Principal Software Engineer

Summary

Join Demandbase as a Principal Software Engineer and drive architectural excellence, defining our technical roadmap, and leading cross-team technical initiatives. Reporting to the Senior Director of Engineering, you will shape the future of our platform, providing technical leadership and guidance. You will define and drive technical architecture, develop and maintain the technical strategy and roadmap, and lead the integration of our marketing platform with AI. Collaboration with engineering managers, staff engineers, and product managers is key to seamless execution. Mentorship and advocacy for best engineering practices are also crucial aspects of this role. This strategic and technical role offers opportunities to contribute to code reviews, proof of concepts, and complex system designs. Demandbase offers a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package.

Requirements

• Be a strategic thinker who can balance short-term execution with long-term vision
• Be a technical leader who can influence without direct authority and drive technical initiatives across teams
• Possess a strong architectural mindset, capable of designing scalable, cloud-based systems
• Be a mentor and coach who can uplift the technical expertise of the engineering organization
• Thrive in a collaborative, agile environment and enjoy solving complex challenges
• Be an AI enthusiast who understands how to apply generative and agentic AI to software development and product acceleration
• Possess strong expertise in distributed systems architecture and scalable microservices
• Have a deep understanding, and strong experience building applications across the traditional web application stack
• Possess strong proficiency in at least one backend language (Java, Scala or Python)
• Have experience with data-intensive applications, including databases (SQL & NoSQL) and caching mechanisms
• Have knowledge of DevOps practices, CI/CD, and modern software delivery methodologies
• Have experience with cloud-native technologies (AWS, GCP, or Azure) and containerization (Kubernetes, Docker)
• Possess strong communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to non-technical audiences
• Have a Bachelor's or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience
• Have 10+ years of software engineering experience, with at least 5 years in an architectural or technical leadership role
• Have proven experience leading the technical direction of multiple teams and defining cross-functional roadmaps
• Have a strong background in agile development methodologies (Scrum, Kanban, SAFe, etc.)
• Have experience working in a high-growth, fast-paced SaaS or enterprise software environment
• Have hands-on experience with AI-driven development tools and their integration into engineering workflows
• Have experience integrating AI-powered automation into enterprise platforms to streamline workflows and enhance business outcomes

Responsibilities

• Define and drive the technical architecture across three engineering teams, ensuring scalable, high-performance, and maintainable solutions
• Develop and maintain the technical strategy and roadmap, aligning it with the company's business and product goals
• Lead the integration of DB1 marketing platform with generative and agentic AI to automate user workflows and achieve business outcomes autonomously
• Work with engineering managers, staff engineers, and product managers to ensure seamless execution of technical initiatives
• Introduce and advocate for best engineering practices, including software design principles, code quality, security, and cloud scalability
• Act as a mentor and role model, helping to grow and develop engineering talent within the organization
• Work closely with product managers to break down product initiatives into deliverable iterations while balancing technical and business needs
• Contribute to code reviews, proof of concepts, and complex system designs

Benefits

• Up to 100% paid premiums for Medical and Vision coverage
• Range of mental wellness resources, including access to Modern Health
• Flexible PTO policy
• 15 paid holidays in 2025—including a three-day break around July 4th and a full week off for Thanksgiving
• No Internal Meetings Fridays
• Competitive 401(k) plan
• Short-term and long-term disability coverage
• Life insurance