Abbott

Principal Software Engineer

Abbott$129K — $258K *
Healthcare
11 - 15 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's Degree in a relevant field or 12 years of experience in a related role.
  • Expert in one or more object-oriented programming languages.
  • Experience with RESTful web services and relational databases.
  • Familiarity with cloud-based frameworks (e.g., Azure, AWS).
  • Proficient in Agile development tools like JIRA and Confluence.
  • Knowledgeable in programming languages including C, Java, Python, and SQL.

Responsibilities

  • Apply expert knowledge and independent judgment to complex initiatives.
  • Troubleshoot and diagnose high-complexity software issues.
  • Provide guidance and coaching to engineering teams.
  • Design robust platforms in collaboration with product teams.
  • Drive quality in platforms that influence departmental delivery.
  • Communicate enterprise and technical strategies effectively.
  • Build partnerships with IT leadership and stakeholders.

Benefits

  • Opportunity to work in a product-led IT Software Engineering team.
  • Engage with cross-functional teams and contribute to meaningful architectural evolution.
  • Flexibility to work nights and weekends as needed.
  • Supportive of an inclusive work environment and company values.
  • Professional development through complex projects and partnerships.
Full Job Description


JOB DESCRIPTION:

Position Overview
The Principal Software Engineer is a senior Individual Contributor and cross-cutting technical authority within our product-led IT Software Engineering team, focused on Digital Engineering and Integrations. This team owns the customer-facing portals that serve patients, providers, and payers, along with the integrations that power them. Reporting directly to the Director of Software Engineering, this role is less about managing work and more about elevating it, serving as a thought partner to Engineering Leaders, shaping architecture decisions, and raising the bar for how we build across all squads.

We are looking for someone who has operated at true enterprise scale and knows what it takes to make complex systems reliable, secure, and built to last. This person will challenge technical assumptions, champion non-functional requirements like performance, availability, and observability as first-class concerns, help ensure our engineering decisions support a consistent and scalable UX design system, and guide the team through meaningful architectural evolution, including scaling our platforms for international growth and applying modern team design principles to clarify ownership, reduce dependencies, and reduce friction across our portfolio.

Just as important as the technical depth is how this person shows up. The ideal candidate is a deep collaborator, someone who earns trust by embedding with teams, listens before they lead, and drives meaningful change by bringing people along with them.

This role is based in Madison, Wisconsin.

Essential Duties
Include, but are not limited to, the following:
  • Apply expert knowledge, skills, and practices to diverse programs and complex initiatives demonstrating creativity and mastery of specialized techniques, processes, procedures. Exercise independent judgment in methods, techniques, and evaluation criteria for obtaining results.
  • Troubleshoot, debug, and diagnose issues of high complexity for major software platforms.
  • Provide guidance to engineers and technical expertise and coaching to product team.
  • Design lasting platforms in collaboration with product teams on large scale business or technology project(s).
  • Drive the quality of platforms and organizational practices that impact and influence the department's delivery and approach.
  • Contribute, interpret, and communicate enterprise, technical, project, and operational strategies, taking into account company dynamics.
  • Build successful internal partnerships with IT leadership, peers, SMEs, stakeholders, and decision-makers. Manage vendor and external partnerships.
  • Work on projects of high complexity with multiple business units, ongoing acquisition integration activity, or large cross-functional program implementations.
  • Exercise independent judgment in methods, techniques and evaluation criteria that affect schedules, operations, and functional activities.
  • Ability to work nights and/or weekends, as needed.
  • Uphold company mission and values through accountability, innovation, integrity, quality, and teamwork.
  • Support and comply with the company's Quality Management System policies and procedures.
  • Maintain regular and reliable attendance.
  • Ability to act with an inclusion mindset and model these behaviors for the organization.


Minimum Qualifications
  • Bachelor's Degree in Data Science, Computer Science, Information Systems, Mathematics, or Engineering; or High School Diploma/General Education Degree and 12 years of relevant experience as outlined in the essential duties in lieu of Bachelor's Degree.
  • Expert in 1 or more object-oriented programming languages.
  • RESTful web services, Relational Databases (Postgres, SQL Server), and ORM technologies (JPA2, Hibernate, Entities Framework).
  • Designing and developing apps that access and or utilize cloud-based frameworks (e.g., Azure, Amazon AWS Services/SDKs, etc.).
  • Agile development tools; including, but not limited to, JIRA, Confluence repository.
  • Programming languages such as C, C++, Java, JavaScript, Python, SQL, PL/SQL, .NET, Google Web Toolkit.
  • Demonstrated ability to perform the essential duties of the position with or without accommodation.


Preferred Qualifications
  • Demonstrated experience assessing and designing systems for international scale, including data residency, localization, latency, and regulatory variance across multiple regions.
  • Experience defining and championing non-functional requirements (NFRs) such as performance, scalability, availability, observability, and security as first-class engineering concerns across multiple teams.
  • Experience leading or contributing to team design and domain ownership efforts, including service decomposition and establishing clear boundaries in complex enterprise environments.
  • Expertise with integration architecture patterns including HL7, FHIR, middleware technologies, and event-driven platforms such as Kafka.
  • Familiarity with UX design systems and the engineering practices that support consistent, scalable user experiences in a product-led organization.
  • Experience in healthcare, life sciences or other internationally regulated industries.


The base pay for this position is
$129,300.00 - $258,700.00
In specific locations, the pay range may vary from the range posted.

JOB FAMILY:
Product Development

DIVISION:
ONCO Cancer Diagnostics

LOCATION:
United States > Madison : 1 Exact Lane

ADDITIONAL LOCATIONS:

WORK SHIFT:
Standard

TRAVEL:
No

MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE:
No

SIGNIFICANT WORK ACTIVITIES:
Continuous sitting for prolonged periods (more than 2 consecutive hours in an 8 hour day), Keyboard use (greater or equal to 50% of the workday)

About Abbott

Abbott Careers

Joining Abbott means becoming part of a globally diverse team dedicated to making a lasting impact on human health. As a leader in healthcare innovation, Abbott provides a dynamic workplace where careers flourish through growth, leadership, and diversity training.

Opportunities at Abbott

Explore a world of opportunities with our team. Whether you're seeking job opportunities in engineering, marketing, research, or healthcare, Abbott offers a variety of positions that allow professionals to grow their careers. Our commitment to diversity and innovation is evident in every aspect of our work, fostering an inclusive culture that values each team member's contribution.

Work You'll Do

At Abbott, every role contributes to our mission of helping people live fuller lives through better health. From groundbreaking research in medical devices to advancements in pharmaceuticals, our team is at the forefront of healthcare innovation. By joining Abbott, you are not just accepting a job; you are embarking on a path of professional and personal growth.

Internship Programs

Kickstart your career with an Abbott internship. Our programs provide invaluable industry experience and a chance to develop essential skills in a real-world setting. Interns at Abbott work on projects that matter, gaining the experience and knowledge necessary to succeed in their future careers.

Professional Development

Abbott is dedicated to the continuous professional development of its employees. With access to cutting-edge technology, leadership programs, and diversity training, our team members are equipped to lead and innovate within the healthcare industry. We support your career journey with robust training programs, mentorship, and opportunities for networking and professional growth.

Benefits and Culture

Our employees enjoy comprehensive benefits designed to support their life and well-being. From health insurance to retirement plans, we ensure our team has everything they need to thrive. Abbott's culture is built on a foundation of respect and integrity, united by a shared commitment to improving health outcomes.

Join Our Team

Discover the impact you can make with a career at Abbott. We are hiring individuals who are passionate, curious, and driven to lead. Search open positions that match your skills and interests on our Jobs page. Prepare your resume, sharpen your interview skills, and get ready to join a team that's at the cutting edge of healthcare solutions.

Stay Connected

Keep up to date with career tips, industry insights, and company news—all from the people who work here. Subscribe to our Careers Blog and personalize your subscription to receive job alerts and insider tips tailored to your preferences.

Explore Abbott

With a commitment to improving life through innovation, leadership, and diversity, Abbott is a place where you can fulfill your potential. See what exciting and rewarding opportunities await at Abbott by exploring our career opportunities today.

SEARCH ABBOTT JOBS

Join us in our mission to make the world a healthier place through innovation, leadership, and diversity. Your journey to a fulfilling career at Abbott starts here.
Learn more about Abbott
Size
113,000 employees
Market Cap
$189 billion
Industry
Net Income
$4.4 billion
Founded
1944
5 Year Trend
+15.6%
Revenue
$34.6 billion
NASDAQ

Similar Jobs

More Jobs at Abbott

More Healthcare Jobs

Find similar Principal Software Engineer jobs: