Principal, Software Engineer

StartupNWA; Bentonville, Northern (AR, KY); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 220,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) match

Stock purchase plan

Paid time off

Job summary

Walmart Global Tech seeks a Principal Software Engineer to lead the design and delivery of scalable platform capabilities, driving technical excellence across teams. You will guide cloud-native architecture, distributed systems, and AI/ML integration to build intelligent software for millions of users.

You will mentor engineers, translate business needs into measurable requirements, and ensure operational excellence across the software lifecycle at Walmart's Bentonville hub.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science or related field with 5+ years in software engineering or 7+ years in software engineering.
• Master’s degree in computer science or related field with 3+ years of relevant experience is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead platform engineering efforts to deliver scalable, cloud-native infrastructure and reusable tooling.
• Drive full software development lifecycle across multiple teams with high availability and real-time data processing.
• Architect and integrate AI-enhanced applications using modern languages and model-driven design.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship, influencing architectural standards and engineering excellence.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to translate business needs into actionable technical requirements and metrics.
• Maintain architectural documentation and ensure quality, reliability, and continuous improvement.

Skills

Platform engineering leadership

Cloud-native architecture

Distributed systems design

AI/ML integration

CI/CD & incident response

Mentorship & leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in computer science or related

Master’s degree (preferred)

Tools

Python

Java

C++

CI/CD tooling

Job description

Position Summary

As a Principal Software Engineer, you will lead the design and delivery of scalable platform capabilities, driving technical excellence across multiple teams. This role requires expertise in cloud-native architecture, distributed systems, and AI/ML integration to build intelligent software solutions that serve millions. You will provide strategic technical guidance, foster innovation, and ensure alignment with long-term platform goals. Collaborating with cross‑functional partners, you will translate complex business needs into actionable engineering outcomes while promoting continuous improvement and operational excellence throughout the software development lifecycle.

About the team

The team develops and maintains the Mobile platform (MyWalmart/AllSpark) that supports essential tools and capabilities for Walmart associates globally. It focuses on delivering scalable, cloud‑native solutions with high availability and reliability. The group drives innovation through advanced technical design, AI integration, and continuous improvement across the software development lifecycle. Collaboration with cross‑functional partners ensures alignment with business goals and user needs. The team fosters technical excellence by applying model‑driven design and cloud engineering principles, enabling efficient delivery of impactful solutions that empower associates worldwide.

What you’ll do

• Lead platform engineering efforts to deliver scalable, cloud‑native infrastructure and reusable tooling aligned with strategic roadmaps.
• Drive full software development lifecycle across multiple teams, ensuring high availability, fault tolerance, and real‑time data processing.
• Architect and integrate AI‑enhanced applications using modern programming languages and model‑driven design principles.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship, influencing architectural standards and promoting engineering excellence.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to translate business needs into actionable technical requirements and measurable success metrics.
• Maintain architectural documentation and ensure quality, reliability, and continuous improvement of software solutions.

What you’ll bring

• Extensive experience in platform engineering leadership, delivering scalable infrastructure and reusable tooling.
• Proven expertise in cloud‑native architecture and distributed system design for high availability and fault tolerance.
• Strong background in AI/ML integration and building intelligent software systems using languages such as Python, Java, and C++.
• Demonstrated ability to lead full software development lifecycle including CI/CD, testing, and incident response.
• Skilled in technical mentorship, architectural decision‑making, and fostering engineering excellence.
• Effective collaboration with cross‑functional teams and clear communication of complex technical concepts.
• Commitment to continuous improvement, innovation, and adapting to evolving technologies.

About Walmart Global Tech

Imagine working in an environment where one line of code can make life easier for hundreds of millions of people. That’s what we do at Walmart Global Tech. We’re a team of software engineers, data scientists, cybersecurity experts and service professionals within the world’s leading retailer who make an epic impact and are at the front‑end of the next retail disruption. People are why we innovate, and people power our innovations. We are people‑led and tech‑empowered. We train our team in the skillsets of the future and bring in experts like you to help us grow. We have roles for those chasing their first opportunity as well as those looking for the opportunity that will define their career. Here, you can kickstart a great career in tech, gain new skills and experience for virtually every industry, or leverage your expertise to innovate at scale, impact millions and reimagine the future of retail. Walmart’s culture is a competitive advantage, and it’s fostered by being together. Working together in person allows us to collaborate, align quickly and innovate with greater speed. We use our campuses to create purposeful connection rooted in deepening understanding and investing in the development of our associates. Our hubs: Walmart is a global company with offices across the United States and around the world. Our global headquarters is in Bentonville, Arkansas, with primary hubs in the San Francisco Bay area and New York/New Jersey.

Benefits

Benefits: Beyond our great compensation package, you can receive incentive awards for your performance. Other great perks include 401(k) match, stock purchase plan, paid maternity and parental leave, PTO, multiple health plans, and much more. Living benefits include 401(k), stock purchase and company‑paid life insurance. Paid time off benefits include PTO (including sick leave), parental leave, family care leave, bereavement, jury duty, and voting. Other benefits include short‑term and long‑term disability, company discounts, Military Leave Pay, adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, and more. You will also receive PTO and/or PPTO that can be used for vacation, sick leave, holidays, or other purposes. The amount you receive depends on your job classification and length of employment. It will meet or exceed the requirements of paid sick leave laws, where applicable. For information about PTO, https://one.walmart.com/notices. Live Better U is a Walmart‑paid education benefit program for full‑time and part‑time associates in Walmart and Sam’s Club facilities. Programs range from high school completion to bachelor’s degrees, including English Language Learning and short‑form certificates. Tuition, books, and fees are completely paid for by Walmart.

The annual salary range for this position is $110,000.00 - $220,000.00. Additional compensation includes annual or quarterly performance bonuses. Additional compensation for certain positions may also include:

• Stock

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to a specific plan or program terms.

Minimum Qualifications

Outlined below are the required minimum qualifications for this position. If none are listed, there are no minimum qualifications.

Option 1: Bachelor's degree in computer science, computer engineering, computer information systems, software engineering, or related area and 5 years’ experience in software engineering or related area.

Option 2: 7 years’ experience in software engineering or related area.

Preferred Qualifications

Outlined below are the optional preferred qualifications for this position. If none are listed, there are no preferred qualifications.

Master’s degree in computer science, computer engineering, computer information systems, software engineering, or related area and 3 years’ experience in software engineering or related area. We value candidates with a background in creating inclusive digital experiences, demonstrating knowledge in implementing Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 AA standards, assistive technologies, and integrating digital accessibility seamlessly. The ideal candidate would have knowledge of accessibility best practices and join us as we continue to create accessible products and services following Walmart’s accessibility standards and guidelines for supporting an inclusive culture.

Primary Location

2608 Se J St, Bentonville, AR 72716-3724, United States of America. Walmart and its subsidiaries are committed to maintaining a drug‑free workplace and has a no tolerance policy regarding the use of illegal drugs and alcohol on the job. This policy applies to all employees and aims to create a safe and productive work environment.