Principal Engineer

Summary

Join ShiftKey as a Principal Engineer to lead the evolution of our platform's architecture. You will spearhead the transition from a monolithic codebase to a modern, service-oriented architecture, shaping our scalability for the next 5 years. This hands-on leadership role involves collaborating with senior leadership and engineering teams to define and execute a technical roadmap. You will mentor engineers, foster a collaborative culture, and influence cross-functional initiatives. The role is primarily remote, based in or near Warsaw, with encouraged in-office collaboration. You will own the architecture and delivery of core backend systems, lead migrations to a microservices platform, and establish engineering standards.

Requirements

• 10+ years of backend software engineering experience, including at least 2+ years in staff, principal, or architect-level roles
• Demonstrated experience designing and evolving distributed systems and leading large-scale technical migrations (e.g., monolith to microservices)
• Strong proficiency in Node.js and production experience with MongoDB, Kafka, and cloud platforms (AWS preferred)
• Experience operating within Docker/Kubernetes-based environments at scale
• Ability to influence cross-team direction, mentor senior engineers, and drive consensus on complex trade-offs
• Comfortable communicating architecture to diverse audiences - from hands-on devs to senior executives
• Passion for scalable design, performance tuning, and thoughtful abstraction - you think like a systems builder

Responsibilities

• Own the architecture and delivery of core backend systems using modern, service-oriented design patterns
• Lead the migration from a monolith to a microservices-based platform, guiding both technical execution and cultural adoption
• Establish engineering standards for Node.js, MongoDB, Kafka, AWS, Docker, and Kubernetes, ensuring they scale with the business
• Collaborate with engineering squads, leadership, and the business to shape the technical roadmap and evaluate trade-offs for long-term success
• Mentor engineers across squads, growing their architecture and design skills while embedding quality and scalability into our culture
• Influence cross-functional initiatives, from DevOps integration to platform reliability to developer experience improvements
• Stay connected to code while shaping systems holistically - you're not expected to do all the coding, but you're comfortable diving into critical paths when needed

Benefits

• A high-growth, friendly, and engaging work environment with opportunities for career development
• Additional vacation days for better work-life balance
• Modern office in Warsaw’s Powiśle district with Vistula River views, recreational facilities, and great nearby restaurants
• Thoughtfully designed private medical package to take care of what matters most
• Sports card to fuel your active lifestyle
• Life and accident insurance for peace of mind