Principal Software Development Engineer

CVS Health; Olympia (WA); On-site; USD 144,000 - 288,000; Full time

Job summary

CVS Health is seeking a Principal/Director-level Full-Stack Software Development Engineer to lead architecture and delivery of AI-enabled digital health platforms. You will own end-to-end design across UI, backend, and data layers, with a focus on scalable, secure, and compliant solutions in a regulated healthcare environment.

The role requires hands-on leadership, mentoring, and collaboration with product teams, while steering modern web apps using React/Angular and backend services in Java,

Qualifications

• 12+ years of software engineering experience
• 5+ years in senior/principal/architect roles
• Strong full-stack development experience
• Proven experience designing distributed systems at a large scale
• Expertise in API-first and microservices architectures
• Hands-on experience integrating AI/GenAI capabilities
• Experience building cloud-native applications
• Strong system design and problem-solving skills
• Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration skills
• Experience in mentoring senior engineers

Responsibilities

• Define and drive architecture for large-scale distributed systems and digital platforms
• Lead design reviews and set architecture standards and best practices
• Champion API-first, microservices, and event-driven architecture patterns
• Ensure systems meet scalability, reliability, security, and compliance requirements
• Balance performance, cost, and speed in technical decision-making
• Design and develop end-to-end solutions across UI, backend, and data layers
• Build modern web applications using React, Angular, or similar frameworks
• Develop scalable services and APIs using Java, Go, Node.js, or Python
• Optimize performance, resiliency, and security across the stack
• Integrate AI/ML and Generative AI capabilities into digital experiences
• Work with LLM APIs, prompt orchestration, and AI service frameworks
• Partner with data and ML teams to productionize models
• Implement responsible AI practices, governance, and monitoring
• Act as a technical advisor to engineering and product leadership
• Influence cross-team technical direction and strategy
• Establish and promote engineering best practices
• Mentor and coach engineers across levels

Skills

Full-stack development

Architecture & design

AI/GenAI integration

Cloud-native applications

Mentoring engineers

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Master's degree in Computer Science or related discipline (preferred)

Tools

React

Angular

TypeScript

Java (Spring Boot)

Node.js

Python

REST

GraphQL

gRPC

Kafka

Kubernetes

Docker

Terraform

Datadog/Prometheus/Grafana

Job description

We're building a world of health around every individual - shaping a more connected, convenient and compassionate health experience. At CVS Health®, you'll be surrounded by passionate colleagues who care deeply, innovate with purpose, hold ourselves accountable and prioritize safety and quality in everything we do. Join us and be part of something bigger - helping to simplify health care one person, one family and one community at a time.

Position Summary

We are seeking a highly experienced Principal / Director-level Full-Stack Software Development Engineer to join our Digital Caremark organization and lead the architecture, design, and delivery of next-generation digital solutions. This role spans AI-enabled applications, scalable digital platforms, and enterprise integrations that power critical healthcare and pharmacy experiences. This is a senior technical leadership role for a hands-on engineer who can operate across the full stack from intuitive front-end applications to resilient backend services while setting architectural direction, influencing engineering standards, and mentoring teams. The ideal candidate combines deep technical expertise, platform thinking, and strong collaboration skills to build secure, scalable, API-first solutions in a highly regulated environment.

Key Responsibilities

Architecture & System Design

• Define and drive architecture for large-scale distributed systems and digital platforms
• Lead design reviews and set architecture standards and best practices
• Champion API-first, microservices, and event-driven architecture patterns
• Ensure systems meet scalability, reliability, security, and compliance requirements
• Balance performance, cost, and speed in technical decision-making

Full-Stack Engineering

• Design and develop end-to-end solutions across UI, backend, and data layers
• Build modern web applications using React, Angular, or similar frameworks
• Develop scalable services and APIs using Java, Go, Node.js, or Python
• Optimize performance, resiliency, and security across the stack

AI & Intelligent Solutions

• Integrate AI/ML and Generative AI capabilities into digital experiences
• Work with LLM APIs, prompt orchestration, and AI service frameworks
• Partner with data and ML teams to productionize models
• Implement responsible AI practices, governance, and monitoring

Technical Leadership

• Act as a technical advisor to engineering and product leadership
• Influence cross-team technical direction and strategy
• Establish and promote engineering best practices
• Mentor and coach engineers across levels

Technical Skill Set

Backend

• Java (Spring Boot)
• Node.js
• Python

Frontend

• React
• Angular
• TypeScript
• Modern UI frameworks

API & Integration

• REST
• GraphQL (Apollo Federation or similar)
• gRPC
• Event-driven architecture
• Kafka or similar messaging systems

Cloud & DevOps

• AWS, Azure, or GCP
• Kubernetes and Docker
• CI/CD pipelines
• Infrastructure as Code (Terraform or similar)
• Observability tools (Datadog, Prometheus, Grafana, etc.)

Data

• SQL and NoSQL databases
• Caching (Redis or similar)
• Streaming/event platforms

Required Qualifications

• 12+ years of software engineering experience
• 5+ years in senior/principal/architect roles
• Strong full-stack development experience
• Proven experience designing distributed systems at a large scale
• Expertise in API-first and microservices architectures
• Hands-on experience integrating AI/GenAI capabilities
• Experience building cloud-native applications
• Strong system design and problem-solving skills
• Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration skills
• Experience in mentoring senior engineers

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience building enterprise healthcare or regulated-industry platforms
• Familiarity with healthcare data, privacy, and compliance requirements
• Exposure to MLOps and AI lifecycle management
• Experience with identity, security, and privacy architectures
• Track record of influencing architecture across large organizations
• Experience contributing to platform or developer ecosystem strategies

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field required
• Master's degree in Computer Science or related discipline preferred
• Equivalent practical experience will also be considered

Pay Range

The typical pay range for this role is: $144,200.00 - $288,400.00

This pay range represents the base hourly rate or base annual full-time salary for all positions in the job grade within which this position falls. The actual base salary offer will depend on a variety of factors including experience, education, geography and other relevant factors. This position is eligible for a CVS Health bonus, commission or short-term incentive program in addition to the base pay range listed above. This position also includes an award target in the company's equity award program.

Great benefits for great people

We take pride in offering a comprehensive and competitive mix of pay and benefits that reflects our commitment to our colleagues and their families.

This full-time position is eligible for a comprehensive benefits package designed to support the physical, emotional, and financial well-being of colleagues and their families. The benefits for this position include medical, dental, and vision coverage, paid time off, retirement savings options, wellness programs, and other resources, based on eligibility.

Additional details about available benefits are provided during the application process and on Benefits Moments.

We anticipate the application window for this opening will close on: 10/30/2026

Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with all federal, state and local laws.

Our people fuel our future. Our teams reflect the customers, patients, members and communities we serve and we are committed to fostering a workplace where every colleague feels valued and that they belong.