Principal Software Engineer

Loop AI; Bengaluru; On-site; INR 4,000,000 - 7,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Loop AI, a San Francisco-based AI startup, is hiring a Principal Software Engineer to define and drive architectural strategy across multiple domains. You will set the technical bar, mentor staff, and influence the long-term vision of our platform.

The role emphasizes hands-on PoCs, cross-team collaboration, and building scalable, secure systems. You will partner with product and business leadership to align technical decisions with business goals.

Job description

About Loop: Loop AI is a San Francisco–based tech company founded in 2022. We provide a Delivery Intelligence Platform for data-driven digital food brands, helping them optimize operations and make informed decisions. As an early stage AI startup, we are revolutionizing the restaurant industry by streamlining and automating back-office operations through cutting-edge AI technology. Loop is at the forefront of food-tech innovation, building solutions that power the future of digital-first restaurants.

About the Role

We are looking for a Principal Software Engineer with deep technical experience to join our fast-growing, high-impact team. This senior leadership role is ideal for a seasoned technologist who thrives on solving complex, ambiguous technical challenges, has a relentless focus on engineering excellence, and can define and drive architectural strategy across multiple domains. You will act as a force multiplier, setting the technical bar and directly influencing the long‑term vision of our platform.

At Loop, you will play a critical role in defining the next generation of our platform architecture, establishing best-in‑class engineering practices, and providing technical leadership and mentorship to engineering teams, while also serving as a key technical liaison for product and business leadership.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and Drive Architectural Vision: Own the end‑to‑end architectural strategy for major components of the platform, ensuring scalability, reliability, security, and cost‑effectiveness over a 6‑12 month horizon
• Solve the Most Complex Problems: Lead the design and implementation of highly ambiguous, non‑linear, and mission‑critical technical challenges that span multiple domains or products
• Cross‑Cutting Execution: Architect, execute, and deliver complex cross‑cutting projects that require coordination and alignment across multiple engineering pods, product teams, and organizational boundaries
• Technology Roadmapping: Anticipate future technical needs (3‑6 months out) and proactively define the engineering backlog and roadmap, including evaluating and championing major tech stack changes and strategic investments (e.g., AI/ML integration)
• Proof‑of‑Concept Leadership: Perform hands‑on IC work, including conducting PoCs for high‑complexity, high‑risk projects to de‑risk key architectural decisions and establish the engineering path forward for subsequent quarters
• Serve as a Technical Force Multiplier: Set an extremely high bar for engineering excellence, coding standards, and operational rigor across the entire team
• Mentorship and Growth: Act as a dedicated mentor and technical coach for Staff and Senior Engineers, helping them grow their impact, technical breadth, and strategic influence
• Stakeholder Trust: Establish complete trust with product and business leadership, making high‑stakes technical decisions that are broadly accepted and require minimal oversight

What We Are Seeking

• 10+ years of deep, hands‑on technical experience designing, building, and operating large‑scale, distributed systems
• Proven track record of defining and executing architectural strategy that delivered significant business impact and improved platform longevity
• Exceptional ability to "zoom out," assess the long‑term technical landscape, and proactively manage the engineering backlog, balancing technical debt reduction with feature delivery
• Deep expertise in at least one core domain of our platform (e.g., distributed databases, high‑throughput APIs, cloud infrastructure, real‑time data processing)
• Demonstrated leadership in executing complex projects across organizational boundaries and managing technical risk
• A commitment to mentorship and development, with experience guiding high‑performing senior engineers

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.