Principal Software Engineer

Description

Who we are looking for

We are seeking a Principal Software Engineer (Vice President) with deep Java expertise to serve as a recognized technical authority within Charles River Development (a the company company). This senior individual contributor will operate with broad autonomy and significant influence, leading the modernization of mission-critical platforms toward cloud-native, distributed architectures while shaping technical strategy and engineering excellence across teams.

What you will be responsible for

Technical Leadership & Architecture

Serve as a principal technical authority for one or more key initiatives or core modules within Charles River platforms

Define and evolve system architecture, design standards, and engineering best practices across teams

Provide long‑term technical strategy and thought leadership to senior engineering leaders and executive stakeholders

Drive adoption of modern cloud architecture, frameworks, and emerging technologies where they deliver clear business value

Lead resolution of high-risk, complex, or business‑critical challenges

Software Design & Development

Analyze, design, develop, test, debug, and implement large‑scale, multi‑tier, mission‑critical enterprise systems

Lead complex enhancements that span multiple components and teams

Set a high bar for code quality, performance, scalability, security, reliability, and maintainability

Make informed trade‑offs between short‑term delivery and long‑term platform health

Remain hands‑on for the most complex or ambiguous technical problems

Engineering Excellence & Governance

Establish and enforce design review, code review, and technical governance practices

Identify systemic technical debt and lead cross‑team efforts to remediate it

Champion automated testing, CI/CD, observability, and operational excellence

Write and review unit, integration, and automation tests to ensure high‑quality deliverables

Influence engineering roadmaps to align technology investments with business strategy

Cross ‑ Team & Executive Collaboration

Partner closely with Product Management, Architecture, Client Support and Operations

Lead and coordinate cross‑team technical initiatives spanning multiple scrum teams

Translate complex technical concepts into clear recommendations for senior management and non‑technical stakeholders

Advise senior management on technical risk, platform direction, and investment priorities

Mentorship & Talent Development

Serve as a technical mentor and role model for engineers at all levels

Raise the overall technical bar through coaching, design reviews, and knowledge sharing

Influence hiring, onboarding, and technical talent development strategies

Client & Production Support

Provide expert‑level troubleshooting for large, complex, and high‑visibility client deployments

Act as an escalation point for critical production or client issues

Help design durable, long‑term solutions to recurring operational or client‑impacting problems

What we value

Demonstrated ability to operate as a principal-level individual contributor with broad organization-wide impact

Extensive experience designing, building and evolving largescale, cloud native enterprise platforms

Exceptional problem‑solving and systems thinking skills, with a deep understanding of performance, scalability, reliability, and resilience

Expert-level proficiency in object‑oriented design using Java, C++, or C

Strong database and data modeling skills with experience in Oracle, SQL Server, PostgreSQL, and/or data warehouse platforms

Experience with compiler design, optimizers, solvers, code generation, or semantic analysis is a strong plus

Exposure to Machine Learning, AI, or cognitive Computing is a plus

Strong background in financial services (e.g., Portfolio Management, Trading, Compliance, IBOR, or Wealth Management) strongly preferred

Education & Preferred Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Engineering, or related field; Master’s degree preferred

10–12+ years of commercial software development experience, including senior or principal‑level roles

Deep understanding of cloud-based and distributed systems

Demonstrated track record of delivering high‑performance, production‑quality systems at scale

Ability to work independently, manage ambiguity, and lead through influence rather than authority

Strong balance of deep technical execution with strategic, long-term thinking

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including executive‑level communication

Significant experience working in Agile/Scrum environments, shaping—not just following—process

Comfortable operating in a highly regulated, mission‑critical financial services environment

Conditions

$120,000 - $202,500 Annual

The range quoted above applies to the role in the primary location specified. If the candidate would ultimately work outside of the primary location above, the applicable range could differ.

Employees are eligible to participate in the company’s comprehensive benefits program, which includes: our retirement savings plan (401K) with company match; insurance coverage including basic life, medical, dental, vision, long-term disability, and other optional additional coverages; paid-time off including vacation, sick leave, short term disability, and family care responsibilities; access to our Employee Assistance Program; incentive compensation including eligibility for annual performance-based awards (excluding certain sales roles subject to sales incentive plans); and, eligibility for certain tax advantaged savings plans.

For a full overview, visit the company's site .

About the company

We keep our clients at the heart of everything we do, and smart, engaged employees are essential to our continued success.

We are committed to fostering an environment where every employee feels valued and empowered to reach their full potential. As an essential partner in our shared success, you’ll benefit from inclusive development opportunities, flexible work-life support, paid volunteer days, and vibrant employee networks that keep you connected to what matters most. Join us in shaping the future.

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Job Application Disclosure:

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.