Principal Software Engineer, Ads Format, Level 7

Principal Software Engineer – Ads Format team at Snap.

• Design and implement highly automated systems for ad format serving, optimization, and A/B testing to maximize user engagement and advertiser ROI.
• Lead the vision and strategy for our next‑generation ad formats infrastructure, focusing on scalability, performance, and advertiser value.
• Innovate and conceptualize new ad format ideas, leveraging market trends, user behavior, and advertiser needs.
• Collaborate closely with cross‑functional teams, including product management, design, data science, and other engineering teams, to deliver cohesive and impactful solutions.
• Advocate for and apply best practices when it comes to availability, scalability, operational excellence, and cost management.
• Mentor and guide other engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence and continuous learning within the team.

• Deep expertise in building and scaling ad formats or similar user‑facing content delivery systems.
• Excellent programming and software design skills, including debugging, performance analysis, and test design.
• Proven track record of operating highly‑available systems at scale.
• Ability to proactively learn new concepts and technology and apply them at work.
• Skilled at solving ambiguous problems.
• Strong collaboration and mentorship skills.
• Ads domain experience.
• Client side and full stack experience preferred.

• 10+ years of post‑Bachelor’s software development experience; or a Master’s degree in a technical field + 9+ year of post‑grad software development experience; or a PhD in a related technical field + 6+ years of post‑grad software development experience.
• 2+ years of experience with technical leadership or acting as the domain‑expert to a technical organization.
• Experience in technical leadership/ownership and setting technical direction for engineering projects.
• Experience architecting, designing, and developing distributed systems.

• Experience with cross‑platform development.
• Ability to promote product excellence and collaboration, driving a portfolio of concurrent engineering projects, from short‑term critical feature launches to long‑term research initiatives.
• Ability to create a compelling vision for the future, communicate clearly, and have a collaborative leadership approach.

If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please don’t be shy and provide us some information.

Snap Inc. is a proud equal opportunity employer, and is committed to providing employment opportunities regardless of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding, age, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other protected classification, in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.

EOE, including disability/vets. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable law (by example, the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance and the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring, where applicable).

Snap Inc. is its own community, so we’ve got your back! We do our best to make sure you and your loved ones have everything you need to be happy and healthy, on your own terms. Our benefits are built around your needs and include paid parental leave, comprehensive medical coverage, emotional and mental health support programs, and compensation packages that let you share in Snap’s long‑term success!

In the United States, work locations are assigned a pay zone which determines the salary range for the position. The successful candidate’s starting pay will be determined based on job‑related skills, experience, qualifications, work location, and market conditions. The starting pay may be negotiable within the salary range for the position. These pay zones may be modified in the future.

Zone A (CA, WA, NYC):
The base salary range for this position is $276,000-$414,000 annually. Zone B:
The base salary range for this position is $262,000-$393,000 annually. Zone C:
The base salary range for this position is $235,000-$352,000 annually. This position is eligible for equity in the form of RSUs.