Principal Software Engineer

Summary

Join Unstructured, a team of builders focused on performance, simplicity, and reliability in building open-source and commercial tools for data preprocessing and transformation for AI/ML pipelines. As a Principal Software Engineer, you will lead the technology direction, own organization-level architecture and product solutions, mentor engineering teams, and solve complex software problems. You will align teams toward scalable designs, mitigate long-term risks, and actively participate in the full software development lifecycle. This role requires significant experience in software development, architectural leadership, and mentorship. The position offers opportunities for impactful work, innovation, career growth, and collaboration within a supportive team.

Requirements

• 10+ years of software development experience, with a proven track record of leading and delivering complex, high-impact projects
• Deep knowledge of software architecture, design patterns, and development best practices
• Proficiency in multiple programming languages and frameworks
• Demonstrated ability to influence senior leadership and drive cross-team initiatives
• Experience in mentoring and developing technical talent
• Exceptional problem-solving skills with the ability to tackle complex, persistent issues
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment where business problems and architectural strategies may not yet be defined

Responsibilities

• Own and drive the architecture and design of key product solutions across the organization
• Influence and set the technology direction, ensuring alignment with business goals
• Lead strategically important projects that involve multiple teams
• Provide technical direction and mentorship, fostering a culture of high-quality software development
• Address significantly complex, persistent, or ingrained software challenges
• Develop innovative solutions that impact the entire organization and set new standards of excellence
• Actively engage in the full software development lifecycle, including design, development, testing, deployment, and operations
• Deliver high-quality, production-ready code that is both strategic and tactical
• Provide mentorship and guidance to engineers across the organization
• Act as a force multiplier, enhancing the capabilities of the teams you influence
• Align teams toward simple, coherent designs that meet business and technical objectives
• Resolve escalations and proactively mitigate risks, particularly those involving long-term one-way doors
• Shape how the organization operates by influencing software offerings and architectures
• Ensure that your work has a lasting impact on both current and future projects

Preferred Qualifications

• Proficiency with Python
• Experience in leading large-scale, multi-team projects
• Expertise in cloud-based architectures and services
• Background in mentoring and growing engineering teams

Benefits

• Impactful Work: Play a key role in shaping the future of our organization and its products
• Innovation: Work on challenging problems that require innovative solutions
• Growth: Opportunities to grow your career in a dynamic and fast-paced environment
• Collaboration: Join a team that values collaboration, mentorship, and continuous learning