Principal Software Engineer

Principal Software EngineerPlenful is hiring a Principal Software Engineer to lead the design and development of the core data systems that power our scalable automation platform. This role focuses on building foundational infrastructure for managing complex workflows, system state, and historical data in a high-reliability environment.This is a highly technical, hands-on role centered on system architecture and platform design. You'll create durable, extensible data models and services that let other engineering teams build efficiently and safely on a shared foundation. You'll work across cloud infrastructure (AWS), relational databases (Postgres), backend services (Python), workflow orchestration systems, and modern frontend technologies (React, TypeScript).What You'll DoData Architecture & System DesignDefine and evolve core data models for workflows, system state, actions, and outcomes.Design scalable, maintainable abstractions across platform services.Establish clear boundaries between systems and services that support team autonomy.State Management & Data SystemsArchitect systems for managing workflow state and historical data across distributed infrastructure.Keep high-throughput systems performant, reliable, and scalable.Make informed tradeoffs in data modeling, indexing, and access patterns.Traceability & Data IntegrityDesign systems that support traceability and observability of system behavior.Make sure data models and storage systems support auditing, versioning, and evolution over time.Build mechanisms that maintain data consistency and integrity.Engineering StandardsEstablish best practices for schema management, testing, and data quality.Improve system reliability and cut operational overhead through strong architectural patterns.Work with engineering teams to keep the platform consistent.You'll know it's working when data systems scale reliably to support growing product and customer needs, architecture stays clear and maintainable so teams move faster, operational burden drops through better system design, and data governance and consistency hold across the platform.You May Be a Fit IfYou've spent 12+ years owning data architecture in large-scale production systems.You have deep relational database and distributed systems expertise.You've evolved schemas in complex, regulated domains.You have clear judgment on normalization vs. denormalization, performance tradeoffs, and system boundaries.You've handled mission-critical incidents in production.You're comfortable operating in ambiguous, fuzzy problem spaces.You can code hands-on in a Python-heavy backend environment, with strong reliability instincts including observability, testing, and QA rigor.Bonus points for experience in healthcare, fintech, or infrastructure environments; exposure to modern, high-throughput infrastructure; a practical understanding of applied AI systems; and comfort in customer-facing technical discussions.Why You'll Love Working HereMission-Driven, World-Class Team — Join an exceptional group of professionals aligned around a meaningful mission and committed to making an impactOpportunities for Growth — Strengthen your expertise through collaboration with experienced, high-performing leaders across the organizationFlexible Hybrid Work Environment — We're remote-first, with meaningful office presence in San Francisco and New York. R&D roles follow a hybrid model, with two days per week in our San Francisco officeBenefits & PerksHealthcare Coverage — Full medical, dental, and vision insurance for you and participation for your family401(k) with Company Match — Plenful matches 50% of your first 3% contributedEquity — Every full-time employee shares in our successUnlimited PTO — Take the time you need, when you need itDaily Lunch Stipend — $100/week to cover your midday mealsWellness Stipend — $100/month to support your health and well-beingCommuter Benefits — $100/month for SF and NYC-based employeesParental Leave — Paid leave to support growing families