Principal Software Engineer

Position SummaryCVS Health is seeking a Principal Software Engineer to lead the design and delivery of enterprise-scale Generative AI solutions that power next-generation healthcare experiences. This role goes beyond hands-on coding—you will define technical strategy, establish architectural standards, and guide multiple teams in building secure, scalable, and cost-effective AI platforms across AWS (Bedrock) and Google Cloud (Vertex AI API). You will partner with product, security, compliance, and enterprise architecture teams to ensure solutions meet business objectives, regulatory requirements, and performance goals.Key ResponsibilitiesLead end-to-end platform delivery of highly scalable, secure AI services and applications leveraging AWS Bedrock (Foundation Models, Knowledge Bases, Agents, Guardrails) and Google Cloud Vertex AI (Gemini via Vertex AI API, Agent Builder, Vector Search, Search & Grounding)Architect and implement Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) solutions, integrating proprietary data from sources like Amazon S3 and Google Cloud Storage/BigQuery, and using Bedrock Knowledge Bases and/or Vertex AI Search & Grounding with Vector Search to improve relevance and accuracyDesign solutions that use function/tool calling and multimodal input processing across both platforms (e.g., Bedrock Converse API and Vertex AI API), and integrate with enterprise systems via secure, well-governed service interfacesDefine reference architectures, golden paths, and guardrails for multi-cloud AI development; drive adoption through design reviews, Architecture Decision Records (ADRs), and clear SLOs for latency, resiliency, safety, and costChampion Responsible AI: implement safety filters, policy-enforced guardrails, data minimization, and red-teaming playbooks using capabilities such as Bedrock Guardrails and Vertex AI SafetyPartner with Security, Privacy, and Legal to ensure compliance with HIPAA/PHI, encryption, access control, and continuous auditabilityBuild evaluation and observability frameworks (groundedness, hallucination rates, relevance, toxicity, drift, cost attribution, A/B testing) and drive FinOps practices (prompt optimization, caching, batching, model selection) across cloudsMentor Staff/Senior Engineers, elevate coding and design standards, and foster a culture of learning (design clinics, brown bags, communities of practice)Monitor the rapidly evolving AI landscape (LLMs, agent frameworks, platform features) and translate advances into actionable platform strategy and roadmapsRequired Qualifications10+ years of progressive, hands-on IT experience spanning systems analysis, application design, application development, and leading engineering teams7+ years designing and developing modern microservices architectures and cost-effective APIs for enterprise-scale solutions7+ years managing stakeholder requirements and translating them into robust, secure, and scalable technical solutions5+ years building or leading large-scale, mission-critical applications with a focus on performance, resiliency, and security5+ years of hands-on delivery for enterprise cloud initiatives on public cloud platforms (AWS and/or Google Cloud), including architecture, deployment, and optimization5+ years implementing DevOps and CI/CD automation, including containerization and orchestration (Kubernetes, Docker)3+ years of software development with a strong emphasis on Generative AI and Large Language Models (LLMs); familiarity with AI/ML frameworks and libraries (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch, Scikit-learn) and productionizing AI systemsDemonstrated ability to influence architecture decisions, lead cross-functional teams, and deliver complex solutions in compliance-conscious environmentsPreferred QualificationsHands-on experience with AWS Bedrock (Converse API, Agents, Knowledge Bases, Guardrails) and/or Google Cloud Vertex AI (Vertex AI API for Gemini, Agent Builder, Vector Search, Search & Grounding, Model Garden)Expertise in RAG architectures, including embeddings, chunking, retrieval/reranking, vector databases, and caching strategies—implemented on Bedrock and/or Vertex AIProven track record implementing Responsible AI: safety guardrails, bias/fairness testing, red-teaming, human-in-the-loop workflows, and policy complianceStrong background in observability and evaluation for AI systems: tracing/telemetry, token/inference cost attribution, A/B testing and offline/online evals (groundedness, hallucination), and drift monitoringExperience with FinOps for AI workloads (prompt optimization, caching/batching, model selection, distillation/quantization strategies, streaming)Familiarity with infrastructure as code and platform engineering (e.g., Terraform, CDK, GitOps) and event-driven architecturesBackground in regulated industries (e.g., healthcare) and working knowledge of HIPAA/PHI, data governance, encryption, and access controlMulti-cloud awareness (e.g., Azure OpenAI) and vendor/model evaluation frameworksRelevant certifications such as AWS Solutions Architect – Professional, AWS Machine Learning – Specialty, AWS Certified AI Practitioner, Google Cloud Professional Cloud Architect, or Google Cloud ML EngineerEducationBachelor's degree or equivalent experience (Highschool diploma plus 4 years relevant work experience)The typical pay range for this role is:$144,200.00 - $288,400.00This pay range represents the base hourly rate or base annual full-time salary for all positions in the job grade within which this position falls. The actual base salary offer will depend on a variety of factors including experience, education, geography and other relevant factors. This position is eligible for a CVS Health bonus, commission or short-term incentive program in addition to the base pay range listed above. This position also includes an award target in the company's equity award program.Our people fuel our future. Our teams reflect the customers, patients, members and communities we serve and we are committed to fostering a workplace where every colleague feels valued and that they belong.Great benefits for great peopleWe take pride in offering a comprehensive and competitive mix of pay and benefits that reflects our commitment to our colleagues and their families. The benefits for this position include medical, dental, and vision coverage, paid time off, retirement savings options, wellness programs, and other resources, based on eligibility.Additional details about available benefits are provided during the application process and on Benefits Moments.We anticipate the application window for this opening will close on: 08/13/2026Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with all federal, state and local laws.