Principal Engineer, Agentic AI

Steer; Raleigh (NC); Remote; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity options

Remote work US

Medical insurance

Flexible PTO

FSA/HSA/401k

Learning stipend & WFH equipment

Innovative culture

Job summary

Steer is building a next-generation CRM platform for auto repair shops. We seek a Principal Engineer to drive architectural direction, AI-driven workflows, and scalable services within our Core Platform Team.

The role emphasizes ownership, high-impact outcomes, and leadership in an agentic-first environment. We value exceptional code quality, collaboration with product, and the ability to ship production-ready AI features.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of professional experience building complex, web-based SaaS products.
• A deep commitment to Steer’s mission with ownership and accountability.
• Hands-on experience with LLMs and prompt engineering.
• Experience deploying AI-powered features and autonomous workflows in production.
• Experience integrating AI tooling into CI/CD pipelines and agentic orchestration.
• Proficiency with relational (PostgreSQL, MySQL) and NoSQL (MongoDB, Redis) databases.
• Excellent ability to translate technical concepts into product outcomes and collaborate with leadership.

Responsibilities

• Define technical strategy and ownership of core CRM components.
• Lead architectural design of reusable full-stack components and services.
• Pivot quickly between new integrations and core infrastructure.
• Collaborate with Product to align engineering with user needs in auto repair shops.
• Promote code excellence, security, test automation, and maintainability.
• Contribute to modern DevOps and agentic infrastructure, including CI/CD and containerization (Docker, Kubernetes).

Skills

All-In mentality

AI & LLM integration

AI in production

AI CI/CD

Database expertise

Excellent communication

Tools

.NET

Node.js

React

Job description

Steer offers a suite of software tools for today's automotive repair shop. We combine a mix of software tools that a repair shop needs to run a highly profitable shop, in one user-friendly, cost-effective platform. Through the Steer suite, we allow the shop owner to get back to focusing on what matters, and to stop worrying about marketing and customer retention.

Steer began as an online directory for drivers to find a local mechanic. Fast forward to today, Steer has launched a complete Customer Relationship Management (CRM) marketing suite, complete with text messaging, email automation, direct mail integration, reputation management, appointment reminders, declined/recommended services, and many other features. We are always innovating and we are proud to be a leader in the automotive repair industry. In August 2024 Steer acquired AutoOps - the leader in modern, intelligent, and fully integrated scheduling software for auto repair shops. AutoOps allows customers to smoothly schedule through a shop's website and Google Business Profile.

About the Role

We're growing our world-class engineering team to usher our CRM platform into the next generation of software — and we're looking for a Principal Engineer, Agentic AI to join our Core Platform Team

Most Lead roles at "Big Tech" companies involve maintaining a single microservice or acting as a small cog in a 100-person machine. At Steer, you aren't just a contributor; you are the architectof a platform aiming for 100% market dominance. This is a high-impact role for someone who doesn't just write great code, but who can see around corners, challenge conventions, and lead entire products from vision to launch.

We are actively refactoring our existing teams to be agentic-first — meaning our engineers don't just use AI as a tool, they architect systems around autonomous, AI-driven workflows. This is not a future initiative; it is how we build today.

We’re looking for builders who bring exceptional focus, ownership, and commitment to their work. At Steer, we want engineers who are “all in” on our mission, fully engaged with their work, and invested in our shared success. This means making Steer your primary professional focus and bringing the dedication and accountability needed to deliver exceptional results.

Why Steer?

• True Ownership: You will lead massive products from start to finish within lean, high-velocity teams.
• Hyper-Growth & Vision: We are currently at a fraction of our total addressable market in the automotive industry. The potential for scale is massive, and you will be a leading developer shaping this space
• Freedom to Innovate: You don't need side projects to explore new techniques. We provide the autonomy and the platform to experiment with and implement the latest tech directly into our core product.
• AI-First & Agentic Culture: We are refactoring our teams to be agentic-first. We prioritize high-level problem-solving and AI/LLM expertise, and we actively encourage the use of AI tools to accelerate coding across any language and to power autonomous production workflows.

What You’ll Do

• Technical Strategy & Ownership: Focus on the core components of the Steer CRM, specifically optimizing how we ingest and process data to revolutionize our automation tools.
• Architectural Vision: Lead the design of reusable full-stack components and services that ensure our platform remains performant as we scale toward market dominance.
• Adaptive Development: Pivot at a moment's notice based on evolving business needs, shifting focus between new integrations and core infrastructure to keep our ecosystem seamless.
• Customer-Centric Engineering: Partner closely with Product to understand user pain points, ensuring every architectural decision adds tangible value to the auto repair shops we serve.
• Code Excellence: Champion best practices in security, test automation, and maintainability. Conduct deep-dive code reviews that elevate the entire engineering organization.
• Modern DevOps & Agentic Infrastructure: Influence our CI/CD pipelines, containerization (Docker, Kubernetes), and IaC practices. Design and maintain AI-integrated, agentic-ready infrastructure that enables autonomous workflows.

What You Have

Must Have:

• 7+ years of professional experience building complex, web-based SaaS products.
• The “All-In” Mindset: A deep commitment to Steer’s mission and success. We look for engineers who take exceptional pride in their work, hold themselves to high standards, and demonstrate full ownership and accountability for their projects. They approach complex, seemingly impossible challenges with determination, proactively drive solutions, and are committed to delivering exceptional results in a fast-paced environment.
• AI & LLM Integration: Hands-on experience working with LLMs and prompt engineering. You use AI to bridge gaps and accelerate development.
• AI in Production: Proven experience deploying AI-powered features and autonomous (agentic) workflows in production-grade infrastructure.
• AI-Driven CI/CD: Hands-on experience integrating AI tooling into CI/CD pipelines (e.g., automated code review agents, AI-assisted testing, or agentic workflow orchestration).
• Database Expertise: Proficiency with both relational (PostgreSQL, MySQL) and NoSQL (MongoDB, Redis) databases, including schema design and query optimization.
• Exceptional Communication: The ability to translate complex technical concepts into product outcomes and collaborate effectively with leadership.

Nice to Have:

• Familiarity with our current stack: .NET, Node.js (TypeScript), and React.
• Experience with Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, CloudFormation).
• Previous experience as a founding engineer or in an early-stage startup environment.
• Experience building or integrating with Claude marketplace plugins (Anthropic ecosystem), including prompt chaining, tool use, or MCP integrations.

Interview Process

• Initial Screen — 30 min with Lead Recruiter
• Hiring Manager Interview — 60 min with the Head of Engineering & Product
• Technical Interview — 60 min with a Principal Engineer
• Collaborative Interview — 30 min with Lead Product Manager

What We Offer

• Equity Options: Own a piece of the company's success.
• 100% Remote: Work from anywhere in the US.
• 100% Employer-Paid Medical Insurance.
• Flexible PTO: With a 15-day minimum.
• FSA, HSA, and 401k options.
• Learning Stipend & WFH Equipment: Everything you need for a world-class home office.
• Innovative Culture: A seat at the table to influence the latest AI technology in a collaborative, agentic-first environment.

Why Join Steer?

At Steer, we align our mission of transforming the auto repair experience for shop owners and their customers with your passion for growth, innovation, and excellence.

Here, you’ll find opportunities to expand your skills, take on career-shaping challenges, and contribute to the future of the auto repair industry, all while enjoying comprehensive benefits and flexible work arrangements to support your well-being.

Join Steer to be part of a forward-thinking, flexible, and collaborative culture where you are empowered to do meaningful and impactful work. We value diversity and believe that forming teams in which everyone can be their authentic self is key to our success. We welcome applications from those with diverse backgrounds and industries.

Our hiring process looks beyond just credentials. The school you went to at 18 doesn't define your potential to thrive and enrich our culture. Even if you don't meet every requirement, we invite you to apply.