Principal Software Engineer

CEF.AI; San Francisco (CA); Remote; USD 80,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Highly competitive compensation

Founder-level equity

High-ownership role

Collaborate with top-tier engineers

Remote-first flexibility

Job summary

A leading AI infrastructure company in San Francisco is seeking a Principal Software Engineer to design and build AI-first data computing platforms. Candidates should have 4+ years of experience, mastery of systems languages, and the ability to design scalable systems. This full-time role offers competitive compensation and meaningful equity, focusing on autonomy and innovation. Join the team and help shape the future of AI technology.

Qualifications

• 4+ years in high-performance software environments.
• Mastery of one or more systems languages.
• Experience designing and scaling distributed systems.
• Strong discipline around testing and maintainability.
• Ability to turn ambiguity into reliable architecture.

Responsibilities

• Design and scale foundational backend systems.
• Build SDKs, CLIs, and interfaces for developer experience.
• Prototype features using modern tools without sacrificing quality.
• Guide architectural decisions and mentor engineers.
• Drive key projects from conception to execution.

Skills

High-performance software environments

Systems languages (Go, Rust, Kotlin)

Distributed systems design

Quality & Testing (TDD)

Communication

Builder Mindset

Job description

Join to apply for the Principal Software Engineer role at CEF.AI.

We offer highly competitive compensation and founder‑level equity for this senior technical position. Your true remuneration will depend on your experience and skill set, so please discuss details with your recruiter.

Base pay range

$80,000.00/yr - $150,000.00/yr

Are you excited by the opportunity to become a part of a badass team leading the AI‑first data revolution?

Do you thrive on solving hard problems (individually and collectively), yet remain humble and hungry to learn and grow within a team on your path to greatness?

Do you desire to become a part of a close‑knit pack led by SV startup veterans who can accelerate your growth 10X (compared to the corporate trajectory/culture)?

If you’ve answered "yes" to all three questions, we want to meet you!

You will play a critical role in designing and building our AI‑first data computing platform. This is not merely an execution role – we’re looking for a strategic thinker who can move with intent and translate ideas from concept to production with a balanced mix of technical depth and practical decision‑making.

You’ll work across the stack, applying modern technologies to develop performant, secure, and scalable systems, and help shape the foundation of a platform that powers real‑world AI applications at scale.

Responsibilities

• Systems Architecture: Design, implement, and scale foundational backend systems and APIs that power decentralized, real‑time AI workflows.
• Developer Experience: Own the end‑to‑end developer journey by building SDKs, CLIs, and interfaces that make interacting with our platform easy.
• Cross‑Stack Execution: Rapidly prototype and productize features using tools like Cursor, React, and TypeScript—without sacrificing quality or scale.
• Technical Leadership: Guide architectural decisions, lead design reviews, and mentor engineers in best practices for distributed, high‑performance systems.
• Collaboration: Partner with product, design, and leadership to align technical execution with company vision and user needs.
• Execution Ownership: Drive key projects from 0→1 with autonomy, accountability, and a strong bias for action.

Requirements

• Experience: 4+ years in high‑performance software environments, with a proven track record of shipping complex systems end‑to‑end.
• Deep Technical Expertise: Mastery of one or more systems languages (Go, Rust, Kotlin, etc.) and strong backend engineering fundamentals.
• Architectural Fluency: Experience designing and scaling distributed systems with performance, reliability, and observability in mind.
• Quality & Testing: Strong discipline around testing, CI/CD, and long‑term maintainability (TDD preferred).
• Builder Mindset: Ability to turn ambiguity into architecture, and architecture into reliable, extensible code.
• Communication: Clear, concise communicator who can explain trade‑offs, write technical specs, and mentor junior engineers.
• Bonus: Experience with edge computing, Web3 protocols, real‑time data infra, or AI/ML‑powered systems.

Benefits

• Competitive Compensation & Meaningful Equity: Founder‑level alignment because this is a founder‑level role.
• High‑Ownership Role: Directly shape our technical direction and long‑term stack architecture.
• Work with Top‑Tier Founders & Engineers: Collaborate daily with a deeply technical, mission‑driven leadership team.
• Build the Future of AI Infrastructure: We’re not optimizing yesterday’s workflows—we’re inventing tomorrow’s.
• Zero Bureaucracy, Maximum Autonomy: We stay lean, move fast, and trust you to lead.
• Remote‑First, In‑Person When It Counts: Distributed across SF and Europe, with monthly hackathons and off‑sites.

Our Hiring Process

• Intro Call: A quick chat to align on expectations, interests, and team fit.
• Technical Deep Dive: Focused conversation with our Engineering Manager to explore your systems thinking and past work.
• CEO Interview: Strategic discussion around vision, mindset, and long‑term alignment.
• Reference Collection: We’ll speak with a few people you’ve worked closely with.
• Paid Trial (~5 Days): Short, real‑world engagement so we can see how we work together, happening in parallel with offer and terms discussion.

Join CEF.AI as a Principal Software Engineer to help design and deliver the future of privacy‑first, agentic AI. If you want to work on original systems that will define the next decade of compute, apply now.

Seniority level

Associate

Employment type

Full‑time

Job function

Information Technology

Industries

Software Development