# Principal Software Engineer

**Company:** [Apollo](https://hotfix.jobs/companies/apollo)
**Location:** San Francisco, CA
**Role:** Fullstack Engineering
**Salary:** $315k – $473k/yr
**Experience:** 7+ years
**Skills:** Distributed Systems, Software Architecture, React, Ruby, Ruby on Rails, Python, MongoDB, Elasticsearch, Kubernetes, Docker, Terraform, GCP, artificial intelligence, ai-assisted development
**Posted:** 2026-08-05

> Sets organization-wide technical direction, leads high-stakes architectural decisions, and shapes Apollo’s AI and agent-focused product rebuild. The role requires deep distributed-systems expertise, strong judgment under ambiguity, and the ability to influence and multiply senior engineering teams.

## Job Description

## Responsibilities
- Own the technical direction of Apollo's most critical and ambiguous problems across team and organizational boundaries.
- Make architectural bets that shape the product and platform over multiple years, and remain accountable for their outcomes.
- Set technical strategy for the AI and agents rebuild and translate it into direction teams can execute.
- Raise the engineering bar across the organization through standards, patterns, and technical decisions.
- Multiply the output of senior engineers and teams through design, review, and mentorship.
- Partner with engineering and product leadership on the company's technology direction.
- Define high-level AI-native engineering practices and identify opportunities where AI can reshape product development.

## Requirements
- Track record of setting technical direction that shaped a product or platform across an entire engineering organization.
- Deep experience with distributed systems and architecture, including reliability, scale, and cost tradeoffs.
- Strong judgment under ambiguity and influence to align multiple teams.
- Record of multiplying the effectiveness of senior engineers.
- Current fluency with AI-assisted development and a clear perspective on the future of AI in engineering.

## Tech Stack
- React
- Ruby
- Ruby on Rails
- Python
- MongoDB
- Elasticsearch
- Kubernetes
- Docker
- Terraform
- Google Cloud

## Compensation and Benefits
- Total cash compensation range: **$315,300–$472,900 USD**.
- Additional benefits may include equity, company bonus, 401(k), paid holidays, flexible PTO, parental leave, employee assistance and well-being benefits, global travel coverage, life and disability insurance, FSA/HSA, and medical, dental, and vision benefits.

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**Apply:** https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/1726c735-8ceb-4e4c-8b11-34481121cbe6
**Canonical:** https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/1726c735-8ceb-4e4c-8b11-34481121cbe6