Principal Developer

Kinsale Insurance; Virginia; On-site; USD 155,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Bonus opportunities

Health insurance

PTO & holidays

HSA contributions

Job summary

Kinsale Insurance, based in Richmond, VA, seeks a Principal Developer to lead cross-functional Agile teams, driving the end-to-end lifecycle of enterprise applications and mentoring developers across Application Development. You’ll leverage AI tools to accelerate coding and improve quality, while shaping the technical roadmap with stakeholders.

The role emphasizes architecture leadership, collaboration with product teams, and staying current with emerging technologies to solve evolving business

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• 6+ years of experience as a full-stack developer in enterprise apps.
• Proficiency with Java (Spring, Spring Boot, Spring JPA, Docker, REST, SOAP, Hibernate) and Angular (v17+).
• 4+ years of hands-on AWS experience with services like SQS, EKS, Python, Node.js, SQL, JSON, Kong, and Confluent Kafka.
• Experience with AI coding assistants (GitHub Copilot, Claude Code) and LLMs to optimize engineering workflows; knowledge of RAG systems.
• Experience with CI/CD and tools like Git, GitLab, Maven, SonarCloud, VS Code, and IntelliJ; familiarity with Agile delivery.

Responsibilities

• Deliver high-quality, scalable code aligned with business goals and team objectives.
• Lead architecture and design of enterprise applications, aligning with IT and business strategies.
• Research, evaluate, and adopt technologies to solve complex technical challenges.
• Champion best practices in coding, testing, security, and AI use across the team.
• Mentor developers and steer the team’s technical direction across multiple applications.
• Collaborate with product owners and stakeholders in Agile ceremonies as a technical leader.

Skills

Java & Spring ecosystem

Angular 17+

AWS

CI/CD tooling

AI coding assistants

Agile practices

Education

Bachelor’s degree in CS/IT or related

Tools

Docker

Git & GitLab

Maven

VS Code

IntelliJ

Kong

Confluent Kafka

Job description

Are you a seasoned software developer with a passion for coding, collaboration, and mentorship? Join Kinsale Insurance, a fast-growing and successful excess and surplus (E&S) lines carrier headquartered in Richmond, VA. We foster a highly collaborative technology environment where developers work side by side with product teams and business stakeholders in a dynamic, Agile setting where your contributions matter from day one. We’re looking for experienced engineers ready to influence solutions and architecture patterns that drive our business strategy.

About the Role

As a Principal Developer, you’ll join one of our cross-functional Agile teams and contribute to the full lifecycle of enterprise applications, from design to deployment. You’ll leverage generative AI tools (e.g., GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT, Claude Code) in day-to-day development and deployments to accelerate coding, automate repetitive tasks, and improve code quality and productivity. You’ll also help shape the vision and roadmap for your team’s software solutions and mentor developers across Application Development, with the support of a collaborative team that values learning and growth.

What You’ll Do

• Deliver high-quality, scalable code and solutions aligned with business needs and team objectives.
• Lead the architecture and design of maintainable, enterprise-grade applications, aligning them with IT and business strategies.
• Research, evaluate, and recommend technologies and approaches that solve our most complex and evolving technical and business challenges.
• Champion best practices in coding, testing, security, and AI use across the team and department.
• Innovate and prototype new ways to leverage our tools and capabilities, improving scale, time to market, quality, and architecture alignment.
• Mentor developers across Application Development to align system direction and inspire growth.
• Break down complex problems into well-defined components that support parallel development and incremental delivery, while managing upstream and downstream dependencies.
• Collaborate with developers, product owners, and business stakeholders, and participate in Agile ceremonies, as a recognized technical leader across multiple applications.

What You Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• 6+ years of experience as a full-stack developer, with a strong foundation in enterprise application development.
• Strong experience with Java (Spring, Spring Boot, Spring JPA, Docker, REST, SOAP, Hibernate) and Angular (v17+).
• 4+ years of hands‑on AWS experience, with familiarity in services and technologies such as SQS, EKS, Python, Node.js, SQL, JSON, Kong, and Confluent Kafka.
• Proficiency with AI coding assistants (e.g., GitHub Copilot, Claude Code) and LLMs to optimize engineering workflows, plus a solid understanding of RAG systems and agent-based architectures.
• Experience with CI/CD and tools such as Git, GitLab, Maven, SonarCloud, Visual Studio Code, and IntelliJ, and familiarity with Agile practices that evolve as we refine our approach to delivery.
• A curiosity for staying current on emerging trends, with an eye for practical ways to apply them.
• AWS Certified Developer certification and experience with event‑driven architecture and serverless technologies are a plus.

Why You’ll Love Working at Kinsale

• Competitive Pay & Bonus Opportunities – Rewarding performance, initiative, and technical excellence.
• Comprehensive Benefits – Health, dental, and vision insurance with up to $3,600 (individual) or $7,000 (family) in HSA contributions per year.
• Work-Life Balance – Generous paid time off including 22 days of PTO and 10 paid company holidays.
• Career Growth – Clear promotion paths, mentorship, and ongoing professional development opportunities.
• Retirement & Security – Up to 6% matching 401(k) contributions on base salary and bonus, plus standard life insurance and disability coverage.
• Continuous Learning – Annual $3,000 reimbursement for educational training, conferences, and certifications.

Integrity & Responsibility

Kinsale values strong financial responsibility. A credit check will be conducted as part of the selection process for roles that require sound judgment, trustworthiness, or access to sensitive information.

Ready to Apply?

If you’re a motivated, collaborative engineer who thrives on innovation and building solutions that make a real difference, this is your opportunity to lead. Join Kinsale Insurance and grow in a company that rewards excellence, initiative, and continuous learning.

Salary Range

$155,000 - $175,000

This posted range is our best estimate; starting salary will be based on experience level. Additionally, the posted range reflects only base salary and does not include annual bonuses, benefits, or reimbursements.