Principal Engineer

Webhosting; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 160,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Newfold Digital seeks a Principal Engineer to lead hosting infrastructure at scale. You will set architecture direction, design Python services on Linux with MySQL, and modernize Perl/cPanel environments without disrupting live customer sites.

You will drive SRE practices, guide AI-augmented delivery standards, and mentor senior engineers while collaborating on multi-quarter roadmaps to support growth.

Qualifications

• Expert-level Python and Linux knowledge at production scale.
• Strong MySQL expertise including performance tuning and large-scale troubleshooting.
• Hands-on Perl and cPanel environments with a history of modernizing legacy systems.
• Experience in Site Reliability Engineering and infrastructure practice.
• Ability to lead root-cause analysis and implement architectural fixes.
• Experience mentoring senior and staff engineers.

Responsibilities

• Set technical direction and architecture standards for backend and infrastructure systems across the Hosting org.
• Design and evolve large-scale Python backend services running on Linux, backed by MySQL at production scale.
• Guide Perl-based and cPanel-integrated systems modernization without disrupting live sites or provisioning automations.
• Drive site reliability engineering practice across Hosting, partnering with DevOps and SRE.
• Own org-wide standard for AI-augmented delivery: standards for AI-generated code, provenance, licensing, and data prompts.
• Lead root-cause analysis on high-impact production issues and implement durable fixes.
• Mentor senior and staff-level engineers to raise the technical bar.

Skills

Python

Linux

MySQL

Perl

cPanel

Site Reliability Engineering

Architecture design

Mentoring

Job description

Job Description

Why we’re hiring for this role

We’re looking for a Principal Engineer to bring deep technical leadership to our Hosting platform at a pivotal moment for the business. This is a high-impact senior individual contributor role for someone who’s run large-scale hosting infrastructure end-to-end (Python, Linux, MySQL at scale, Perl, cPanel) and wants to shape architecture, reliability, and SRE practice as Bluehost modernizes and grows.

What You’ll Do & How You’ll Make Your Mark

Set technical direction and architecture standards for backend and infrastructure systems across the Hosting org

Design and evolve large-scale Python backend services running on Linux, backed by MySQL at production scale

Bring deep, hands-on expertise on Perl-based and cPanel-integrated systems, guiding their modernization without disrupting live customer sites or live provisioning automations

Drive site reliability engineering practice across Hosting, partnering closely with DevOps and SRE functions on incident response and system hardening

Own the org-wide standard for AI-augmented delivery: where AI is used across the lifecycle and where it isn’t, how generated code is reviewed, how provenance and licensing are handled, and what customer data may enter a prompt – and measure whether the standard is actually holding

Lead root-cause analysis on the most complex, highest-impact production issues, and turn findings into durable architectural fixes

Mentor senior and staff-level engineers, raising the technical bar and influencing how the broader org builds and operates

Partner with engineering leadership to shape multi-quarter technical roadmaps that support Bluehost’s growth trajectory

Expert-level Python and Linuxsystems knowledge at real production scale

StrongMySQLexpertise, including performance tuning, schema design, and large-scale troubleshooting

Deep hands-on experience inPerlandcPanelenvironments, with a track record of modernizing legacy systems without breaking them

Preferred: strong background in Site Reliability Engineering and infrastructure practice, applying architectural patterns for systemic resilience, fault isolation, and operational governance

AI-a ugmented delivery: you use AI across the delivery lifecycle, not just code generation, and can say which models suit which problems and where you don’t use them. You have set the org-wide standard for how AI-generated code is reviewed, how provenance and licensing are handled, and what customer data enters a prompt – and you can show how you measured adoption and outcomes against it, including what a security or compliance review will ask for.

Proven technical leadership: setting direction, mentoring engineers, and influencing decisions across multiple teams

Excellent judgment operating in complex, high-scale, customer-facing SaaS environments under real business pressure

Why You’ll Love Us

Work-life balance.Meaningful work, balanced by a culture that respects your time.

A culture of belonging.We celebrate what makes each of us different, with 20+ affinity groups connecting employees globally.

We care about you.Excellent Health, HSA, Dental, Vision, Matching 401K, Life/AD&D/STD/LTD, Tuition Reimbursement, Pet Insurance, and generous PTO.

Where can we take you?Mentorship, new challenges, and real career growth. Unfold new possibilities #OTOD!

Employment with Newfold Digital is at-will and nothing in this Job Description should be interpreted or construed to alter the at-will employment relationship.

This Job Description includes the essential job functions required to perform the job described above, as well as additional duties and responsibilities. This Job Description is not an exhaustive list of all functions that the employee performing this job may be required to perform. The Company reserves the right to revise the Job Description at any time, and to require the employee to perform functions in addition to those listed above.