Principal Software Engineer

Narrato; Palo Alto (CA); Hybrid; USD 247,500 - 267,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Medical, dental, vision insurance

HSA and FSA options

Flexible time off

Well-being programs

Lunch & snacks

Mentorship & impact

Job summary

Typeface is hiring a Principal Engineer to lead architectural efforts for AI-driven, multimodal content generation at scale. The role demands deep experience in distributed systems, cloud-native design, and hands-on contribution when needed.

You will mentor engineers and partner with enterprise customers to deliver robust, secure solutions. The position is hybrid, based in our Palo Alto office, with a focus on advancing enterprise-grade AI technology and engineering excellence across multiple

Qualifications

• 10+ years in software engineering with senior IC track record.
• 3+ years in a principal/staff-level role leading teams.
• Experience architecting AI/ML platforms and large-scale SaaS.
• Strong cloud-native and containerization expertise.
• Proven ability to influence multiple teams and stakeholders.
• Excellent communication for technical and non-technical audiences.
• Deep knowledge of LLMs and multimodal AI architectures.

Responsibilities

• Lead architectural decisions for AI-driven, multimodal content platforms.
• Drive cross-team initiatives spanning multiple product areas.
• Partner with enterprise customers to translate needs into scalable solutions.
• Mentor engineers and raise technical standards across the org.
• Ensure security, scalability, and maintainability of the platform.
• Contribute hands-on as needed to code and design.

Skills

LLMs & multimodal AI

Distributed systems

Cloud-native architecture

Containerization (Docker, Kubernetes)

Modern API design

Cross-functional leadership

Stakeholder communication

AI/ML systems coaching

Tools

AWS

GCP

Azure

Job description

About Typeface

We help the world’s biggest brands move from brief to fully personalized campaigns — in days, not months.

Founded by Abhay Parasnis and backed by Microsoft, GV, Salesforce, Lightspeed, Madrona and Menlo, we’re building category-defining technology at the intersection of creativity and AI with real impact. Join us to help shape the future of enterprise marketing.

What You’ll Do

As a Principal Engineer, you will:

• Solve complex architectural challenges to harness the power of LLMs and multimodal AI for scalable, enterprise-grade content generation.
• Lead cross-functional technical initiatives spanning multiple teams and product areas.
• Partner with enterprise customers to deeply understand their challenges and translate them into robust, high-impact solutions.
• Mentor and guide engineers across the organization, raising the bar for technical excellence.
• Advocate for best-in-class engineering practices, ensuring security, scalability, and maintainability across the platform.

How You'll Make an Impact

• Architectural Leadership
  • Define and evolve the architecture for AI-driven, multimodal content personalization.
  • Evaluate and integrate cutting-edge AI technologies, optimizing for cost, latency, and output quality.
• Cross-Company Impact
  • Spearhead engineering initiatives that address critical business priorities.
  • Translate complex enterprise customer requirements into practical, scalable solutions.
• Mentorship & Advocacy
  • Coach engineers in AI/ML systems, distributed architectures, and multimodal generation pipelines.
  • Champion engineering best practices — from code quality to CI/CD, observability, and security.
• Execution Excellence
  • Contribute hands‑on to code and design when needed.
  • Ensure solutions meet enterprise-grade standards for security, reliability, and compliance.

What You Bring

• 10+ years in software engineering, with at least 3+ years in a principal/staff-level IC role.
• Proven experience architecting distributed systems, AI/ML platforms, or large‑scale SaaS applications.
• Strong background in cloud-native architecture (AWS, GCP, Azure), containerization (Docker, Kubernetes), and modern API design.
• Track record of influencing technical direction across multiple teams.
• Excellent communication skills for both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Expertise in LLMs (prompt engineering, fine‑tuning, inference) and multimodal AI (text, image, video, audio)

In your first 3 months, you will:

• Shape the architecture for the next generation of AI-driven, multimodal content solutions.
• Drive engineering excellence and raise the company‑wide technical bar.
• Deliver solutions that directly address critical enterprise customer needs.
• Mentor engineers into senior technical leadership roles.

Location

This is a hybrid role based in either our Palo Alto office. We collaborate in‑office 3 days a week.

Base Salary

The range for this role is $247,500-$267,000. Actual compensation may vary based on level, experience, and skillset as assessed in the interview process.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation — including salary, equity, and 401(k)
• Full medical, dental, and vision insurance for you and your family
• HSA and FSA options to support your financial wellness
• Flexible time off — including parental leave
• Well‑being programs — resources to support your mental and physical health
• Daily lunch & snacks
• Mentorship & impact — work closely with top AI leaders on products that ship

Equality Opportunity Statement

We welcome and encourage applicants from all backgrounds. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, medical condition, veteran status, or any other legally protected status. We comply with applicable laws in every jurisdiction where we operate.

Why You’ll Love Working Here

• Build something big — Be part of a fast‑growing startup defining a new category: marketing orchestration powered by Agentic AI.
• Your work will matter — Trusted by Fortune 100 companies, our platform delivers 10x content velocity and 90% faster campaigns.
• A+ team — Collaborate with veterans from Adobe, Microsoft, Google, and top AI companies.
• Backed by the best — GV, Salesforce Ventures, Microsoft, Lightspeed, Madrona and Menlo ($165M raised).
• Recognized for innovation — TIME Best Inventions, Fast Company Next Big Thing in Tech, Gartner Cool Vendor, Adweek AI Company of the Year, LinkedIn Top Startup, Webby Award (AI Work & Productivity).