Principal Software Engineer

Snapchat; Santa Clarita (CA); On-site; USD 260,000 - 414,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity in RSUs

Medical coverage

Paid parental leave

Job summary

Snap Inc is seeking a Principal Software Engineer to design, implement, and scale critical engineering components that support Snap's strategic initiatives. You will work across teams to understand requirements, evaluate trade‑offs, and deliver scalable solutions with a focus on availability, performance, and security.

The role requires strong programming, debugging, and mentorship skills, plus experience leading technical directions for engineering projects.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s in CS/Math/Statistics or equivalent.
• 10+ years of post‑Bachelor software development.
• 2+ years of technical leadership or domain expert experience.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and scale critical engineering components and services.
• Work with teams to understand requirements and deliver solutions.
• Advocate best practices for availability, scalability, and cost management.
• Provide technical direction affecting the company.
• Leverage AI tools while ensuring architectural integrity and security.

Skills

Programming

Debugging

Performance analysis

Mentorship

Collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in computer science/related field

Master's degree (preferred)

PhD (related field)

Tools

AI tools

Job description

Snap Inc is a technology company. We believe the camera presents the greatest opportunity to improve the way people live and communicate. Snap contributes to human progress by empowering people to express themselves, live in the moment, learn about the world, and have fun together.The Company operates Snapchat , a visual messaging app that enhances your relationships with friends, family, and the world, and Specs Inc. , a wholly-owned subsidiary dedicated to making computing more human, in addition to Bitmoji , Saturn, and other digital services.Snap Engineering teams build fun and technically sophisticated products that reach hundreds of millions of Snapchatters around the world, every day. We’re deeply committed to the well-being of everyone in our global community, which is why our values are at the root of everything we do. We move fast, with precision, and always execute with privacy at the forefront.We’re looking for a Principal Software Engineer to join Snap Inc!What you’ll do:Design, implement, and scale critical engineering components and services to support Snap's most strategic initiativesWork across teams to understand product requirements, evaluate trade-offs, and deliver the solutions needed to build innovative products or servicesAdvocate for and apply best practices when it comes to availability, scalability, operational excellence, and cost managementProvide technical direction that influences the entire companyUtilize AI tools and high velocity engineering workflows to design and ship scalable services while upholding rigorous standards for code correctness, security, and production ready quality codeKnowledge, Skills & AbilitiesExcellent programming and software design skills, including debugging, performance analysis, and test designProven track record of operating highly-available systems at scaleAbility to proactively learn new concepts and technology and apply them at workSkilled at solving ambiguous problemsStrong collaboration and mentorship skillsProficiency in, or a strong aptitude for, leveraging AI tools to streamline development, paired with the critical judgment to audit generated output for architectural integrity, performance bottlenecks, and security risks.Adaptability in learning and applying evolving AI systems and tools to remain at the forefront of engineering trends and modern development practicesMinimum Qualifications:Bachelors in technical field such as computer science, mathematics, statistics or equivalent years of experience10+ years of post-Bachelor’s software development experience; or a Master’s degree in a technical field + 9+ year of post-grad software development experience; or a PhD in a related technical field + 6+ years of post-grad software development experience2+ years of experience with technical leadership or acting as the domain-expert to a technical organizationExperience in technical leadership/ownership and setting technical direction for engineering projectsExperience architecting, designing, and developing distributed systemsPreferred Qualifications:Advanced degree in a technical field such as computer scienceExperience with cross platform developmentAbility to promote product excellence and collaboration, driving a portfolio of concurrent engineering projects, from short-term critical feature launches to long-term research initiatives.Ability to create a compelling vision for the future, communicate clearly, and have a collaborative leadership approach.If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please don’t be shy and provide us some information ."Default Together" Policy at Snap: At Snap Inc. we believe that being together in person helps us build our culture faster, reinforce our values, and serve our community, customers and partners better through dynamic collaboration. To reflect this, we practice a “default together” approach and expect our team members to work in an office 4+ days per week.At Snap, we believe that having a team of diverse backgrounds and voices working together will enable us to create innovative products that improve the way people live and communicate. Snap is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and committed to providing employment opportunities regardless of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding, age, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other protected classification, in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. EOE, including disability/vets.We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable law (by example, the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance and the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring, where applicable).Our Benefits : Snap Inc. is its own community, so we’ve got your back! We do our best to make sure you and your loved ones have everything you need to be happy and healthy, on your own terms. Our benefits are built around your needs and include paid parental leave, comprehensive medical coverage, emotional and mental health support programs, and compensation packages that let you share in Snap’s long-term success!CompensationIn the United States, work locations are assigned a pay zone which determines the salary range for the position. The successful candidate’s starting pay will be determined based on job-related skills, experience, qualifications, work location, and market conditions. The starting pay may be negotiable within the salary range for the position. These pay zones may be modified in the future.Zone A (CA, WA, NYC) :The base salary range for this position is $276,000-$414,000 annually.Zone B :The base salary range for this position is $262,000-$393,000 annually.Zone C :The base salary range for this position is $235,000-$352,000 annually.This position is eligible for equity in the form of RSUs.