Principal Software Engineer - Risk Management​/Risk AI

THE ROLE & THE TEAM

In this role as Principal Software Engineer, you will guide multiple teams within the Risk Management department. This department focuses on developing software and machine learning solutions to manage risk and detect fraud in payment transactions amounting to billions of euros annually. These systems are crucial to Zalando's financial success by identifying, managing, and mitigating payment risks.

You will be responsible for elevating architectural and software engineering standards, mentoring engineers, and leading groundbreaking initiatives. As a key member of the leadership team, you will collaborate closely with Engineering Managers, Applied Science Managers, other Principal Software Engineers, Principal Applied Scientists, and Product Managers. If you are enthusiastic about software, machine learning, architecture, and driving business impact, we encourage you to apply.

If you think you have what it takes, we encourage you to apply even if you don't meet every single requirement. You may just be the right candidate for this or other roles! At Zalando, our vision is to be the leading pan‑European ecosystem for fashion and lifestyle e‑commerce – one that thrives on diversity and is truly inclusive by design.

We believe that diverse teams fuel innovation and creativity, and we actively seek out talent from all backgrounds. We actively seek to reduce bias in our hiring and employment processes, focusing on your qualifications, skills, and contributions.

To support a fair and equitable evaluation, please refrain from including personal details such as your photo, age, or marital status in your CV. We are committed to providing an exceptional and accessible candidate experience for everyone. If you require any accommodations to support you throughout the hiring process, please let us know – we are here to assist you.

• Design and drive technical solution design for high‑impact ambiguous projects developed by multiple teams.
• Break down complex solutions into iterations to reduce risk and complexity, and ship large‑scale projects to production by driving, mentoring, designing and providing code contributions.
• Evangelise good software practices based on experience and industry‑established patterns; drive technical innovation in the department or across teams.
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to software engineers on their day‑to‑day work.
• Improve the operational excellence of the systems owned by the department by driving operational review meetings, post‑mortems of incidents, and providing hands‑on support for time‑critical investigation of anomalies.
• Act as a sparring partner for the tech and product leadership teams on both technical and product topics; research and propose solutions to improve productivity and effectiveness using technical knowledge and expertise.

• Have 3+ years of experience as a Principal Engineer, Solutions Architect or Staff Engineer.
• Have extensive experience in software architecture and design in cloud environments, with a strong track record of leading complex projects spanning multiple teams and departments.
• Have experience with Machine Learning, especially around product ionising and MLOps.
• Demonstrate strong leadership and communication skills to effectively guide and mentor teams through architectural decisions and project implementations.
• Are not afraid to get hands‑on, even though you excel at delegation.

Zalando provides a range of benefits. Here’s an overview of what you can expect.

• 27 days of holiday a year to start for full‑time employees
• 2 paid volunteering days a year
• Hybrid working model with up to 60% remote per week, actual practice is up to each team to best support their collaboration
• Work from abroad for up to 30 working days a year
• Employee shares program
• 40% off fashion and beauty products sold and shipped by Zalando, 30% off Lounge by Zalando, discounts from external partners
• Relocation assistance available (subject to prior agreement)
• Family services, including counseling and support
• Health and wellbeing options (including Wellhub, formerly Gympass)
• Mental health support and coaching available
• Drive your development through our training platform and biannual peer‑to‑peer review