Senior Principal / Director, Software Engineer

AvalonBay Communities

18h

About The Position

AvalonBay Communities, Inc., an equity REIT, has a long-term track record of developing, redeveloping, acquiring and managing distinctive apartment homes in some of the best U.S. markets, and delivering outsized, risk-adjusted returns to shareholders. With equal parts experience and vision, we’ve established a leadership position rooted in our purpose of creating a better way to live and that is always focused on building value for the long term. Creating a better way to live is the purpose that binds AvalonBay associates. We take that purpose seriously and expect you will as well. By focusing on collaboration, innovation, and taking ownership of our choices and actions, we act in ways that focus on creating value for our customers, investors and associates. Your positive, professional, and consistent personal interactions make AvalonBay a great place to work. The Role We are seeking a hands-on Senior Principal / Director of Software Engineering to personally drive the design, build, and evolution of high-impact digital platforms that support mission-critical business operations. This role is for a technical leader who spends meaningful time in the architecture, code, and delivery details, while providing lightweight leadership and guidance across a small number of engineering teams. You’ll be accountable for technical decisions, platform modernization, and delivery outcomes, acting as the connective tissue between business priorities and real, production-grade software.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field — or equivalent practical experience
• 10+ years of software engineering experience, with a history of hands-on technical ownership
• Experience leading complex, enterprise-scale application development from design through production
• Demonstrated success modernizing platforms and moving workloads from on-prem to cloud environments
• Comfortable operating in environments with multiple stakeholders but limited hierarchy
• Strong hands-on experience with modern backend and web technologies (e.g. JavaScript/TypeScript, Angular, REST APIs)
• Cloud platforms and DevOps tooling (AWS, Docker, Jenkins, CI/CD pipelines)
• Relational databases and data platforms (PostgreSQL or similar)
• Deep understanding of software architecture, system design, security, and performance trade-offs
• Ability to review, improve, and occasionally write production-quality code
• Technically opinionated, pragmatic, and able to explain trade-offs clearly
• Bias toward execution and delivery over process for its own sake
• Comfortable going deep on problems and staying close to implementation
• Able to influence without heavy management structure
• Collaborative, low-ego partner to product, design, and business teams

Responsibilities

• Directly design, build, and evolve enterprise software applications, serving as a hands-on technical leader
• Own system architecture and technical direction across multiple platforms, with a strong bias toward pragmatic, scalable solutions
• Lead execution across concurrent initiatives by actively unblocking teams, reviewing designs and code, and ensuring delivery quality
• Play a key role in modernizing legacy systems, including cloud migration, platform consolidation, and technical debt reduction
• Set and model modern engineering practices (Agile, CI/CD, automation, testing) through direct involvement, not just process
• Partner closely with product, business, and executive stakeholders to translate strategy into concrete technical solutions
• Evaluate existing systems and make clear recommendations on where to modernize, refactor, or retire platforms
• Work hands-on with vendors and cloud partners, making build-vs-buy decisions and integrating third-party solutions when appropriate
• Establish practical engineering standards and guardrails, focusing on security, reliability, and maintainability
• Stay close to emerging technologies and assess real, near-term applicability to business problems

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits — health, dental and vision, 401(k) with company match, paid vacation and holidays, tuition reimbursement, an employee stock purchase plan and more.
• Growth based on achievement and promotion from within.
• Associate recognition (a company-wide recognition program that celebrates associate efforts and successes in contributing to the overall success of the organization – including destination awards, ‘AvalonBay’s Very Best’ recognition program and others!).
• A 20% discount on our incredible apartment homes.
• A culture built on purpose and our core values - A Commitment to Integrity, A Spirit of Caring, and A Focus on Continuous Improvement.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior