Principal Engineer

Our client, Red Ventures is looking for a Principal Software Engineer, Architect | Education | RVPR

San Juan, PR

At RV Education (EDU), we believe in the power of online learning to create opportunities and transform lives. In partnership with over 300 colleges and universities, we help individuals make smart educational decisions that meet their needs and career aspirations. Our trusted brands like Best Colleges serve over 90 million unique annual visitors with educational resources and advice. At Red Ventures, we believe in creating transformative digital experiences that guide people through life's most important decisions.

As a Principal Software Engineer in our EDU division, you’ll operate at the intersection of engineering excellence and architectural strategy. You’ll be responsible for leading the design and implementation of modern, scalable software systems that support millions of students as they explore educational opportunities.

We’re looking for a hands‑on technical leader with deep expertise in full‑stack development, cloud‑native architectures, and modern infrastructure practices. You’ll help shape our technical vision, mentor engineers, and drive cross‑functional alignment around secure, maintainable, and cost‑effective solutions.

As a requirement for this role, the selected candidate must be based in Puerto Rico. We are seeking individuals who are currently residing on the island or are willing to relocate to Puerto Rico. This location‑based requirement is essential to foster our commitment to local talent and contribute to the economic growth of Puerto Rico. This role requires a hybrid schedule and will be based out of our San Juan, Puerto Rico office with in‑office Monday‑Thursday and fully remote work on Fridays each week.

Please note that relocation assistance may be provided for qualified candidates who are interested in joining our team in Puerto Rico. If you are a talented professional seeking a new adventure and are open to the possibility of relocating to Puerto Rico, we encourage you to apply.

• Lead the design and development of scalable full‑stack solutions using Next.js, React, Type Script, and Tailwind CSS.
• Build and maintain backend services using Node.js, ensuring performance, security, and maintainability at scale.
• Architect cloud‑native systems on AWS using best practices in microservices, event‑driven patterns, and flexible data modeling.
• Define and implement infrastructure‑as‑code using AWS CDK and/or Terraform.
• Design systems that handle both relational (e.g., RDS) and unstructured data (e.g., Dynamo
  
  DB, S3), optimizing for scalability, cost, and performance.
• Ensure security, compliance, and observability are integral to every stage of design and development.
• Partner with product managers and cross‑functional leadership early in the planning process to shape initiatives with a strong technical foundation.
• Translate business objectives into clear architectural options and delivery plans, balancing speed, sustainability, and long‑term value.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to engineers across multiple teams.
• Establish and advocate for engineering standards, architectural guardrails, and best practices across the EDU division.
• Evaluate new technologies and frameworks, contributing to the evolution of our technical ecosystem.

• 8+ years of experience in software engineering, with a strong foundation in modern full‑stack development.
• Deep expertise with:
  Frontend:
  Next.js, React, Tailwind CSS, Type Script
  Infrastructure: CDK and/or Terraform
• Demonstrated experience designing secure, scalable, and observable distributed systems.
• Strong understanding of architectural trade‑offs, data modeling (both SQL and No
  
  SQL), and system reliability.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively with product and engineering leadership during early planning to influence scope and direction.
• Experience leading technical initiatives, mentoring engineers, and driving cross‑team alignment.
• Comfort working in fast‑paced environments with ambiguity, iteration, and continuous improvement.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to influence technical and non‑technical stakeholders.

• Experience with headless CMS or content systems (e.g., Word Press, Contentful)
• Background in education, lead generation, or high‑scale consumer platforms
• Familiarity with event‑driven architectures and domain‑driven design
• Previous experience in a Principal Engineer or Staff+ level role in a modern SaaS environment