Principal Software Engineer (Cloud and AI Platforms)

Position Overview

BlueFlag is seeking a principal-level software engineer to lead the design and delivery of cloud-native applications, services, and data platform capabilities. In this remote role, you will be a hands-on technical leader responsible for building production software end-to-end while overseeing cloud, Kubernetes, and data engineering practices to run secure, enterprise-grade platforms.

Key Responsibilities

• Architect, build, and maintain production-grade software (services, APIs, and web applications) with strong engineering discipline including code quality, testing, observability, and operational readiness.
• Lead design reviews, establish engineering standards, and mentor engineers across multiple projects and initiatives.
• Design and operate Kubernetes-based application platforms with robust CI/CD pipelines, infrastructure-as-code (e.g., Terraform), and automated environment provisioning in Azure or AWS.
• Drive the deployment and maintenance of enterprise platform tools such as Starburst, Immuta, Collibra, Databricks, and Synapse.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to develop data pipelines and shape AI-enabled applications and modernization strategies for cloud and data workloads.

Required Qualifications

• Principal-level experience building and leading the delivery of production software (backend services and/or full stack applications) with deep design and implementation expertise.
• Proven ability to mentor and lead engineering teams, conduct design reviews, and enforce technical standards.
• Strong proficiency in at least one backend language (e.g., C#/.NET, Java, Python, Go) with a solid understanding of API design, distributed systems, performance, and operational reliability.
• Hands-on experience with Kubernetes production workloads, CI/CD, automation, and infrastructure-as-code.
• Genuine interest in AI agents and AI-enabled applications.
• US Citizenship required and must be eligible to obtain a public trust clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with enterprise data/platform tools such as Databricks, Synapse, Starburst, Immuta, and Collibra.
• Expertise in building secure integration patterns across identity, entitlements, and data governance requirements.
• Familiarity with lakehouse architectures, data formats (e.g., Delta Lake, Parquet), and production data lifecycle management.
• Experience enabling production AI systems, including MLOps pipelines, retrieval patterns, and orchestration frameworks.

Benefits & Perks

• Competitive salary
• Generous annual leave and paid holidays
• Comprehensive group health and dental plans
• 401(k) with company match
• Life insurance and AD&D coverage
• Ongoing training and professional development opportunities