Job Summary
Position title: Principal Software Engineer
Job Summary:We're hiring a Principal Software Engineer to set the technical direction and own the architecture of our core systems. This is a hands-on senior leadership role. You'll design and evolve foundational systems (APIs, data flows, infrastructure patterns, reliability standards) while acting as a force multiplier for the engineering team.
Responsibilities
What you'll own
• Platform-wide architecture across backend services and infrastructure
• Technical scoping and design for cross-cutting initiatives (EHR integrations, multi-tenancy, scaling)
• Reliability, scalability, and operational excellence
• Developer experience and internal tooling
• Engineering standards and best practices
• High-impact system redesigns and architectural improvements
• Engineering leverage through mentorship and code review
30/60/90-day plan
Days 0 to 30
• Deep dive into platform architecture, codebase, and infrastructure
• Audit scaling bottlenecks and reliability risks
• Build strong working relationships with the engineering team and clinical stakeholders
• Identify 2-3 high-leverage platform improvements
• Ship at least one meaningful architectural fix
Days 31-60
• Own the technical design for a major architectural initiative
• Refine or establish platform-wide engineering standards
• Improve observability and reliability patterns across services
• Begin scoping and architecting work for other engineers to execute
Days 61-90
• Recognized as the technical authority for your domain
• Delivering on your first major initiative
• Actively shaping the technical roadmap alongside product and leadership
• Mentoring engineers and raising the bar on code quality and design rigor
Qualifications
What we're looking for
• 7+ years of professional software engineering experience, with principal-level impact in at least one prior role
• Designed and operated large-scale distributed systems in production
• Strong backend engineering background; comfortable working across the full stack
• Excellent architectural judgment and ability to translate messy, real-world problems into clean technical designs
• Experience working in healthcare, EHR integrations, or compliance-heavy environments is a significant plus
• Comfortable owning systems end-to-end, from design through production operations
Our stack: Python (FastAPI), React/TypeScript, MSSQL, Redis, Azure (Container Apps, Static Web Apps, DevOps Pipelines), Terraform.
Nice to have
• Health tech experience or familiarity with EHR systems (eClinicalWorks, Ellkay, Redox, FHIR)
• Experience with HIPAA-compliant systems and healthcare data
• Experience scaling a multi-tenant SaaS platform
• Experience building clinical rules engines or decision support systems
• Public speaking or writing on technical topics
Location
Based in the Bronx, co-located with Essen Health Care. We sit next to the care coordinators, clinicians, and operators who use the platform every day and work in a community that we serve. Instead of scheduling a user research session, you can walk down the block and see someone using what you built.
Hybrid: 3 days on-site, 2 days remote.
Why this role
You'll shape the technical foundation of a platform that's live, growing, and directly improving healthcare for underserved communities.
