(USA) Principal, Software Engineer

Walmart•Sunnyvale, CA

7d•$143,000 - $286,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Principal, Software Engineer leads the design and delivery of scalable platform capabilities, driving technical excellence across multiple teams. This role oversees the full software development lifecycle, applying cloud-native architecture and distributed system principles to support AI/ML integration and real-time data processing. The position requires strategic technical leadership, mentorship, and collaboration with cross-functional stakeholders to align engineering efforts with business objectives. The Principal Engineer champions innovation, continuous improvement, and operational excellence while ensuring high-quality, reliable solutions that advance Walmart’s technology vision and long-term platform evolution. The Marketplace Engineering team develops and maintains core platforms that support Walmart’s extensive product range and competitive pricing. This team manages the seller lifecycle, monitors customer interactions, and delivers insights to optimize assortment, pricing, and inventory. Collaborating with partner platform teams, they ensure seamless integration and continuous improvement of seller and customer experiences on walmart.com. Utilizing cloud-native architecture, software design patterns, and data-driven decision-making, the team builds scalable, resilient solutions that drive operational excellence and innovation across the marketplace ecosystem.

Requirements

Extensive experience in platform engineering leadership, delivering scalable, cloud-native architectures and reusable tooling.
Proven ability to drive full software development lifecycle including coding, testing, CI/CD deployment, and incident response.
Expertise in designing distributed systems optimized for real-time data processing and AI/ML integration.
Strong technical judgment with a track record of making informed architectural decisions and managing trade-offs.
Demonstrated mentorship skills fostering engineering excellence and innovation across teams.
Proficiency in AI agents, model-driven design, and cloud computing architecture.
Effective collaboration and communication skills with cross-functional stakeholders.
Option 1: Bachelor's degree in computer science, computer engineering, computer information systems, software engineering, or related area and 5 years’ experience in software engineering or related area.
Option 2: 7 years’ experience in software engineering or related area.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in computer science, computer engineering, computer information systems, software engineering, or related area and 3 years' experience in software engineering or related area.
Background in creating inclusive digital experiences, demonstrating knowledge in implementing Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 AA standards, assistive technologies, and integrating digital accessibility seamlessly.
Knowledge of accessibility best practices and join us as we continue to create accessible products and services following Walmart’s accessibility standards and guidelines for supporting an inclusive culture.

Responsibilities

Lead platform engineering efforts to deliver scalable, cloud-native infrastructure and reusable tooling aligned with strategic roadmaps.
Drive full software development lifecycle activities including design, coding, testing, deployment, and maintenance across multiple teams.
Architect and implement distributed systems optimized for real-time data processing and AI/ML integration.
Provide technical leadership and mentorship to engineering teams, promoting best practices and architectural consistency.
Collaborate with stakeholders to translate business needs into clear technical requirements and measurable success metrics.
Foster continuous improvement by identifying opportunities to enhance processes, tools, and product quality.
Maintain architectural documentation to ensure transparency and informed decision-making.

Benefits

Competitive pay
Performance-based bonus awards
Medical coverage
Vision coverage
Dental coverage
401(k)
Stock purchase
Company-paid life insurance
PTO (including sick leave)
Parental leave
Family care leave
Bereavement
Jury duty
Voting
Short-term disability
Long-term disability
Company discounts
Military Leave Pay
Adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement
PTO and/or PPTO that can be used for vacation, sick leave, holidays, or other purposes
Live Better U is a Walmart-paid education benefit program for full-time and part-time associates in Walmart and Sam's Club facilities. Programs range from high school completion to bachelor's degrees, including English Language Learning and short-form certificates. Tuition, books, and fees are completely paid for by Walmart.