Principal Software Engineer

OCLC; Dublin, Northern (OH, KY); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote-friendly collaboration

Job summary

OCLC in Dublin, OH is seeking a senior software engineer to lead Resource Sharing engineering initiatives and drive scalable, reliable software solutions. You will translate architectural direction with a senior architect, evaluate trade-offs, and guide teams across distributed systems and microservices.

The role requires mentoring engineers, advancing secure SDLC practices, and collaborating with product and ops to align delivery with customer needs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related discipline or equivalent experience.
• 12+ years of professional software development experience delivering complex enterprise software.
• Expert-level Java programming with strong OO design, design patterns, Spring-based apps, Hibernate, RESTful APIs, and web services.
• Experience building front-end apps with React and TypeScript.
• Strong PostgreSQL expertise: data modelling, query optimization, performance tuning, and data-driven apps integration.
• Experience designing, building, and operating distributed systems and microservices in Linux/Unix.
• Proficiency with Git-based workflows and platforms such as Bitbucket and GitHub.
• Experience with CI/CD, automated testing (JUnit/Mockito), Gradle/Maven, secure SDLC practices.
• Ability to assess complex technical problems, communicate trade-offs, and collaborate with a Senior Architect and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Experience mentoring engineers, leading initiatives, and influencing engineering practices across teams.
• Experience integrating or evaluating AI tools and concepts in the software lifecycle.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a technical leader for Resource Sharing engineering initiatives delivering reliable, scalable software.
• Collaborate with the Senior Architect to translate architectural direction into practical plans and scalable designs.
• Evaluate trade-offs, risks, dependencies, and operational considerations for complex initiatives.
• Lead and contribute to distributed systems, microservices, APIs, integrations, and data platforms supporting resource-sharing workflows.
• Mentor and coach engineers to support technical growth and development.
• Promote engineering quality, delivery standards, maintainability, security, and operational excellence.
• Foster collaborative technical discussions and informed decision-making among engineering, product, and operations teams.
• Partner with product management and domain experts to refine technical plans and align with customer needs.
• Research and recommend emerging technologies and practices to improve effectiveness and capabilities.
• Identify opportunities to incorporate AI-enabled tools and practices into the software lifecycle.

Skills

Java

Object-Oriented Design

Design Patterns

Spring Framework

Spring Boot

Spring MVC

Spring Data

Hibernate

RESTful APIs

Web Services

PostgreSQL

Data Modeling

Query Optimization

Linux/Unix

Git SCM

Distributed Systems

Microservices

React

JavaScript/TypeScript

CI/CD Pipelines

JUnit

Mockito

Gradle

Maven

API Integration Patterns

Security Best Practices (OWASP)

Jira

Confluence

AI Tools

Agentic AI development

SDLC Practices

Agile Methodologies (Kanban/Scrum)

Education

Bachelor’s degree in computer science or related field

Tools

GitHub/GitLab/Bitbucket

Gradle

Maven

Jira

Confluence

Job description

Together we make breakthroughs possible. At OCLC, we build technology with a purpose: to connect libraries and make knowledge accessible worldwide, because we believe that what is known must be shared. Our teams work with complex global datasets, AI and machine learning, hybrid cloud solutions, and other technologies that connect people and organizations to the information they need. We value the power of unique perspectives and experiences to unlock innovation. At OCLC, your ideas matter, whether you have two years of experience or 20. You’ll learn, create, and problem-solve with technologists, product developers, librarians, researchers, marketing pros, and support teams around the world.

Job Details

The Job Details are as follows:

Required Skills:

• Java
• Object-Oriented Design
• Design Patterns
• Spring Framework
• Spring Boot
• Spring MVC
• Spring Data
• Hibernate
• RESTful APIs
• Web Services
• PostgreSQL
• Data Modeling
• Query Optimization
• Linux/Unix
• Git SCM (Bitbucket, GitHub)
• Distributed Systems
• Microservices
• React
• JavaScript/TypeScript
• CI/CD Pipelines
• Automated Testing Frameworks (JUnit, Mockito)
• Build Tools (Gradle, Maven)
• API Integration Patterns
• Security Best Practices (OWASP)
• Jira
• Confluence
• AI Tools (Cursor, Claude Code)
• Agentic AI development (Rules, Skills, Subagents)
• Software Development Lifecycle Practices
• Agile Methodologies (Kanban/Scrum)

Desired Skills:

• MongoDB
• Snowflake
• Cloud Platforms
• Containerization and Orchestration Technologies
• Observability and Monitoring Tools
• Scripting Languages such as Python

Responsibilities:

• Serve as a technical leader for Resource Sharing engineering initiatives, supporting the delivery of reliable, scalable, and customer-focused software solutions.
• Work closely with the Senior Architect to translate architectural direction into practical implementation plans and scalable designs.
• Evaluate technical trade-offs, risks, dependencies, and operational considerations for complex initiatives.
• Lead and contribute to development efforts involving distributed systems, microservices, APIs, integrations, and data platforms that support resource-sharing workflows.
• Mentor and coach engineers, supporting their technical growth and development.
• Promote engineering quality, delivery standards, maintainability, security, and operational excellence across teams.
• Foster collaborative technical discussions and effective decision-making among engineering, product, and operational stakeholders.
• Partner with product management, engineering leadership, and domain experts to refine technical plans, inform product roadmaps, and align delivery priorities with customer and organizational needs.
• Research, assess, and recommend emerging technologies, tools, and development practices that improve engineering effectiveness, software quality, and product capabilities.
• Identify appropriate opportunities to incorporate AI-enabled tools, frameworks, and practices into the software development lifecycle.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related discipline, or equivalent relevant work experience.
• 12+ years of professional software development experience, including significant experience delivering complex enterprise software systems.
• Expert-level Java programming skills and extensive experience with object-oriented design, design patterns, Spring-based applications, Hibernate, RESTful APIs, and web services.
• Experience developing front-end applications using React and TypeScript.
• Strong experience with PostgreSQL, including data modelling, query optimization, performance tuning, and integration of data-driven applications.
• Experience designing, building, and operating distributed systems and microservices in Linux/Unix environments.
• Proficiency with Git-based source-control practices and collaborative development platforms such as Bitbucket and GitHub.
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines, automated testing frameworks such as JUnit and Mockito, build tools such as Gradle and Maven, and secure software development practices.
• Demonstrated ability to assess complex technical problems, communicate trade-offs clearly, and collaborate with a Senior Architect and cross-functional stakeholders to deliver practical, scalable solutions.
• Experience mentoring engineers, leading technical initiatives, and influencing engineering practices across teams.
• Experience integrating or evaluating AI tools, frameworks, and concepts within the software development lifecycle.

Working Conditions:

Hybrid. ADA/EAA: The above statements cover what are generally believed to be the principal and essential functions of this job. Specific circumstances may allow or require some people assigned to the job to perform a somewhat different combination of duties.

Who we are:

We are a non-profit global technology company that develops innovative services for libraries. Together with member libraries, we connect people to the resources they need to learn and grow, and ultimately, to transform the world. We connect libraries to other libraries, making their work more efficient and effective. Our large-scale, high-performance cloud computing services enable libraries to share data, work, and resources to save money and better serve their communities.

What we do:

We are dedicated and passionate about libraries—and helping them change lives. Our goal is to provide innovative technologies for every library to help them meet the demands of a rapidly changing digital world. Our success depends on our ability to deliver new, high-quality features and stable, scalable solutions for libraries.

Live our values:

New ideas. Open dialog. Hard work. Recognition. Purpose.

We offer a dynamic, fulfilling work environment that is productive, collaborative, innovative—and fun.

We are consistently rated among the top employers within Central Ohio and across the IT landscape. There is a strong, team-based culture where everyone is appreciated and focused on common goals. You will make a difference.

OCLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.

If you are interested in applying for employment with OCLC and need special assistance or an accommodation to apply for a posted position, contact our Human Resources Department at [phone] or email at [e-mail]