Principal Software Engineer

Solera•Westlake, OH

About The Position

We're looking for a pragmatic, hands-on Principal API & Integration Engineer who gets things done. You'll spend significant time writing code while helping elevate the technical skills of the broader team. This role is ideal for someone who thrives on designing and implementing centralized API platforms, has extensive experience with third-party integrations and Transportation Management Systems (TMS), leverages AI-assisted development tools to accelerate delivery, and excels at simplifying and automating complex integration processes. You'll balance individual contribution with strategic technical leadership, creating unified API strategies that serve multiple web and mobile applications while helping engineers grow their craft through practical guidance and code review.

Requirements

10+ years of professional software engineering experience with focus on APIs and integrations
2+ years in a technical leadership position
Extensive experience with third-party system integrations and API partnerships
Strong background with Transportation Management Systems (TMS) integrations
Proven track record of designing and implementing enterprise API platforms
History of simplifying complex integration processes through automation
Experience with AI-assisted development tools and workflows
Track record of mentoring and growing technical talent
Willingness to maintain hands-on technical involvement
Expert-level proficiency in RESTful API design and implementation
Strong experience with GraphQL, gRPC, or other modern API paradigms
Deep understanding of API gateway patterns and service mesh architectures
Knowledge of API versioning strategies and backward compatibility
Experience with OpenAPI/Swagger specifications and API documentation tools
Understanding of API security patterns (OAuth2, API keys, JWT, mTLS)
Experience designing APIs for high-volume, multi-tenant environments
Extensive experience integrating with third-party APIs and systems
Deep knowledge of Transportation Management Systems (TMS) and logistics platforms
Strong background in legacy system connectivity.
Experience with common integration patterns (webhooks, polling, event-driven, batch)
Experience with message queuing and event streaming (Kafka, RabbitMQ, ActiveMQ, AWS SQS)
Understanding of data transformation, mapping, and synchronization strategies
Building self-service integration frameworks and SDKs
Creating automated testing for APIs and integrations (contract testing, integration testing)
Developing integration monitoring and alerting systems
Implementing CI/CD pipelines for API deployments
Experience with Infrastructure as Code for integration resources
Expert-level proficiency in backend development (Java, C#/.NET, Python, or Node.js)
Strong experience with microservices architecture patterns
Hands-on experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP)
Proficiency with containerization (Docker) and orchestration (Kubernetes)
Experience with API management platforms (Apigee, AWS API Gateway, Azure API Management, Kong)
Strong background in both relational and NoSQL databases
Knowledge of caching strategies (Redis, CDN) for API performance
Experience with major TMS platforms (Oracle TMS, SAP TM, Manhattan, Blue Yonder, or similar)
Understanding of transportation and logistics workflows (dispatching, tracking, routing, ELD)
Knowledge of industry standards (EDI X12, EDIFACT, HL7 for healthcare logistics)
Familiarity with telematics and fleet management integrations
Understanding of real-time location tracking and geo-fencing
API lifecycle management and governance
Monitoring and observability (Prometheus, Grafana, Datadog, New Relic)
Distributed tracing and API performance monitoring
Experience with agile development practices
Strong problem-solving and debugging skills across distributed systems
Strong communication skills with both technical and non-technical stakeholders
Ability to translate business requirements into API specifications
Track record of making architectural decisions and defending technical choices
Experience creating developer documentation and API playbooks
Ability to influence and drive API-first practices across teams
Collaborative mindset with genuine interest in enabling others
Bias toward action and shipping working solutions
Passion for developer experience and API usability
Ability to manage multiple integration projects simultaneously
Comfortable challenging the status quo constructively
Strong focus on simplification and automation
Customer-centric mindset when designing APIs

Nice To Haves

Experience with serverless architectures (AWS Lambda, Azure Functions)
Knowledge of API monetization and partner management
Familiarity with API security testing and penetration testing
Experience with real-time communication protocols (WebSockets, Server-Sent Events)
Background in API product management or developer relations
Understanding of compliance frameworks (SOC2, GDPR, HIPAA)
Experience with API analytics and business intelligence
Knowledge of blockchain or IoT integration patterns
Familiarity with ELD (Electronic Logging Device) integrations
Experience with mobile backend for frontend (BFF) patterns
Understanding of geospatial APIs and mapping services

Responsibilities

Design and implement enterprise-wide API strategy serving all internal and external applications
Build scalable, reusable API platforms and integration frameworks that reduce duplication across systems
Develop robust integrations with third-party systems and Transportation Management Systems (TMS)
Create automated integration pipelines that simplify onboarding of new partners and systems
Leverage AI-powered development tools (GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT, Claude, etc.) to accelerate API and integration development
Modernize legacy integration patterns and migrate to modern API architectures
Build API gateways, service meshes, and integration middleware that scale globally
Design self-service integration tools and SDKs that empower development teams
Define long-term API strategy and integration architecture across the organization
Champion and integrate new API technologies and integration practices that solve real problems
Mentor engineers on API design patterns, integration best practices, and microservices architecture
Share best practices for AI-assisted development and cutting-edge integration tooling
Establish API standards, governance, and documentation practices
Guide architectural decisions that impact API consumers across web, mobile, and partner systems
Foster a culture of API-first thinking and integration automation
Partner with product, backend, mobile, and partner teams on API design and integration requirements
Create comprehensive API documentation, developer portals, and integration guides
Implement API versioning, lifecycle management, and deprecation strategies
Design authentication and authorization frameworks (OAuth2, API keys, JWT, SSO)
Build monitoring, observability, and analytics for API performance and usage
Establish rate limiting, throttling, quota management, and SLA enforcement
Lead technical deep dives into integration failures, performance bottlenecks, and scalability issues
Proactively identify opportunities to simplify and automate integration workflows