Principal Software Engineer

We are seeking an experienced Principal Software Engineer with deep expertise in Node.js, MySQL/MongoDB, and building highly scalable SaaS applications. This role is perfect for a hands-on engineer who is passionate about code quality, scalable architecture, and mentoring a team of developers.

As a Principal Software Engineer, you will split your time equally between hands-on coding (50%) and code review, mentoring, and ensuring code quality standards (50%). You will work closely with the architecture and development teams to design and implement robust, scalable, and maintainable solutions. This is an excellent opportunity for someone who thrives on solving complex technical challenges while managing the technical health of a growing development team.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and Develop Scalable SaaS Applications: Architect, design, and develop complex and high-performing SaaS applications using Node.js, ensuring reliability, scalability, and performance.
• Hands-on Development (50%): Participate actively in the development process by writing efficient, clean, and maintainable code in Node.js. Work on core components of the application and drive innovation in backend architecture.
• Code Review and Team Leadership (50%): Conduct thorough code reviews to ensure high-quality and maintainable code. Mentor and guide the development team in adopting best practices, ensuring adherence to coding standards.
• Message Brokers: Design and implement event-driven architectures using message brokers like Kafka or RabbitMQ to support real-time processing and communication between microservices.
• Database Design and Query Optimization: Develop optimal database schemas and queries for both MySQL and MongoDB to support the scalability and performance needs of the application. Take ownership of query performance and troubleshoot bottlenecks.
• System Design: Work with the team to design robust systems and services, choosing the right technologies, designing APIs, and ensuring architectural scalability and efficiency.
• Collaborate with Stakeholders: Collaborate closely with product managers, engineers, and stakeholders to deliver high-quality features that meet business objectives.
• Performance Tuning and Monitoring: Continuously monitor the application performance, identify potential bottlenecks, and take corrective actions to ensure top-notch performance and reliability.
• Codebase Ownership: Maintain strong ownership over the core backend systems, ensuring that the codebase remains healthy, organized, and ready for future scalability.

Requirements

• Experience: At least 8 years of hands-on experience in software engineering with deep expertise in Node.js.
• Expertise in Backend Development:
• Strong proficiency in Node.js and experience working with asynchronous programming, RESTful API design, and microservices architectures.
• Extensive experience working with MySQL and MongoDB, including database design, query optimization, and performance tuning.
• SaaS Application Development: Proven track record in designing and building scalable SaaS applications. Experience with distributed systems, fault-tolerant architectures, and cloud infrastructure is essential.
• Message Brokers: Hands-on experience with message brokers like Kafka and RabbitMQ to implement event-driven systems and real-time data processing.
• Database Design: Proficiency in designing robust and scalable database schemas, optimizing database queries, and implementing complex data models in both relational and NoSQL databases.
• Code Quality and Leadership:
• Strong experience conducting code reviews, ensuring adherence to coding standards, and promoting best practices across the team.
• Proven ability to mentor and guide junior and mid-level developers, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and technical excellence.
• Problem-Solving Skills: Ability to solve complex technical problems and come up with scalable and reliable solutions.
• Agile Methodologies: Experience working in an Agile/Scrum environment, with a focus on continuous improvement and rapid iteration.
• Communication Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Ability to collaborate effectively with team members, product owners, and stakeholders.

Preferred Skills

• Experience with cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud.
• Familiarity with containerization technologies such as Docker and orchestration tools like Kubernetes.
• Understanding of DevOps principles, including CI/CD pipelines and automated testing frameworks.