Principal Product Engineer

Yahoo; United States; Hybrid; USD 143,625 - 299,375; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible hybrid work options

Comprehensive benefits package

Discretionary annual bonus opportunities

Job summary

Yahoo is seeking a Principal Software Engineer to tackle complex engineering challenges. You will design and implement scalable frontend solutions that integrate AI-driven insights, collaborating closely with product managers and designers. The ideal candidate has 7+ years of software development experience, expertise in web technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, and is adept with AI-assisted development tools. The position promotes a hybrid work model and offers a competitive compensation package including healthcare and 401k options.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of software development experience, proven track record of shipping high-impact code.
• Expert command of core web technologies and modern frameworks.
• Strong foundation in computer science: data structures, algorithms, clean software design.
• Experience applying Large Language Model (LLM) technologies in development.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement complex frontend-heavy solutions.
• Integrate AI-driven product insights into user-facing flows.
• Rapidly prototype and ship major features with high-quality standards.
• Partner with designers to maintain design integrity.

Skills

HTML, CSS, JavaScript, TypeScript

React

Next.js

Node.js

AI-assisted development

Team Collaboration

TDD and testing frameworks

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Jest

Playwright

Splunk

Datadog

Prometheus

Job description

About The Role

As a Principal Software Engineer, you are a technical heavyweight within the Commerce organization. You are the go-to person for tackling our most complex engineering challenges and building frontend systems that reach hundreds of millions of users. You work at the sharp end of implementation, bridging the gap between sophisticated data and intuitive user interfaces. While you are a core part of the team, you operate with a high level of technical independence to leverage AI‑augmented workflows and deliver high‑impact code at an unprecedented pace.

Responsibilities

• Technical Excellence: Design and implement complex, frontend‑heavy solutions that are scalable, high‑performing, and resilient across Yahoo’s diverse commerce verticals.
• AI‑Driven Implementation: Deeply integrate AI‑driven product insights into user‑facing flows to create a seamless and personalized shopping research experience.
• AI‑Augmented Development & Quality: Master and implement AI‑assisted development workflows to rapidly prototype and ship major features, ensuring all AI‑generated code is expertly reviewed, validated, and optimized for the highest bar of quality, reliability, and performance.
• Design Integration: Partner closely with designers to translate creative visions into elegant, functional code, maintaining a "scrappy" mindset to solve frontend constraints.
• Hands‑on Problem Solving: Tackle the squad's most difficult technical bugs and performance bottlenecks, delivering elegant and user‑friendly engineering solutions.
• Technical Guidance: Act as a senior technical resource for the squad, sharing expertise in modern frameworks and experimenting with emerging AI tools to improve collective output.
• Product & Design Leadership: Proactively partner with Product Managers and Designers, providing strong technical and product opinions, and taking ownership of the end‑to‑end user experience and design integrity.

Minimum Qualifications

• Experience: 7+ years of professional software development experience, with a proven track record of shipping high‑impact code.
• Technical Mastery: Expert command of core web technologies (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and TypeScript) and modern frameworks (React, Next.js, Node.js), coupled with a deep understanding of the browser's rendering process, web performance, and application architecture.
• CS Fundamentals: Strong foundation in computer science, including data structures, algorithms, and clean software design.
• AI‑Forward Mindset & LLM Expertise: Demonstrated expertise in applying Large Language Model (LLM) technologies and AI‑assisted development tools to dramatically accelerate velocity and ensure high‑quality code. Must have a strong, positive, and curious outlook on the future of AI in engineering.
• Team Collaboration: Ability to work effectively in a high‑pressure, fast‑paced environment with a focus on empathy and collective success.
• Quality & Testing: Expert‑level experience with TDD and testing frameworks (Jest, Playwright) with a focus on utilizing AI to enhance test coverage.

Preferred Qualifications

• Vertical Expertise: Prior experience building high‑traffic e‑commerce or shopping research platforms.
• Advanced Integration: Experience with GraphQL, GCP/AWS, and implementing AI features into user‑facing frontend flows.
• Observability: Proficiency in monitoring tools such as Splunk, Datadog, or Prometheus.
• Mindset: A product‑focused approach to engineering with a commitment to using AI as a tool to maximize personal and team impact.

The material job duties and responsibilities of this role include those listed above as well as adhering to Yahoo policies; exercising sound judgment; working effectively, safely and inclusively with others; exhibiting trustworthiness and meeting expectations; and safeguarding business operations and brand integrity.

At Yahoo, we offer flexible hybrid work options that our employees love! While most roles don’t require regular office attendance, you may occasionally be asked to attend in‑person events or team sessions. You’ll always get notice to make arrangements. Your recruiter will let you know if a specific job requires regular attendance at a Yahoo office or facility. If you have any questions about how this applies to the role, just ask the recruiter!

Yahoo is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, and will not be discriminated against based on age, race, gender, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, disability or any other protected category. Yahoo will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable law. Yahoo is dedicated to providing an accessible environment for all candidates during the application process and for employees during their employment. If you need accessibility assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please submit a request via the Accommodation Request Form (www.yahooinc.com/careers/contact-us.html) or call +1.866.772.3182. Requests and calls received for non‑disability related issues, such as following up on an application, will not receive a response.

We believe that a diverse and inclusive workplace strengthens Yahoo and deepens our relationships. When you support everyone to be their best selves, they spark discovery, innovation and creativity. Among other efforts, our 11 employee resource groups (ERGs) enhance a culture of belonging with programs, events and fellowship that help educate, support and create a workplace where all feel welcome.

The compensation for this position ranges from $143,625.00 - $299,375.00/yr and will vary depending on factors such as your location, skills and experience. The compensation package may also include incentive compensation opportunities in the form of discretionary annual bonus or commissions. Our comprehensive benefits include healthcare, a great 401k, backup childcare, education stipends and much (much) more.