Principal Software Engineer, Web UI Platform

GitHub, Inc.; United States; Remote; USD 145,000 - 387,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative firm is seeking a Principal Software Engineer to lead the UI Platform, focusing on performance, accessibility, and user experience. This role involves defining the future UI architecture and delivering exceptional experiences to millions of developers globally. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams, mentor engineers, and drive strategic initiatives to enhance the platform's scalability and reliability. Join this dynamic environment where your contributions will shape the future of software development and make a significant impact on the global developer community.

Benefits

Stock options

Bonuses

Competitive pay

Growth opportunities

Remote work flexibility

Qualifications

• 11+ years in Software Engineering with proven production experience.
• 7+ years leading frontend applications emphasizing performance.
• 3+ years coordinating with backend and API teams.

Responsibilities

• Own the architecture and development of GitHub's Web UI platform.
• Collaborate with teams to optimize user experience.
• Mentor engineering teams and establish best practices.

Skills

JavaScript

Go

Ruby

React

TypeScript

Node.js

UI Architecture

Performance Optimization

Accessibility

Mentorship

Education

Doctorate in Computer Science

Master's Degree

Bachelor's Degree

Associate's Degree

Tools

Webpack

Job description

About GitHub

As the global home for all developers, GitHub is the complete AI-powered developer platform to build, scale, and deliver secure software. Over 150+ million developers, including more than 90% of the Fortune 100 companies, use GitHub to collaborate and experiment across 420+ million repositories. With all the collaborative features of GitHub, it has never been easier for individuals and teams to write faster, better code.

Locations

In this role, you can work remotely from the United States.

Overview

GitHub is revolutionizing the way developers collaborate and build software. We are seeking a Principal Software Engineer to pioneer the UI Platform space, focusing on frontend performance, accessibility, consistency, and availability. This role offers an opportunity to define GitHub's future UI architecture, positioning it as an industry leader in UI innovation. You will be responsible for delivering exceptional and accessible user experiences to millions of developers worldwide.

Responsibilities

• Lead UI Architecture at Scale: Own the architecture and development of GitHub's Web UI platform, ensuring scalability, reliability, accessibility, and performance for millions of users globally.
• Cross-Functional Leadership: Collaborate with engineering, product, and design teams to drive frontend initiatives that optimize user experience, balancing frontend performance with complex backend APIs.
• Mentorship and Technical Leadership: Provide mentorship to engineering teams, establish best practices, and drive continuous improvement across the Web UI platform.
• Architect for Scale, Performance, and Accessibility: Champion accessibility and performance, ensuring frontend systems meet high standards and perform at scale. Lead efforts to make the platform fast, accessible, and consistent across all products.
• Balance Strategic and Hands-On Work: Make architectural decisions while remaining hands-on with coding and problem-solving as needed. Drive large-scale initiatives from concept to delivery.
• Advocate for Platform Priorities: Drive the strategic vision for the Web UI platform, securing leadership support and resources, aligned with company goals.
• Build at Global Scale: Develop frontend solutions supporting a large, distributed user base, ensuring fast, reliable, and accessible experiences under high loads.

What Success Looks Like in the First Year

• Ramping Up and Understanding GitHub’s Systems: Gain deep understanding of GitHub’s systems, including Web UI, backend services, and dependencies, applying this knowledge to drive impactful initiatives.
• Leading Initiatives for Scalability: Deliver a robust UI platform that enhances performance and accessibility, scaling effectively for millions of users.
• Driving Frontend Strategy: Collaborate with teams to create and execute strategic initiatives for UI platform evolution.
• Mentoring Engineering Teams: Guide teams in adopting best practices for scalable, high-performance frontend development.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• 11+ years of experience in Software Engineering, Computer Science, or related fields, with proven experience in production software using languages like JavaScript, Go, or Ruby.
• OR an Associate’s Degree with 10+ years of relevant experience, proficiency in listed languages.
• OR a Bachelor’s Degree with 9+ years of experience.
• OR a Master’s Degree with 7+ years of experience.
• OR a Doctorate with 5+ years of experience.
• OR equivalent experience.

• 7+ years designing, building, and maintaining large-scale frontend applications and backend systems, emphasizing performance, scalability, and maintainability at a scale of hundreds of millions of users.
• 7+ years providing technical leadership and mentorship, guiding teams to deliver solutions on time.
• 3+ years leading work across multiple teams, coordinating with backend, API, or infrastructure teams outside your core responsibility.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience managing overlapping concerns in frontend engineering such as accessibility, performance, and UX consistency, and creating effective execution strategies.
• Deep expertise in React and related technologies.
• Active interest in evolving frontend architecture trends, including performance, security, and usability.
• Extensive experience with TypeScript, Node.js, the Web platform, and UI architecture.
• Experience managing large, distributed codebases with contributors across teams and time zones.
• Experience with backend technologies like Ruby on Rails.
• Proficiency with build tools such as Webpack.
• Ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly to technical and non-technical audiences.

Compensation Range

The base salary range for this role is USD $145,600 - $386,400 per year. Compensation depends on location, experience, and skills. GitHub offers benefits, bonuses, stock options, and potential sales incentives based on role and impact.

GitHub Values

• Customer-obsessed
• Ship to learn
• Growth mindset
• Own the outcome
• Better together
• Diverse and inclusive

Manager Fundamentals

• Model
• Coach
• Care

Leadership Principles

• Create clarity
• Generate energy
• Deliver success

Who We Are

GitHub is the world’s leading AI-powered developer platform with 150 million developers. We foster a diverse, inclusive environment and support remote work, offering competitive pay, growth opportunities, and benefits. Join us to help change the world.

EEO Statement

We embrace diversity and invite applications from all backgrounds. We do not discriminate based on gender, race, religion, age, or other protected characteristics. We are committed to accessibility and accommodating applicants with disabilities.