Principal Engineer - Mobile

Job Summary

The Principal Engineer – Mobile operates at the intersection of deep technical execution and broad organizational influence. The role resolves the most challenging architectural questions, sets the AI‑native engineering bar, and ensures that iHerb’s platform decisions compound over time rather than accumulate debt. Reporting to the VP of Engineering, the Principal Engineer collaborates closely with peer Principals, Engineering Managers, and VPs across the organization.

The role owns the end‑to‑end technical strategy for iHerb’s mobile platform, covering iOS and Android apps used by millions of customers worldwide, and leads the mobile modernization effort, drives platform and architecture decisions, and sets the technical bar for the Mobile team.

• Define and own the mobile platform architecture, including platform choices, app structure, shared component strategy, and native versus cross‑platform patterns.
• Lead the technical scoping and execution of the mobile modernization effort, coordinating with the Mobile Engineering Manager and cross‑functional partners.
• Act as a hands‑on contributor: write production mobile code, build proofs of concept, and validate architecture through working software.
• Set and enforce technical standards for the Mobile team; drive code reviews and architecture reviews.
• Evaluate and decide on cross‑platform frameworks where appropriate, based on engineering tradeoffs and long‑term maintainability.
• Contribute mobile‑specific patterns and lessons into iHerb’s shared AI‑driven SDLC golden path.
• Drive the hardest cross‑cutting technical decisions across multiple teams and shared platform services.
• Establish and evolve iHerb’s AI‑driven SDLC golden path: shared standards, Claude Code skills, guardrails, and automation patterns.
• Lead complex multi‑team technical efforts by coordinating architecture reviews, aligning peer Principals and Engineering Managers, and resolving competing approaches.
• Mentor and raise the technical bar across the engineering organization through code review, architecture review, and direct coaching of senior engineers.
• Represent engineering in cross‑functional conversations with product, data science, security, and infrastructure.
• Feed architectural decisions into the shared knowledge base so institutional knowledge compounds across the organization.

• AI‑driven SDLC: demonstrated use of AI‑assisted development tools such as Claude Code, Git Hub Copilot, or Cursor to ship production systems; articulate workflow changes, quality tradeoffs, and guardrail strategies.
• Architecture at scale: experience designing and evolving large‑scale distributed systems across multiple teams and years (APIs, data pipelines, event‑driven architectures, or high‑traffic platforms).
• Cross‑org technical leadership: track record of driving architectural standards, technical roadmaps, or platform initiatives that span multiple teams or organizations.
• Engineering quality mindset: deeply held opinions on code quality, observability, CI/CD, test automation, and maintaining velocity without accumulating hidden debt.
• Communication and influence: ability to write clear architecture documents, present to technical and non‑technical audiences, and build consensus without formal authority.
• Experience working in distributed teams across the U.S., China, and Latin America.
• Deep expertise in Swift (iOS) and Kotlin (Android); production‑level experience in both platforms is required.
• Hands‑on experience with cross‑platform mobile frameworks:
  React Native or Kotlin Multiplatform.
• Track record owning mobile platform architecture decisions: app structure, state management, offline handling, performance, and release processes.
• Experience leading a…