Principal Software Engineer
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Summary
Principal-level architect role at Instructure (education technology): sets architectural direction across the Assessments domains, owns end-to-end technical decisions, writes specs and design records, evaluates build-vs-buy with vendors, and mentors senior engineers. Cloud-native platform proficiency required; Ruby on Rails experience preferred, with remote/hybrid/in-office flexibility.
- Setting architectural direction across Assessments domains
- Owning decisions end to end with alignment and resolution
- Writing and maintaining tech specs, design records, and decision documents
- Defining boundaries between services and adjacent domains
- Leading build-versus-buy evaluations with third-party vendors
- Coaching and sponsoring senior and staff engineers for architectural work
- Setting standards for using AI in engineering work
- Shaping reliability and testing strategy across the group
- Cutting sources of repeated on-call load
- 10 or more years building and operating production software
- Architecture decisions driven to completion across more than one team
- Clear technical writing for complex trade-offs
- Experience growing other senior engineers through mentoring or sponsorship
- Proficiency with building and maintaining software on cloud native platforms
- Comfort with ambiguity including defining problems before solving
- Judgment about scope and delegation
- Experience with assessment, learning, or education technology systems
- Experience consolidating or replacing a legacy system while it stays in production
- Multi-tenant, sharded, or high-volume platform experience
- Experience with Ruby on Rails
- Competitive compensation
- Participation in ownership program for full-time employees
- Flexible work culture with remote, hybrid, and in-office collaboration
- Generous time off including local holidays and annual “Dim the Lights” period
- Comprehensive wellness programs and mental health support
- Learning and development resources including professional development tools and tuition reimbursement
- Technology and tools needed to do best work
- Motivosity employee recognition program
- Culture rooted in inclusivity, support, and meaningful connection