Principal Software Engineer

Alphatec Spine•Carlsbad, CA

3d•$210,000 - $240,000

About The Position

The Principal Software Engineer is a senior individual contributor responsible for defining the technical direction of the software platform and solving the organization's most complex engineering challenges. This role provides technical leadership across multiple product areas, influences architecture and engineering practices, and partners with cross-functional teams to deliver scalable, reliable, and clinically meaningful software solutions. The Principal Software Engineer serves as a trusted technical advisor, mentors engineers, and helps shape the long-term evolution of the software organization.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, or a related technical field required.
10+ years of experience in software engineering, with demonstrated technical leadership on complex software systems.
Proven experience designing, developing, and delivering large-scale, mission-critical, or regulated software products.
Experience leading software architecture, system integration, and cross-functional technical initiatives.
Demonstrated ability to mentor engineers and influence technical direction without direct management responsibility.
Expert knowledge of software architecture, system design, and modern software engineering best practices.
Deep understanding of software development lifecycle, verification, validation, release processes, and CI/CD practices.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to resolve complex technical challenges.
Excellent collaboration and communication skills with engineering, clinical, quality, regulatory, and product teams.
Ability to balance short-term product execution with long-term platform strategy and technical vision.
Commitment to engineering excellence, continuous improvement, and delivering high-quality software solutions.
For roles based in the United States that require access to hospital facilities, must be eligible for and maintain credentials at all required hospitals, including meeting any applicable physical requirements or vaccination requirements (including the COVID-19 vaccine, as applicable).
Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for current or future employer sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree or advanced technical degree is a plus.

Responsibilities

Define and drive the long-term software architecture and technical roadmap across multiple product releases.
Lead the design, implementation, and delivery of complex software systems and critical technical initiatives.
Serve as the technical authority for key platform technologies and provide guidance on architecture, algorithms, performance, scalability, and system integration.
Solve the organization's most challenging technical problems through hands-on engineering, system design, and root cause analysis.
Establish and promote software engineering best practices, including software architecture, design patterns, code quality, testing, automation, and CI/CD.
Mentor and coach software engineers through technical guidance, design reviews, code reviews, and knowledge sharing.
Drive technical alignment across Software, Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Test Engineering, Clinical, Quality, Regulatory, and Product Management.
Translate clinical workflows, customer feedback, and business needs into scalable technical solutions.
Lead technical planning and influence engineering decisions that improve product quality, development efficiency, and long-term maintainability.
Identify and drive platform investments, reusable frameworks, and engineering tools that improve productivity across teams.
Evaluate emerging technologies and recommend innovations that support future product capabilities.
Support product development through participation in system integration, surgeon labs, field observations, and clinical evaluations.