Principal Software Engineer

OCLC•Dublin, OH

23d•Hybrid

About The Position

As a Principal Software Engineer at OCLC, you will serve as a technical leader for Resource Sharing engineering initiatives, helping set technical direction and deliver reliable, scalable, customer-focused software. You will work with the Senior Architect to turn architectural direction into practical plans and scalable designs, assess technical trade-offs and risks, and collaborate with engineering, product, operations, and domain stakeholders. The role includes leading and contributing to development across distributed systems, microservices, APIs, integrations, and data platforms; mentoring engineers; and promoting quality, security, maintainability, and operational excellence. You will also evaluate emerging technologies and identify opportunities to apply AI-enabled tools and practices in the software development lifecycle. OCLC describes its work as mission-driven: connecting libraries and making knowledge accessible worldwide. The organization offers a hybrid work environment for many roles, typically with three days per week on-site and occasional additional days based on business needs. The stated working conditions for this position are a normal office environment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related discipline, or equivalent relevant work experience.
12 or more years of professional software development experience, including significant experience delivering complex enterprise software systems.
Expert-level Java programming skills and extensive experience with object-oriented design, design patterns, Spring-based applications, Hibernate, RESTful APIs, and web services.
Experience developing front-end applications using React and TypeScript.
Strong PostgreSQL experience, including data modelling, query optimization, performance tuning, and integration of data-driven applications.
Experience designing, building, and operating distributed systems and microservices in Linux/Unix environments.
Proficiency with Git-based source-control practices and collaborative development platforms such as Bitbucket and GitHub.
Experience with CI/CD pipelines, automated testing frameworks such as JUnit and Mockito, build tools such as Gradle and Maven, and secure software development practices.
Ability to assess complex technical problems, communicate trade-offs clearly, and collaborate with a Senior Architect and cross-functional stakeholders to deliver practical, scalable solutions.
Experience mentoring engineers, leading technical initiatives, and influencing engineering practices across teams.
Experience integrating or evaluating AI tools, frameworks, and concepts within the software development lifecycle.

Responsibilities

Serve as a technical leader for Resource Sharing engineering initiatives, supporting reliable, scalable, customer-focused software delivery.
Work with the Senior Architect to translate architectural direction into practical implementation plans and scalable designs.
Evaluate technical trade-offs, risks, dependencies, and operational considerations for complex initiatives.
Lead and contribute to development involving distributed systems, microservices, APIs, integrations, and data platforms that support resource-sharing workflows.
Mentor and coach engineers and support their technical growth.
Promote engineering quality, delivery standards, maintainability, security, and operational excellence across teams.
Foster collaborative technical discussions and effective decision-making among engineering, product, and operational stakeholders.
Partner with product management, engineering leadership, and domain experts to refine technical plans, inform product roadmaps, and align delivery priorities with customer and organizational needs.
Research, assess, and recommend emerging technologies, tools, and development practices that improve engineering effectiveness, software quality, and product capabilities.
Identify appropriate opportunities to incorporate AI-enabled tools, frameworks, and practices into the software development lifecycle.

Benefits

Competitive compensation reflecting performance, experience, and skills.
Best-in-class health coverage.
Retirement plans with generous company contributions.
On-site fitness center, gym sports, group exercise classes, and game room at no charge.
On-site catering and cafeteria subsidized by OCLC.
Health and wellness events.
Work environments with individual and team spaces and the latest technology tools.
Paid parental leave.
Adoption assistance.
Tuition reimbursement.
Public Service Loan Forgiveness eligibility.
Company-subsidized pricing on local tickets and memberships.