Principal, R&D Engineer

When you’re the best, we’re the best. We instill an environment where employees feel engaged, satisfied and able to contribute their unique skills and talents while living and working as their authentic selves. We provide extensive opportunities for personal and professional development, building both employee competence and organizational capability to fuel exceptional performance through an inclusive environment both now and in the future.This is not a typical R&D role -- and it’s not meant to be.We’re building something new inside Vizient -- and we’re starting small on purpose.This team operates like a set of focused startups: small, hands-on, and accountable for shipping real products that real customers use. The difference is that access to customers, data, and scale is already solved -- from day one.You won’t be exploring ideas in isolation. You’ll be building, validating, and deploying software directly into live environments, with immediate feedback and a clear line of sight from problem to impact.Why This Team ExistsVizient is the largest healthcare performance improvement company in the U.S., working with thousands of hospitals and health systems and supporting care delivery for millions of patients nationwide.This R&D unit exists because Vizient sits closer to the real needs of health systems than almost any organization in healthcare. By working directly with providers, operators, and product leaders across that network, the team has immediate access to the problems that matter most -- allowing it to identify needs early, validate ideas quickly, and build software grounded in how healthcare actually operates. That proximity enables speed, fidelity, and impact that are difficult to achieve anywhere else.What You’ll Work OnCustomer-facing tools used by real Vizient membersRapid experiments and prototypes designed to learn quicklyProducts that ship, evolve, and ship again -- in rapid successionPlatform work that unlocks future product velocityHow You’ll WorkPartner closely with product leaders to understand problems, users, and rationaleShape solutions collaboratively when it makes sense, or execute independently when that’s more effectiveMove fluidly from idea to prototype to productionMake pragmatic technical decisions that balance speed, learning, and durabilityHelp define how this R&D unit operates as it growsWhat We’re Looking ForStrong software engineering fundamentals and a bias toward shippingComfort working on ambiguous problems with real users and real constraintsAbility to quickly understand product intent and translate it into working softwareA track record of building things that were actually used2-5 years of experience is common, but not required -- judgment and capability matter more than tenureHealthcare experience is not requiredWhy This Role Is DifferentIt’s a foundational role in a new business unit with room to growYou’ll have real ownership and influence from the startYou’ll ship software into live environments, not slide decks or internal demosYou’ll help shape what R&D looks like at Vizient long-termRequirements:• Demonstrated success in leading high-impact projects or initiatives in a fast-paced, innovative environment• Proven experience collaborating with cross-functional stakeholders and influencing technical direction at an organizational level• Prior exposure to large-scale systems, cloud-native platforms, and enterprise-grade software development#LI-KG1Estimated Hiring Range:At Vizient, we consider skills, experience, and organizational needs in our compensation approach. Geographic factors may adjust the range estimate and hires typically fall below the top range. Compensation decisions are tailored to individual circumstances. The current salary range for this role is $156,500.00 to $290,100.00.This position is also incentive eligible.Vizient has a comprehensive benefits plan! Please view our benefits here:Equal Opportunity Employer: Females/Minorities/Veterans/Individuals with DisabilitiesThe Company is committed to equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants without regard to race, religion, color, gender identity, ethnicity, age, national origin, sexual orientation, disability status, veteran status or any other category protected by applicable law.SummaryLocation: Chicago, IL 60607; Virtual Office; Irving, TX 75062 Vizient Corporate HQ; Edina, MN 55435; Centennial, CO 80111Type: Full time