Principal Software Engineer

Lumen is the trusted network for the AI‑powered world, connecting people, data, and applications through our expansive fiber network and connected ecosystem. We enable secure, high‑performance connectivity across cloud, edge, and AI workloads for enterprises, governments, and communities.

At Lumen, you’ll work on infrastructure customers rely on today and build for what’s next, where performance, security, and resilience matter.

This is a high accountability environment where bold ideas drive real innovation for our customers, partners, and industry. The work is challenging, expectations are clear, and trust is built into how we operate. If you’re ready to take ownership, deliver meaningful impact, and help shape the future of AI‑ready connectivity, join us today.

The Role

The Principal Software Engineer serves as a senior technical leader responsible for advancing Lumen's next-generation software architecture strategy, with a focus on AI-native engineering, agentic systems, intelligent automation, and large-scale distributed software solutions. This role operates at the intersection of software architecture, information architecture, and emerging AI technologies.The individual will drive the design and adoption of reusable architectural patterns, engineering frameworks, and intelligent capabilities that enable teams to build innovative customer-facing solutions while accelerating software delivery and operational effectiveness. Working across organizational boundaries, this role helps transform complex information assets, software services, and emerging technologies into scalable products, automation capabilities, actionable intelligence, and differentiated customer experiences.

This position combines hands-on technical leadership with enterprise influence. The Principal Software Engineer partners with Engineering, Product, Architecture, Security, and Operations teams to establish technical direction, guide strategic technology investments, and ensure solutions are scalable, resilient, secure, and aligned with long-term business objectives.

Location

This is a remote postion open to candidates based anywhere in the US.

The Main Responsibilities

AI-Native Engineering and Intelligent Systems

• Lead the adoption of AI-native engineering practices that improve software quality, engineering productivity, and delivery velocity.
• Design architectures that incorporate intelligent agents, automation capabilities, and AI-assisted workflows into enterprise solutions.
• Define patterns for agent orchestration, collaboration, task delegation, context sharing, and operational governance.
• Guide the development of AI-enabled capabilities that improve customer experiences, operational effectiveness, service intelligence, and business outcomes.
• Evaluate emerging AI technologies and establish practical adoption patterns across multiple engineering organizations.

Software Architecture and Distributed Systems

• Architect scalable distributed systems supporting mission-critical enterprise services and customer-facing applications.
• Define architectural standards for reliability, scalability, resiliency, observability, and operational excellence.
• Guide technology decisions involving cloud-native services, event-driven architectures, large-scale information processing, and intelligent automation frameworks.
• Design reusable software components, integration patterns, and shared capabilities that accelerate solution delivery across the enterprise.

Information Architecture and Intelligent Solutions

• Design information architectures that enable efficient discovery, integration, governance, and consumption of enterprise information assets.
• Establish patterns for real-time information exchange, analytics, automation, and AI-enabled decision support capabilities.
• Guide the development of information-intensive services that support operational insights, customer intelligence, and intelligent application experiences.
• Promote interoperability, governance, and reusable architectural standards across software, information, and intelligent systems.

Technical Leadership

• Serve as a trusted advisor to engineering and technology leaders on strategic technical initiatives.
• Establish architectural standards and influence technology direction across multiple organizations.
• Mentor engineers, architects, and technical leads while fostering a culture of engineering excellence and innovation.
• Drive adoption of reusable capabilities and architectural patterns that accelerate delivery and reduce operational complexity.

What We Look For in a Candidate

AI, Automation, and Intelligent Systems

• Experience designing and implementing production-grade intelligent systems, agentic applications, or AI-enabled software solutions.
• Strong understanding of modern AI orchestration frameworks, workflow automation, tool integration, and AI-assisted software delivery.
• Experience applying AI technologies to improve customer-facing products, operational decision-making, service intelligence, or engineering effectiveness.

Software Architecture and Distributed Systems

• Deep expertise designing large-scale distributed applications and enterprise software systems.
• Experience with cloud-native architectures, event-driven systems, streaming technologies, and highly scalable software services.
• Strong understanding of software architecture principles, system reliability, observability, performance optimization, and operational excellence.

Information Architecture and Data-Driven Systems

• Experience designing information architectures and data-intensive systems that support analytics, automation, AI-enabled capabilities, and customer-facing solutions.
• Understanding of data governance, interoperability, data product design, and large-scale information management principles.
• Experience transforming complex information assets into actionable insights, intelligent services, or measurable business value.

Technical Expertise

• Proficiency in one or more modern programming languages such as Python, Java, Scala, Go, or equivalent technologies.
• Experience delivering enterprise solutions across public cloud, hybrid cloud, and distributed computing environments.
• Familiarity with modern engineering practices, developer tooling, automation frameworks, and software delivery platforms.

Principal-Level Leadership

• Demonstrated success as a Principal Engineer, Enterprise Architect, Distinguished Engineer, or equivalent senior technical leadership role.
• Proven ability to establish technical direction and influence organizational strategy without direct authority.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to engage engineers, architects, technology leaders, executives, and business stakeholders.
• Experience leading complex technical initiatives that achieved broad adoption and measurable business impact across multiple organizations.

Compensation

This information reflects the anticipated base salary range for this position based on current national data. Minimums and maximums may vary based on location. Individual pay is based on skills, experience and other relevant factors.

Location Based Pay Ranges

$152,066 - $202,755 in these states: AL AR AZ FL GA IA ID IN KS KY LA ME MO MS MT ND NE NM OH OK PA SC SD TN UT VT WI WV WY $159,670 - $212,893 in these states: CO HI MI MN NC NH NV OR RI $167,273 - $223,031 in these states: AK CA CT DC DE IL MA MD NJ NY TX VA WA

Lumen offers a comprehensive package featuring a broad range of Health, Life, Voluntary Lifestyle benefits and other perks that enhance your physical, mental, emotional and financial wellbeing. We're able to answer any additional questions you may have about our bonus structure (short-term incentives, long-term incentives and/or sales compensation) as you move through the selection process.

Learn more about Lumen's: Benefits

LI-Remote

Requisition #: 342705

Life at Lumen

Life at Lumen is human and connected, even in a fast moving, AI‑focused organization. We set clear expectations and trust people to meet them. With real support and shared accountability, teams collaborate better, move faster, and deliver meaningful outcomes.

Our Lumen 8 behaviors guide how we interact, make decisions, and work together, shaping a culture built to perform and win.

To learn more about Life at Lumen and how we live the Lumen 8, please visit:

Background Screening

If you are selected for a position, there will be a background screen, which may include checks for criminal records and/or motor vehicle reports and/or drug screening, depending on the position requirements. For more information on these checks, please refer to the Post Offer section of our FAQ page . Job-related concerns identified during the background screening may disqualify you from the new position or your current role. Background results will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Equal Employment Opportunities

We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all persons regardless of race, color, ancestry, citizenship, national origin, religion, veteran status, disability, genetic characteristic or information, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, family status, pregnancy, or other legally protected status (collectively, “protected statuses”). We do not tolerate unlawful discrimination in any employment decisions, including recruiting, hiring, compensation, promotion, benefits, discipline, termination, job assignments or training.

Privacy Notice

Lumen is committed to protecting the privacy and security of personal information collected during the recruitment and hiring process. Our Applicant Privacy Notice explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect applicant information, as well as how individuals may request access to or deletion of their personal data.

To review Lumen’s Global Employment Applicant and Talent Community Privacy Notice, please visit:

Disclaimer

The job responsibilities described above indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not intended to include a comprehensive inventory of all duties and responsibilities for this job. Job duties and responsibilities are subject to change based on evolving business needs and conditions.

In any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.

Please be advised that Lumen does not require any form of payment from job applicants during the recruitment process. All legitimate job openings will be posted on our official website or communicated through official company email addresses. If you encounter any job offers that request payment in exchange for employment at Lumen, they are not for employment with us, but may relate to another company with a similar name.