Principal Software Engineer, Ads Format, Level 7

Snap; New York (NY); On-site; USD 276,000 - 414,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid parental leave

Comprehensive medical coverage

Emotional and mental health support programs

Equity in the form of RSUs

Job summary

A leading social media technology company is seeking a Principal Software Engineer in New York to design and implement automated ad format systems that enhance user engagement. The ideal candidate will have over 10 years of software development experience and a strong background in technical leadership. This role involves collaborating with multiple teams to bring innovative ad formats to market and mentoring junior engineers. A competitive salary range is offered, along with a flexible work from office policy.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of software development experience.
• 2+ years of technical leadership experience.
• Experience architecting and designing distributed systems.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement automated systems for ad format serving.
• Lead strategy for next-gen ad formats infrastructure.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver solutions.
• Mentor and guide other engineers.

Skills

Deep expertise in building and scaling ad formats

Excellent programming and software design skills

Proven track record of operating highly-available systems

Proactive learning of new concepts

Strong collaboration and mentorship skills

Ads domain experience

Client side and full stack experience

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a related field

Master’s degree in a technical field

Ph.D. in a related technical field

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’s three core products are Snapchat, a visual messaging app that enhances your relationships with friends, family, and the world; Lens Studio, an augmented reality platform that powers AR across Snapchat and other services; and its AR glasses, Spectacles.

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 the Ads Format team at Snap.

What you’ll do:

• Design and implement highly automated systems for ad format serving, optimization, and A/B testing to maximize user engagement and advertiser ROI.
• Lead the vision and strategy for our next‑generation ad formats infrastructure, focusing on scalability, performance, and advertiser value.
• Innovate and conceptualize new ad format ideas, leveraging market trends, user behavior, and advertiser needs.
• Collaborate closely with cross‑functional teams, including product management, design, data science, and other engineering teams, to deliver cohesive and impactful solutions.
• Advocate for and apply best practices when it comes to availability, scalability, operational excellence, and cost management.
• Mentor and guide other engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence and continuous learning within the team.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Deep expertise in building and scaling ad formats or similar user‑facing content delivery systems.
• Excellent programming and software design skills, including debugging, performance analysis, and test design.
• Proven track record of operating highly‑available systems at scale.
• Ability to proactively learn new concepts and technology and apply them at work.
• Skilled at solving ambiguous problems.
• Strong collaboration and mentorship skills.
• Ads domain experience.
• Client side and full stack experience preferred.

Minimum Qualifications:

• 10+ years of post‑Bachelor’s software development experience; or a Master’s degree in a technical field + 9+ years of post‑grad software development experience; or a PhD in a related technical field + 6+ years of post‑grad software development experience.
• 2+ years of experience with technical leadership or acting as the domain‑expert to a technical organization.
• Experience in technical leadership/ownership and setting technical direction for engineering projects.
• Experience architecting, designing, and developing distributed systems.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with cross‑platform development.
• Ability 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.

Compensation

In 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.

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!