Principal Software Engineer

America's Test Kitchen (ATK) is seeking a hands‑on Principal Software Engineer to be a critical technical leader across our digital platforms and help drive the execution of our technical vision. This high‑impact role is focused on designing and implementing complex, scalable solutions across our website, app, and digital subscription and Mar Tech platforms, ensuring technical excellence and high‑impact delivery.

The successful candidate will be a deep technical expert and a pragmatic architect who thrives on directly building solutions, technical mentoring, setting technical standards, and ensuring our architectural strategy directly enables ATK's business growth goals.

This is a newly created role that will report to the Chief Product and Technology Officer.

Drive Architectural Excellence:
Define and implement robust, scalable, and secure architecture for core components of ATK's digital platforms, with a focus on high‑traffic websites, mobile applications, and high‑volume Mar Tech systems.

Hands‑on Development:
Act as a lead engineer on complex, cross‑functional projects, writing high‑quality, performant code, and setting the standard for engineering best practices.

Technical Guidance and Mentoring:
Provide technical mentorship, code reviews, and architectural guidance to multiple development teams, helping to elevate the technical skill and maturity of the entire organization.

Establish Standards:
Define and promote engineering best practices, design patterns, quality standards, and consistent application of security principles across the software development lifecycle.

Technical Vision Translation:
Partner closely with Engineering Leaders, Product Managers, and other stakeholders to translate ambitious business objectives into clear, well‑defined, and achievable technical designs and implementation plans.

Cross‑System Integration:
Oversee the technical integration and design of complex features spanning multiple systems (e.g., CMS, Subscription Billing, Mar Tech tools).

Performance and Reliability:
Lead initiatives to optimize system performance, scalability, and reliability, ensuring our platforms can support continuous traffic and user growth.

Technology Evaluation:
Research, evaluate, and recommend new technologies, tools, and platforms that can provide a strategic advantage or improve engineering efficiency.

Expert Software Development: 8+ years of progressive, hands‑on experience in software development, with at least 2-3 years operating in a Principal or Staff‑level capacity.

Architectural Design: Proven experience designing and successfully launching large‑scale, distributed web applications and APIs.

Platform Proficiency: Expert‑level knowledge with Node.js , Python, and React. Java is a bonus.

Cloud Infrastructure: Extensive experience with AWS and familiarity with services, containerization and modern CI/CD pipelines.

Execution and Communication:

Problem Solver: Exceptional ability to diagnose and solve highly complex technical and architectural problems across the full stack.

Technical Communication: Superior ability to document and articulate complex technical designs, trade‑offs, and strategies clearly to both technical and non‑technical audiences.

Mentorship: Demonstrated track record of leading and influencing technical decisions across multiple teams without direct managerial authority.

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent professional experience.

10+ years of progressive experience in software development.

Extensive experience with high‑traffic, customer‑facing websites and apps in a product technology environment.

Location:

This role can be based in our Boston, MA headquarters or is open to qualified remote applicants.

$220,000 to $250,000

The range provided is based on what we reasonably expect to pay for this job as of the time of posting. The actual salary offered will be determined based on multiple factors, including but not limited to the candidate’s relevant experience,…