Principal Software Engineer in Seattle

Job DescriptionJob Description

Job Title: Principal Software Engineer – Distributed Systems & AI-driven Retail Platforms

Location: onsite

About the Role

We are seeking a Principal Software Engineer to drive the architecture and development of next- retail systems that blend cutting-edge distributed systems design, AI integration, and edge computing. This role is ideal for a hands-on technical leader passionate about solving large-scale engineering challenges that impact thousands of stores globally.

Core Responsibilities

• Architectural Leadership: Design and implement highly scalable, message-driven microservices using Java 21+ and Spring Boot, ensuring robustness, resilience, and maintainability.

• System Design: Build offline-first architectures and distributed data synchronization models that keep store operations functional even during connectivity issues.

• Innovation: Lead the integration of AI-powered solutions (e.g., Azure OpenAI) for intelligent scheduling, predictive inventory, and real-time store operations.

• Technical Excellence: Own the end-to-end reliability of mission-critical enterprise systems using Event Sourcing (CQRS), Kafka, and real-time streaming frameworks.

• Mentorship & Collaboration: Serve as a technical multiplier—mentoring Senior and Staff Engineers, conducting high-stakes code and architecture reviews, and driving RFCs for strategic cross-team alignment.

Technical Requirements

Must-Have Skills

• Backend Engineering: 13+ years of experience with Java, Spring Boot, Hibernate, and Reactive Programming.

• Distributed Systems: Deep expertise with Kafka, Spark, and Event-Driven Architecture.

• Cloud & DevOps: Proven experience on AWS or Azure, Kubernetes (EKS/AKS), and Terraform.

• Data & Storage: Mastery of PostgreSQL, Oracle, Cassandra, and MongoDB.

• API Architecture: Proficiency in designing high-performance gRPC, REST, and GraphQL APIs.

Qualifications

• Retail Domain Expertise: Experience in Retail or POS ecosystems, managing large-scale transactional systems and global payment integrations.

• Edge Computing: Strong background in linking cloud services with physical IoT devices for in-store automation and telemetry.

• Legacy Modernization: Proven success in decomposing and migrating monolithic applications into modern microservice-based architectures.

• Strategic Alignment: Ability to translate high-level business metrics (e.g., reduced customer wait time) into measurable technical outcomes.