Principal Engineer/Chief SW Architect

HRB; Toronto; On-site; CAD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the live operations games industry is seeking a Principal Engineer / Chief Software Architect. This pivotal role involves driving the evolution of core platforms, focusing on AI solutions and scalable systems design. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in software engineering, particularly in cloud-native environments, alongside a collaborative and security-first mindset.

Benefits

High-impact leadership opportunity in a fast-paced environment

Competitive salary and equity package

Continuous learning budget and upskilling opportunities

Open culture valuing creativity and accountability

Qualifications

• 10+ years of software engineering experience including 3+ years in a principal or architectural role.
• Experience with AWS, GCP or similar cloud platforms.
• Strong proficiency in modern programming languages such as Go, Python, or TypeScript.

Responsibilities

• Architect and evolve scalable, distributed backend systems.
• Lead AI/ML-driven features design and deployment.
• Guide engineers on best practices and design patterns.

Skills

Software engineering

Cloud-native systems design

AI and ML deployment

System design principles

Event-driven architecture

Service orchestration

Containerization

Security practices

Collaboration

Communication skills

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

Job description

Principal Engineer / Chief Software Architect

A Little About Us

Making fans - That’s what we’re all about! Since our humble beginnings in 2011, these two words have driven us to become the successful company it is today. We are focused on making our mark as a next-generation, live operations games company.

We believe that each member is unique and brings exponential value to the company. In return, we provide our team with the opportunity to solve problems through continuous learning and fostering feedback, ultimately mastering their craft.

Role Description

We’re looking for an accomplished Principal Engineer / Chief Software Architect to drive the evolution of our core platforms and technology architecture. This Ontario-based leadership role reports to the CTO and will be pivotal in shaping the systems that power our products, with a strong emphasis on AI solution design, systems architecture, and scalable infrastructure.

What You’ll Do

• Architect and evolve scalable, distributed backend systems to support our growing product portfolio.

• Lead the design and deployment of AI/ML-driven features across our tools and player experiences.

• Develop technical strategies that align engineering initiatives with business goals.

• Guide engineers on architecture, best practices, and design patterns.

• Contribute hands-on to prototypes and mission-critical system components.

• Drive the evolution of our DevOps, observability, and system reliability practices.

• Act as a cross-functional bridge between data science, product, and engineering.

• Identify and resolve bottlenecks in performance, scalability, and reliability.

• Own and evolve frameworks for security, compliance, and privacy-by-design.

• Foster a culture of technical excellence, mentorship, and continuous learning.

What You Bring

• 10+ years of software engineering experience, including 3+ years in a principal or architectural role.

• Proven track record of designing scalable cloud-native systems (AWS, GCP, or similar).

• Deep understanding of system design principles, event-driven architecture, and service orchestration.

• Expertise in deploying machine learning models and building AI-powered systems at scale.

• Strong proficiency in modern languages such as Go, Python, or TypeScript.

• Experience with containerization and orchestration, e.g., Docker and Kubernetes.

• A security-first mindset and experience embedding security practices into design.

• A collaborative approach and ability to lead through influence.

• Excellent communication skills, capable of translating complex problems into practical solutions.

What We Offer

• A high-impact leadership opportunity in a fast-paced, live operations environment.

• Competitive salary and equity package based on experience and role scope.

• Continuous learning budget and opportunities for upskilling in AI and emerging tech.

• Open culture that values creativity, accountability, and experimentation.