---
title: 'Principal Software Engineer at Hawk-Eye Innovations (HEI)'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/principal-software-engineer-hawk-eye-innovations-hei-budapest-gfy1t2pa0dmn'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-11-06'
---

# Principal Software Engineer at Hawk-Eye Innovations (HEI)

- **Company:** Hawk-Eye Innovations (HEI)
- **Location:** Budapest, Hungary
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** hybrid
- **Posted:** 2026-07-06
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-11-06
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/hawkeyeinnovations/55945054-f65a-4506-a95d-649ee40e58bf

## Job description

Principal Software Engineer (Backend Focused, Full-Stack Experience)

Location: UK or Hungary (or as agreed) Contract: Permanent, Full-Time

Join Us in Building the Future of Sports Technology At Hawk-Eye Innovations, we're developing a brand-new sports technology product from the ground up, and we're looking for a Principal Software Engineer to play a pivotal role in shaping its success.

This is an opportunity to join at the beginning of the journey, influencing architecture, technology choices, and engineering direction while building systems that will power the next generation of sports technology.

We're looking for a highly experienced backend engineer who thrives in fast-moving environments, enjoys solving complex technical challenges, and is excited by the opportunity to create scalable, high-performance systems from scratch. While this role is backend-focused, you'll work closely with frontend engineers, product teams, and data specialists to deliver a complete product experience.

## What You'll Be Doing

As a Principal Software Engineer, you'll be responsible for designing and building the backend services, APIs, and data pipelines that sit at the heart of the product. Your responsibilities will include:

- Designing and developing backend services and APIs that support real-time data ingestion, transformation, and delivery.
- Building scalable, low-latency, high-throughput systems capable of handling demanding performance requirements.
- Owning data architecture and pipeline design, including integration with streaming and event-driven technologies.
- Defining and evolving API contracts that enable seamless collaboration across engineering teams.
- Working closely with frontend engineers to shape data structures, contracts, and technical approaches.
- Collaborating with computer vision, machine learning, and data science teams to integrate complex data workflows into the product.
- Contributing to key architectural decisions that will influence the long-term scalability, maintainability, and performance of the platform.
- Leveraging AI-assisted and agentic development tools to accelerate delivery while applying strong engineering judgment and oversight.
- Providing technical leadership, mentorship, and guidance across the wider engineering organisation.

## What We're Looking For

We're seeking someone who combines deep technical expertise with strong communication skills and a collaborative mindset.

You'll likely have:

- Significant experience building production-grade backend systems using Java.
- A strong track record of developing low-latency, high-throughput applications.
- Experience designing and implementing distributed systems, event-driven architectures, and data pipelines.
- Knowledge of streaming technologies such as Kafka or similar platforms.
- Experience designing and evolving APIs in rapidly changing product environments.
- Working knowledge of modern frontend technologies such as React and TypeScript, enabling effective collaboration and technical oversight.
- Experience working with cloud infrastructure and modern identity and access management approaches.
- Strong experience using AI-assisted or agentic development tools to improve engineering productivity and delivery.
- The ability to navigate ambiguity and make sound technical decisions in an evolving product environment.
- Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to influence technical direction across multiple disciplines.

## Why This Role Is Exciting

This isn't a role where you'll inherit a mature platform and simply maintain it. You'll have the opportunity to:

- Build a new product from the ground up.
- Influence architecture and technology decisions from day one.
- Work on real-time, data-intensive sports technology challenges.
- Collaborate with experts across software engineering, computer vision, machine learning, and product development.
- Help define how AI-assisted engineering is used within a modern development team.
- Make a lasting impact on both the product and the wider engineering organisation.

If you're excited by technical ownership, complex engineering challenges, and the opportunity to shape a product at an early stage, we'd love to hear from you.

## About Hawk-Eye Innovations (HEI)

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Hawk-Eye Innovations is the global leader in sports officiating and broadcast enhancement technology, providing optical tracking, video replay, and data analytics to make sport fairer, safer, and more engaging.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Subsidiary of Sony Group)
- **Headquarters**: Basingstoke, Hampshire, United Kingdom (with additional offices in Southampton, London, Bristol, Atlanta, and remote centers across 43 countries)
- **Founded**: 2001
- **Founders**: Paul Hawkins (inventor of the Hawk-Eye system)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry/industries**: Sports Technology, Officiating Technology, Broadcast Production, Performance Analytics
- **Target customers**: Professional sports leagues, federations, broadcasters, and teams (B2B) across football, cricket, tennis, baseball, American football, basketball, rugby, ice hockey, and more.
- **Mission or purpose statement**: "To pioneer change in sport, challenging convention for its betterment through a unique blend of creativity, tech, and innovation." Their vision is "To be the trusted choice for pioneering and inspiring change in sport."

## Products & Services
- **Optical Tracking & Camera Calibration**: Powers performance, ball, and object tracking across all sports.
- **Video Replay & Officiating Systems**: Multi-angle replay technology underpinning VAR (football), Goal Line Technology, Semi-Automated Offside, TMO (rugby), Electronic Line Calling (tennis), and MLB/NHL/NFL replay systems.
- **Insight & Data Analytics**: Data collation, aggregation, and visualization for broadcast, team analytics, and fan engagement.
- **StatCast (MLB)**: Core ball, player, and bat tracking data for Major League Baseball since 2019.
- **Beyond Sports Integration**: Real-time 3D game recreations for broadcast (sister company within Sony Sports).

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly available (private subsidiary of Sony Group).
- **Key Metric**: Operates across 95+ countries, covering 400+ seasons, 400+ stadiums, and 45,000+ matches per year. Employs over 1,000 team members.
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Part of the Sony Sports family (alongside Pulselive and Beyond Sports). Key clients include FIFA, UEFA, MLB, NFL, NHL, NBA, ICC, ATP, and WTA.
- **Growth Signals**: Rapidly expanding in North America (Atlanta hub for MLB, NFL, MLS). Implementing new technologies like ABS (Automated Ball-Striking) Challenge system in baseball. Expanding into new sports and leagues globally.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Unmatched Credibility & Longevity**: Over 20 years as the gold standard in sports officiating, trusted by the world's top leagues and federations.
- **Proprietary Technology**: Sub-second skeletal tracking, advanced camera calibration, and optical tracking systems that are deeply integrated into major sports (e.g., MLB StatCast, NFL replay, VAR).
- **Sony Ecosystem Backing**: Access to Sony's resources, R&D, and global distribution network provides stability and scale.
- **Global Scale & Data Moat**: The sheer volume of matches and data processed (45,000+ matches/year) creates a massive data advantage that is difficult for competitors to replicate.

## Strategic Focus
- **North American Expansion**: Growing the Atlanta office to support MLB, NFL, and MLS, hiring exceptional talent for the region.
- **Innovation in Officiating**: Developing and deploying new technologies like Semi-Automated Offside (SAOT) and ABS Challenge systems.
- **Broadcast & Fan Engagement**: Enhancing real-time 3D recreations and data visualization through the Sony Sports ecosystem.
- **Talent Acquisition**: Actively hiring globally for software engineering, operations, product management, and commercial roles to support growth.

## Why Work Here
- **Global Impact**: Work on technology that directly influences the world's biggest sporting events (UEFA Champions League, World Cup, Super Bowl, Wimbledon, etc.).
- **Culture & Values**: "Be Brave, Be Owners, Be Inclusive." The company emphasizes bold problem-solving, entrepreneurial ownership, and a diverse, united community.
- **Flexible & Remote Working**: Offers flexible and remote working options, with a global presence allowing for travel and relocation opportunities.
- **Benefits**: Generous annual leave, pension scheme, Sony discounts, free access to the Unmind app (mental health), health & wellness activities, and an onsite gym at the Basingstoke HQ.
- **Career Growth**: Opportunities to travel the world as a systems operator, or grow within engineering, product, and leadership teams. The company is scaling rapidly, especially in North America.

## Sources
1. [Hawk-Eye Innovations Official Site](https://www.hawkeyeinnovations.com/)
2. [Hawk-Eye About Page](https://www.hawkeyeinnovations.com/about)
3. [Hawk-Eye Careers Page](https://careers.hawkeyeinnovations.com/)
4. [Hawk-Eye Jobs (Ashby)](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/hawkeyeinnovations)
5. [CB Insights Company Profile](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/hawk-eye-innovations-limited)

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- [Football Tracking Systems Technician - Firenze](https://feeny.ai/job/football-tracking-systems-technician-firenze-hawk-eye-innovations-hei-firenze-0dpv4nvj7w8e) — Firenze, Italy
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