Principal Engineer & Director of Engineering (Python & RoR)

Principal Engineer & Director of Engineering (Python & RoR)

Job Summary:

We are looking for a highly skilled Principal Engineer & Director of Engineering who thrives in a fast-paced, hands-on development environment. This role combines active coding with technical leadership, making it ideal for someone who can jump into a codebase, get it running, and start delivering improvements immediately.

As a key technical leader, you will report directly to the CTO, drive software development best practices, and mentor engineers—all while contributing code to Python (FastAPI/Litestar) and Ruby on Rails projects. This is a rare opportunity to shape a growing engineering team in a startup within a Fortune 500 company, with strong funding and significant career growth potential.

Key Responsibilities:

• Active coding in Python (FastAPI, Litestar) and Ruby on Rails, delivering high-impact features.
• Quickly ramp up on unfamiliar codebases, debug issues, and deploy improvements autonomously.
• Lead system architecture decisions, optimize performance, and enforce best practices.
• Own PostgreSQL database architecture and scaling strategies.
• Guide DevOps-lite functions, including CI/CD pipelines (GitHub Actions), Linux system administration, and deployment workflows.
• Conduct code reviews, debugging, and system design discussions to maintain high-quality engineering output.
• Mentor and manage engineers, fostering technical excellence and rapid development cycles.
• Evaluate and implement emerging technologies that enhance performance and scalability.
• Work cross-functionally to align engineering priorities with business objectives.

Who You Are:

• 10+ years of software engineering experience, with at least 5 years in a leadership role.
• Proven ability to dive into a new codebase, troubleshoot issues, and deliver improvements independently.
• Expertise in Python (FastAPI, Litestar preferred) and Ruby on Rails.
• Strong background in PostgreSQL performance tuning, indexing, and query optimization.
• Solid experience with CI/CD pipelines, GitHub Actions, and Linux-based deployments.
• Comfortable working in fast-paced, high-growth environments where self-sufficiency is key.
• Strong mentoring skills, with a track record of developing high-performing engineering teams.
• Excellent problem-solving abilities and a hands-on approach to leadership.

Nice to Have:

• Experience with modern JavaScript frameworks (React, Vue, etc.).
• Familiarity with containerization tools (Docker, Kubernetes).
• Experience in enterprise API integrations and legacy system transitions.
• Prior experience in startups or high-growth environments.

Why Join Us?

• Hands-on leadership role with significant influence on engineering direction.
• A fast-moving, startup-like environment backed by Fortune 500 resources.
• The opportunity to scale engineering operations and grow into a VP-level role.
• A team that values technical excellence, speed, and innovation.

If you're an engineering leader who still loves to code, can take ownership of technical challenges, and want to be part of an agile, well-funded team, we'd love to hear from you.