Principal Software Engineer (BE)

Nerdery•Minneapolis, MN

5d•$164,500 - $200,000

About The Position

Nerdery is a digital product consultancy that partners with clients to create and deliver thoughtfully designed technology. The Principal Software Engineer uses deep software engineering experience to oversee project life cycles and serve as a technical leader. The role provides architectural direction and technical guidance to engineers, communicates effectively with technical and non-technical colleagues, and owns the overall technical quality of the product. The position leads the technical lifecycle of products, including technology decisions, feature decomposition, and production readiness. It combines hands-on software development with team leadership, architecture discussions, technical reviews, cross-functional collaboration, domain leadership, candidate assessment, and occasional support for sales and other practitioners. The role calls for strong C#/.NET and Microsoft Azure experience, as well as an AI-forward approach to engineering workflows and context- and specification-driven AI development. Nerdery describes itself as a remote-friendly workplace, with Minnesota office space available for employees who prefer an in-office or collaborative setting. The physical environment is primarily an office setting, and some work may involve on-site client visits and demonstrations. Compensation is listed at $164,500–$200,000 per year. The company offers health, dental, vision, disability, life, retirement, flexible time off, and professional development benefits.

Requirements

Undergraduate or graduate degree in a computer-related field, a coding bootcamp certificate, or a thorough demonstration of self-taught software development skills.
At least 8 years of software development experience.
At least 2–3 years of application software architecture experience, including familiarity with common design patterns and approaches to typical application problems in the discipline.
Ability to write complex software and explain the reasoning behind code.
Strong technical communication skills, including the ability to explain complex technical problems to technical and non-technical audiences.
Strong understanding of the development process and ability to maintain an iterative approach throughout the project lifecycle.
Strong proficiency in C# and .NET development, including designing, building, and maintaining scalable, production-ready applications and services.
Hands-on experience with Microsoft Azure, including developing, deploying, and maintaining cloud-based applications and services.
AI-forward development mindset, with demonstrated experience using AI-assisted development tools in daily workflows such as code generation, debugging, testing, and optimization.
Proficiency in context- and specification-driven AI development, including providing structured context, defining clear technical requirements, and validating AI-generated solutions for quality, security, and maintainability.
Must be legally authorized to work in the country of employment without sponsorship for employment visa status.

Nice To Haves

Introductory systems architecture experience.
Experience or demonstrated ability to participate in client pitches.
Exposure to full-stack applications and coding skills outside the candidate’s specialization.
Experience developing AI-powered applications, including LLM integrations, AI agents, agentic workflows, or AI orchestration frameworks.
Experience participating in technical solutioning, including requirements discovery, solution design, technical feasibility assessments, and presenting proposed approaches to clients or stakeholders.

Responsibilities

Oversee the product’s technical lifecycle, including software, language, and framework decisions, breaking features into technical stories, and production readiness.
Write complex software and demonstrate expert understanding of code patterns, application architecture, and best practices.
Serve as the technical lead for a team of software engineers.
Own the technical quality of the product.
Lead discussions about architectural decisions and document those decisions.
Adapt the development process to fit team and client needs.
Foster cross-functional collaboration as a technical liaison between engineering and disciplines including Design, Quality, Project Management, Strategy, and Product.
Own the technical review process for team members and provide ongoing technical feedback and recommendations.
Participate in internal leadership of the relevant domain, contribute to its strategic direction, assist with domain initiatives, and maintain domain best practices.
Explain complex technical concerns to different audiences and across multiple levels of abstraction.
Assess prospective candidates’ technical skills and provide recommendations to hiring managers.
Provide ad-hoc technical support to other practitioners in the domain as needed.
Assist with sales requests by providing technical recommendations and estimates to prospective clients.
Participate in other duties as assigned.

Benefits

Two medical plans, including an HSA-eligible option.
Dental insurance.
Vision insurance.
Company-paid basic life and AD&D insurance.
Company-paid short-term disability coverage.
Company-paid long-term disability coverage.
Discounted employee-paid voluntary life and AD&D, accident, critical illness, and hospital indemnity insurance.
Pet insurance.
Legal support and identity theft protection plans.
401(k) plan with company match up to 3.5% and immediate vesting.
Flexible time off (Flex PTO) for vacation, personal time, illness, or caring for dependents.
Remote-friendly workplace; Minnesota office space is available for those who prefer working in-office or collaboratively.
Dedicated resources and access to funds for professional development, industry conferences, and certifications.