Principal Software Engineer

We’ve been trusted to serve Aussie communities since 1+14 and grown to become a top 30-listed on the ASX with over 115,000 team members and a portfolio of iconic brands. At Coles Group, you’ll not only get to make a difference to millions of Aussie lives—you’ll also get to see your impact.


About the team

As the way we shop continues to evolve, our Digital team keeps us at the cutting edge. Driven by our innovative, inclusive, and forward-thinking culture, we’re constantly looking at ways to create differentiated, omni-channel experiences for our customers and build the next generation of digital retailing.


About the role

As a Principal Software Engineer – Web, you’ll play a key role in building world-class web experiences and shaping the technical direction of our web platforms. You’ll provide leadership across Coles Digital, partnering with senior stakeholders and cross-functional teams to deliver value at scale.


Key responsibilities include:

Ownership of the web tech stack, architecture, and coding standards
Leading a web engineering guild and fostering a culture of collaboration, inclusion and support
Driving the selection and alignment of engineering tools and practices
Reviewing key implementation and architectural decisions
Prioritising technical debt and driving initiatives to maintain platform health
Supporting agile ways of working, helping teams define and deliver against their goals
Advocating for software quality through peer reviews and robust testing standards
Mentoring engineers and uplifting capability across the function

Here’s what we’re looking for:

10+ years’ experience in front-end web development
Deep expertise in modern web technologies, frameworks and system design
Proven experience in large-scale, high-traffic environments
Skilled in Agile Scrum product development
Experience with related tech (e.g., REST/GraphQL, CDN, cloud environments)
Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills
A track record of uplifting engineering practices and platform performance
Experience with release automation pipelines is a plus
Tertiary qualification in computer science or similar is preferred
You’re a seasoned Senior engineer and a natural leader who’s passionate about building great tech and even better teams.
You’re comfortable influencing without formal authority and thrive in cross-functional, collaborative environments.
You lead by example, empower others, and know how to turn challenges into opportunities.