Principal Software Engineer

Ladders; United States; Remote; USD 200,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible remote/hybrid options

Comprehensive medical, dental, vision

Annual professional development budget

Parental leave

Wellness reimbursement

RRSP match

Social and team engagement events

Job summary

Ladders is seeking a Principal Software Engineer to lead the architecture and technical direction for a core platform, with a focus on scalability, reliability, and efficiency. You will collaborate across engineering teams to raise design quality and support resilient systems.

This role demands a seasoned leader who can guide complex initiatives, influence standards, and mentor engineers to foster ownership and continuous learning. Remote-US based applicants encouraged.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of technical leadership experience.
• Experience designing and implementing distributed backend systems.
• Proficiency in scalable architectures across multiple applications, with Ruby on Rails expertise.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with ability to influence others.
• Passion for learning and self-development.

Responsibilities

• Architect the core platform for scalability, reliability, and efficiency.
• Set the technical direction and elevate code quality from design to deployment.
• Lead complex, cross-team initiatives requiring architectural alignment.
• Promote architectural integrity and best practices across the organization.
• Mentor and guide the engineering team to foster ownership and continuous learning.
• Maintain engagement across teams to build resilient systems and address incidents.

Skills

Leadership

Distributed Backend

Ruby on Rails

Communication

Learning & Growth

Agile Development

Full-Stack Perspective

Job description

For our client, we are seeking a Principal Software Engineer to join the team of a leader in the Finance & Insurance space.

This role will own the architecture and technical direction of a core platform, with a focus on scalability, reliability, and efficiency. You will partner closely with engineering peers across the organization to elevate design decisions, strengthen code quality, and support the delivery of resilient systems. The position also calls for a leader who can guide complex cross-functional initiatives, influence technical standards, and help the team respond effectively to incidents.

Location: Remote - US based candidates only, no visa sponsorship available

Compensation: $200,000 – $250,000 annually

Responsibilities

• Architect the core platform, ensuring scalability, reliability, and efficiency
• Set the technical direction and elevate code quality from design to deployment
• Lead complex, cross-team initiatives requiring technical alignment
• Promote architectural integrity and technical best practices across the organization
• Mentor and guide the engineering team to foster a culture of ownership and continuous learning
• Maintain engagement across teams to build resilient systems and address incidents

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in technical leadership, mentorship, and sponsorship
• Deep expertise in designing and implementing complex, distributed backend systems
• Proficiency in scalable architectures across multiple software applications, particularly Ruby on Rails
• Excellent written and verbal communication skillsSignificant ability to influence others and drive technical direction
• Passion for learning and self-development
• Experience in agile software development and a full-stack perspective

Benefits

• Flexible work environment with options for remote or hybrid work
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Flexible time-off policy and paid parental leave
• RRSP match and wellness reimbursement
• Annual professional development budget and charitable donation match
• Opportunities for team collaboration and social engagement

Our client is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet every qualification—your background could be exactly what this team needs.