data submitted as part of this application is not used to train AI models.I have read and understood the privacy policy and acknowledge...