Principal Software Architect (San Diego)

About CarlsmedOur mission is to improve outcomes and decrease the cost of healthcare for spine surgery and beyond. The Carlsmed aprevo personalized surgery platform is designed to improve the standard of care for spine surgery one patient at a time.Position DescriptionThe Principal Software Architect will work on software projects supporting Carlsmed’s proprietary implants, instrumentation, and design automation systems for personalized surgery. In this role, you will provide technical leadership and define scalable architectures that support both current needs and future growth. You will collaborate with engineering teams and senior leadership to align technical strategy with business objectives, guide key architectural decisions, establish best practices, and mentor engineers across the organization.ResponsibilitiesDefine and drive the technical vision and roadmap for our entire platformDesign scalable, maintainable architectures for complex distributed systemsEstablish technical standards and best practices across the organizationLead architectural reviews and provide technical governanceMake critical technology choices that impact the entire organizationMentor senior engineers and technical leads in architectural thinkingDrive innovation and keep our technology stack modern and competitiveCollaborate with senior leadership to align technical strategy with business goalsIdentify and mitigate technical risks across the organizationGuide teams in implementing Node.js-based microservices architectureDesign and govern GraphQL schema architecture across multiple servicesEstablish patterns for scalable React applications and component librariesArchitect database solutions using PostgreSQL for high-scale applicationsDefine API standards and integration patterns across the platformLead proof-of-concept initiatives for new technologiesDrive technical spikes to validate architectural decisionsSkills and QualificationsBachelor’s degree in Computer Science or a related field10–15 years of experience building software systems, including 5+ years of experience leading development teams, requiredExperience with spine or orthopedics highly desiredExcellent verbal and written communicationAbility to perform high quality work with speedWillingness to wear multiple hats when needed to enable excellent patient outcomesDeep expertise in Node.js ecosystem and distributed systemsAdvanced knowledge of GraphQL, including federation and gateway patternsExpert-level understanding of React architecture and performance optimizationExtensive experience with PostgreSQL at scale, including sharding and replicationProven track record of leading large-scale technical initiativesStrong understanding of system design, scalability, and performanceExperience with high-traffic, distributed systemsExcellence in technical communication and documentationTrack record of mentoring senior engineers and technical leadsExperience with Prisma in large-scale applications preferredKnowledge of modern application frameworks like Remix preferrediOS architecture experience for enterprise applications preferredExperience with multiple cloud platforms (AWS/GCP/Azure) preferredBackground in API gateway and service mesh technologies preferredExperience with event-driven architectures and message queuing preferredKnowledge of security best practices and compliance requirements preferredEqual Opportunity EmployerCarlsmed is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status. Carlsmed is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities in our recruiting process. If you need any assistance or accommodations due to a disability, please let us know.CompensationThe anticipated annual base salary range for this position is $210,000 - $230,000. Individual compensation is determined based on factors such as experience, skills, education, certifications, and geographic location.In addition to base salary, eligible employees may participate in incentive compensation programs and receive a comprehensive benefits package. Our benefits reflect our commitment to the health and well-being of our employees and their families and include 100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance premiums, a 401(k) plan with employer matching, and unlimited paid time off (PTO). Your recruiter can provide additional details about our total rewards package during the hiring process.DepartmentEmployment TypeFull-TimeMinimum ExperienceExperienced