Remote Principal Software Engineer (Microservices)

Placements24; United States; Remote; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Remote work

Training budgets

Conferences attendance

Generous vacation

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Principal Software Engineer to lead backend and distributed systems in a remote-first environment. You will shape the technical direction, mentor engineers, and deliver scalable microservices with strong API definitions.

You will drive architectural decisions, collaborate with product teams, and champion quality, performance, and security across a globally distributed engineering organization.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or equivalent experience in a relevant field.
• 10+ years building backend distributed systems and microservices.
• Deep experience with modern backend languages and cloud platforms.

Responsibilities

• Lead scalable microservices design and development.
• Architect robust APIs and integrations across services.
• Mentor engineers and drive technical standards.
• Collaborate with product teams to translate requirements into solutions.
• Conduct code reviews to ensure quality, performance and security.

Skills

Microservices architecture

Backend development

Distributed systems

Java

Python

Go

C#

Docker

Kubernetes

Cloud (AWS/Azure/GCP)

System design

Education

Master's degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Terraform

AWS

Azure

GCP

Job description

About the Role

Our client is looking for a Principal Software Engineer with deep expertise in microservices architecture to join their globally distributed, remote-first engineering team. This senior position will play a key role in defining the technical direction, designing complex distributed systems, and mentoring other engineers. You will tackle challenging technical problems, drive innovation, and ensure the delivery of high-quality, scalable, and resilient software. If you are passionate about building sophisticated backend systems and thrive in an environment where autonomy and technical excellence are paramount, this role is for you.

Key Responsibilities

Lead the design and development of highly scalable, fault-tolerant microservices using modern programming languages and frameworks. Architect robust APIs and integrations between various services. Define technical standards, best practices, and patterns for microservices development. Mentor and guide junior and senior engineers, fostering technical growth within the team. Collaborate with product management and stakeholders to understand requirements and translate them into technical solutions. Drive the adoption of new technologies and methodologies to improve development efficiency and product quality. Conduct thorough code reviews, ensuring code quality, performance, and security. Troubleshoot and resolve complex production issues across distributed systems. Contribute to the strategic technical roadmap and architectural evolution of our client's platform. Champion a culture of continuous improvement and technical excellence in a remote setting.

Requirements

Master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience. 10+ years of experience in software development, with a significant focus on backend and distributed systems. Demonstrated expertise in designing, building, and deploying microservices architectures. Proficiency in at least one modern backend language (e.g., Java, Python, Go, C#). Strong experience with containerization technologies (Docker) and orchestration (Kubernetes). Deep understanding of distributed system principles, including concurrency, consensus, and fault tolerance. Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP) and associated services. Familiarity with various database technologies (SQL and NoSQL). Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and architectural design skills. Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively collaborate remotely. Experience leading technical initiatives and mentoring engineers.

Benefits

Our client offers a highly competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package, including top-tier health insurance, retirement savings plans, and generous vacation time. As a fully remote role, you will enjoy the flexibility to work from anywhere. Our client invests heavily in employee development, providing budgets for training, conferences, and continuous learning opportunities. We foster an innovative and collaborative culture where your contributions are valued and recognized. This role provides the opportunity to work on challenging, large-scale projects with a talented, globally distributed team, promoting significant professional growth and impact. We prioritize a healthy work-life balance and offer numerous perks to support employee well-being.