Principal Software Engineer

Role Overview

Join Dropbox as a Principal Software Engineer to shape and execute the organization’s intelligence (AI) vision. You will lead end-to-end design, development, and deployment of robust AI solutions while providing mentorship and technical guidance across teams.

Key Missions

• Define, drive, and communicate the technical vision for intelligence, AI, and data initiatives, ensuring alignment with CIT strategy and broader organizational goals.
• Lead the design, development, and deployment of high-performance AI systems, data pipelines, and intelligent services from conception through production.
• Serve as a trusted technical advisor to senior engineering leadership, influencing technical direction beyond CIT and collaborating with senior leadership across the company.

Responsibilities

• Lead large-scale, multi-team technical initiatives, especially in ambiguous/problem spaces, creating technical vision and driving impact without direct authority.
• Mentor engineers and raise the organization’s technical bar through design reviews, code reviews, and ongoing technical guidance.
• Apply strong architectural judgment and systems thinking to balance short-term delivery with long-term sustainability, scalability, and operational excellence.
• Influence across teams and disciplines through technical leadership, collaboration, and sound decision-making.
• Partner cross-functionally with product, design, infrastructure, and legal/privacy to deliver AI- or data-intensive products responsibly.

Requirements

• 12+ years of professional software engineering experience.
• Depth in areas such as intelligent workflows, enterprise-scale AI adoption, automation, or data engineering.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; can translate technical strategy for diverse audiences.
• Proven track record leading large-scale initiatives from conception to production.
• Strong coding ability in at least one AI/data language: Python, Java, Go, or Scala; hands-on experience building models, data pipelines, or production services.
• Experience operating in platform/infrastructure/internal tooling orgs; led or significantly influenced org-wide initiatives.
• Ability to navigate ambiguity and competing priorities; drive clarity and make sound technical/product tradeoffs with product managers.

Nice to Have

• Familiarity with AI-assisted development practices in large codebases.
• Experience representing engineering externally via talks, blogs, or industry events.

Benefits

Medical coverage, 401K retirement plan, paid time off, and additional benefits.