Principal, Software Engineer - Platform Engineering

Walmart; Sunnyvale (CA); On-site; USD 143,000 - 286,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

401(k) & stock benefits

Paid time off (PTO)

Education programs (Live Better U)

Employee discounts

Job summary

Walmart is seeking a Principal Software Engineer to lead platform engineering, delivering scalable cloud-native infrastructure and reusable tooling across multiple teams. You will drive the full software lifecycle, architect AI-enabled applications, and mentor engineers to achieve high availability and fault tolerance while aligning with Walmart’s strategic goals.

In this role, you will collaborate with product and architecture teams to translate complex business needs into technical solutions,

Qualifications

• 10–15+ years of experience in platform engineering leadership.
• Experience delivering cloud-native architectures at scale.
• Proven ability to mentor engineering teams and lead cross-functional partners.

Responsibilities

• Lead platform engineering to deliver scalable, cloud-native infrastructure.
• Drive full software lifecycle for distributed systems.
• Architect AI-enhanced applications with multi-step reasoning.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to engineering teams.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to translate business needs into requirements.
• Ensure high availability and fault tolerance through robust architecture.

Skills

Platform engineering leadership

Distributed systems design

CI/CD / DevOps

Observability & incident response

AI/ML integration

Mentorship & leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Job description

Position Summary...

What you'll do...

Role summary:

As a Principal Software Engineer at Walmart, you will lead platform engineering efforts by delivering scalable, cloud-native solutions and reusable infrastructure across multiple teams. This role involves driving the full software development lifecycle, integrating AI/ML technologies, and ensuring high availability and fault tolerance. You will provide strategic technical leadership, mentor engineering teams, and collaborate with cross-functional partners to translate complex business needs into effective technical solutions. Your expertise will support Walmart’s long-term platform evolution while fostering innovation, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.

About the team:

The Marketplace and Walmart Fulfillment Services platform engineering team focuses on building scalable, resilient backend systems that support business growth and operational efficiency. As a Principal Engineer, you will lead architectural excellence, adopt modern technologies including AI capabilities, and drive engineering standards across distributed, high-scale environments. The team collaborates closely with product managers, developers, and architects to design and enhance reliable infrastructure. Emphasizing innovation, problem solving, and continuous improvement, the team delivers robust platform solutions that ensure high availability, maintainability, and system reliability aligned with Walmart’s strategic goals.

What you'll do:

• Lead platform engineering efforts to deliver scalable, cloud-native infrastructure and reusable tooling aligned with strategic roadmaps.

• Drive full software development lifecycle management, including design, testing, deployment, and maintenance of distributed systems.

• Architect AI-enhanced applications integrating multi-step reasoning agents and model-driven design to support millions of users.

• Provide technical leadership and mentorship, influencing architectural standards and fostering engineering excellence.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to translate business needs into actionable technical requirements and measurable outcomes.

• Ensure high availability, fault tolerance, and system reliability through sound architectural decisions and continuous improvement.

What you'll bring:

• 10-15 plus years of extensive experience in platform engineering leadership, delivering scalable, cloud-native architectures and reusable tooling.

• Proven expertise in designing and implementing distributed systems optimized for real-time data processing and AI/ML integration.

• Strong proficiency in technical solution design, debugging, and requirements analysis across multiple programming languages.

• Demonstrated ability to lead full software development lifecycles, including CI/CD, observability, and incident response.

• Skilled in applying model-driven design and cloud engineering best practices to enhance development velocity and quality.

• Effective mentorship and strategic guidance to engineering teams, promoting innovation and architectural standardization.

• Excellent problem-solving skills with a focus on aligning technical execution to business objectives and long-term platform evolution.

• At Walmart, we offer competitive pay as well as performance-based bonus awards and other great benefits for a happier mind, body, and wallet.
• Health benefits include medical, vision and dental coverage.
• Financial benefits include 401(k), stock purchase and company-paid life insurance.
• Paid time off benefits include PTO (including sick leave), parental leave, family care leave, bereavement, jury duty, and voting.
• Other benefits include short-term and long-term disability, company discounts, Military Leave Pay, adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, and more.
• You will also receive PTO and/or PPTO that can be used for vacation, sick leave, holidays, or other purposes.
• The amount you receive depends on your job classification and length of employment.
• It will meet or exceed the requirements of paid sick leave laws, where applicable.
• For information about PTO, see https://one.walmart.com/notices .
• Live Better U is a Walmart-paid education benefit program for full-time and part-time associates in Walmart and Sam's Club facilities.
• Programs range from high school completion to bachelor's degrees, including English Language Learning and short-form certificates.
• Tuition, books, and fees are completely paid for by Walmart.

The annual salary range for this position is $143,000.00 - $286,000.00 Additional compensation includes annual or quarterly performance bonuses. Additional compensation for certain positions may also include :

• Stock

Minimum Qualifications...

Outlined below are the required minimum qualifications for this position. If none are listed, there are no minimum qualifications.

Option 1: Bachelor's degree in computer science, computer engineering, computer information systems, software engineering, or related area and 5 years’ experience in software engineering or related area.

Option 2: 7 years’ experience in software engineering or related area.

Preferred Qualifications...

Outlined below are the optional preferred qualifications for this position. If none are listed, there are no preferred qualifications.

Master’s degree in computer science, computer engineering, computer information systems, software engineering, or related area and 3 years' experience in software engineering or related area., We value candidates with a background in creating inclusive digital experiences, demonstrating knowledge in implementing Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 AA standards, assistive technologies, and integrating digital accessibility seamlessly. The ideal candidate would have knowledge of accessibility best practices and join us as we continue to create accessible products and services following Walmart’s accessibility standards and guidelines for supporting an inclusive culture.

Primary Location...

1375 Crossman Ave, Sunnyvale, CA 94089-1114, United States of America

Walmart and its subsidiaries are committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace and has a no tolerance policy regarding the use of illegal drugs and alcohol on the job. This policy applies to all employees and aims to create a safe and productive work environment.

Walmart, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer- By Choice. We believe we are best equipped to help our associates, customers, and the communities we serve live better when we really know them. That means understanding, respecting, and valuing diversity- unique styles, experiences, identities, abilities, ideas and opinions- while being inclusive of all people.