Principal Software Engineer

Join our team as a Principal Software Engineer, where you'll play a key role in shaping the future of our platform and driving technical excellence. In this role, you will lead engineering efforts to develop scalable, high-impact solutions that enhance our products and services. You'll collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to design, build, and optimize systems that meet evolving business and user needs.

Your time will be split between hands-on development and strategic leadership. You'll contribute to system architecture, mentor engineers, and help define best practices to ensure our technology is robust, efficient, and future-proof. We're looking for individuals who are passionate about problem-solving, innovation, and technical leadership.

What You'll Do

Strategic Technical Leadership and Vision

• Develop and implement long-term technical strategies that address immediate needs while planning for future scalability

• Establish coding standards and best practices to promote efficiency and maintainability

• Evaluate and recommend technologies aligned with business goals and our tech stack

• Balance urgent issues with strategic priorities to effectively allocate engineering efforts

System Design and Architecture

• Design and implement reliable, scalable systems

• Advocate for simplicity and composability in architectural decisions

• Ensure strong observability features are integrated into systems

• Prioritize long-term scalability and performance

• Use data-driven insights to guide architectural decisions and improvements

Collaboration and Stakeholder Engagement

• Partner with cross-functional teams to align technical and business goals

• Document and share knowledge to support team growth and sustainability

• Communicate complex technical concepts in a way that's accessible to diverse audiences

• Foster knowledge-sharing and open communication across teams

Hands-on Technical Contribution

• Contribute to critical areas of the codebase with high-quality work

• Lead by example, maintaining strong coding standards

• Identify and address technical debt proactively

• Resolve complex technical issues and provide leadership during crises

• Develop prototypes and conduct research to drive innovative solutions

Mentoring and Coaching

• Mentor and support the professional growth of engineering team members

• Encourage ownership, autonomy, and accountability within the team

• Foster an inclusive environment that values and respects diverse perspectives

Continuous Improvement and Innovation

• Drive process improvements to enhance team efficiency

• Promote a culture of experimentation, learning, and innovation

• Lead research and development initiatives

Customer Advocacy and Support

• Make technical decisions that prioritize the customer experience

• Assist in resolving critical customer issues when needed

• Actively incorporate customer feedback to improve products and solutions

What You'll Need

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience. An advanced degree may substitute for professional experience

• 8+ years of software development experience, including 3+ years in a senior or leadership role

Preferred Qualifications

• Proficiency in programming languages such as Java, Kotlin, Go, or TypeScript

• Expertise in software architecture, design patterns, and microservices

• Experience with cloud platforms (e.g., AWS) and CI/CD pipelines

• Strong knowledge of databases (e.g., PostgreSQL, MySQL), APIs, and system integrations

• Familiarity with Kubernetes and Docker

• Proven ability to mentor and lead development teams effectively

• Excellent problem-solving, decision-making, and communication skills

• Experience with Agile development methodologies

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions

• Expect up to 15% travel

• Remote work enabled by reliable internet access, giving you flexibility in where you work-be it a home office or your favorite cafe

How You'll Be Rewarded

A discretionary bonus typically paid annually

Restricted Stock Units granted at time of hire

401(k) match and comprehensive employee benefits package

The salary range represents the low and high end of the salary range for this job in the US. Minimums and maximums may vary based on location. The actual salary offer will carefully consider a wide range of factors, including your skills, qualifications, experience and other relevant factors.

Workiva is an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer. We believe that great minds think differently. We value diversity of backgrounds, beliefs, and interests, and we recognize diversity as an important source of intellectual thought, varied perspective, and innovation. Employment decisions are made without regard to age, race, creed, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, disability status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression genetic information, marital status, citizenship status or any other protected characteristic.We strongly encourage and welcome people from historically marginalized groups to apply.

Workiva is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. To request assistance with the application process, please email talentacquisition@workiva.com.

Workiva employees are required to undergo comprehensive security and privacy training tailored to their roles, ensuring adherence to company policies and regulatory standards.

Workiva supports employees in working where they work best - either from an office or remotely from any location within their country of employment.