# Principal Software Engineer - Snowflake Intelligence

**Company:** [Snowflake](https://hotfix.jobs/companies/snowflake)
**Location:** Menlo Park, CA
**Role:** Backend Engineering
**Salary:** $264k – $380k/yr
**Experience:** 10+ years
**Skills:** Llm Orchestration, Prompt Optimization, Semantic Modeling, Multi-Agent Systems, Nl-To-Sql, RAG, SQL, Retrieval Systems, Semantic Layers, Function Calling
**Posted:** 2026-02-26

> Leads technical vision and architecture for Snowflake Intelligence, tackling agentic reasoning, NL-to-SQL, and enterprise RAG. Requires 10+ years software engineering with 3+ years LLM deployment at scale, deep AI expertise, and principal-level impact.

## Job Description

## About the Role\n\nThe Cortex Apps team is defining the future of AI for enterprise data through products like **Snowflake Intelligence**.\n\nAs a **Principal AI Engineer**, you will define the technical vision and tackle complex problems in agentic reasoning, NL-to-SQL, and enterprise-scale RAG for reliable, scalable AI products.\n\n## What you will do in this role:\n\n- **Technical Strategy & Architecture:** Define the long-term technical vision for Snowflake Intelligence. Lead architectural design of multi-agent systems, complex tool-use frameworks, and self-correcting NL-to-SQL engines.\n- **Drive Industry-Leading Reliability:** Build automated \"hill-climbing\" infrastructure. Establish methodology for measuring and guaranteeing LLM performance across diverse customer schemas.\n- **Cross-Functional Influence:** Partner with Product and Engineering leadership to align AI capabilities with business goals. Bridge Research and Production.\n- **Ecosystem Thinking:** Design extensible \"context engineering\" patterns, including advanced function calling and semantic layer integration.\n- **Technical Leadership & Mentorship:** Mentor Staff and Senior engineers, lead cross-functional strike teams, foster technical excellence.\n\n## Requirements:\n\n- **Experience:** 10+ years of software engineering experience, with **3+ years specifically leading the deployment of LLM-based applications** at massive scale.\n- **Education:** Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD in Computer Science, AI, or a related field.\n- **Expertise:** Deep understanding of LLM orchestration, prompt optimization, semantic modeling, robust guardrails for non-deterministic systems.\n- **Systems Thinking:** Proven track record designing complex systems integrating AI with traditional data stacks (SQL, Retrieval Systems, Semantic Layers).\n- **Communication:** Exceptional ability to communicate complex technical trade-offs to executives and ICs.\n- **Proven Impact:** Previously held Principal or equivalent high-level IC role, or led technical launch of major AI product used by millions.

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