Salesforce

Principal Software Engineer, Salesforce & Data

Salesforce$237K — $344K *
Enterprise Technology
11 - 15 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 12+ years in software, platform, or data engineering
  • Hands-on with Salesforce technologies like Apex, Lightning, APIs, MuleSoft, and Heroku
  • Experience building scale data platforms and data-intensive applications
  • Expertise in Python, SQL, and modern data processing practices
  • Background in designing ETL/ELT pipelines with Airflow or similar tools
  • Proficient in integrating apps with data ecosystems using cloud-native services
  • Experience developing AI-powered tools using platforms like Claude Code and GitHub Copilot

Responsibilities

  • Define technical strategy for CRM, Data 360, and AI engineering initiatives
  • Architect and build applications on Salesforce Core and cloud-native services
  • Design enterprise data products and data pipelines
  • Create scalable integrations across Salesforce apps and external systems
  • Develop AI tools and frameworks for engineering productivity
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to determine platform roadmaps
  • Establish engineering standards for data quality and operational excellence
  • Mentor engineers and lead complex production investigations

Benefits

  • Opportunities for mentoring and leadership
  • Focus on innovative AI tools and engineering productivity
  • Cross-team collaboration with product managers and architects
  • Work on large-scale and impactful enterprise applications
  • Exposure to cutting-edge technologies in CRM and data engineering
Full Job Description

To get the best candidate experience, please consider applying for a maximum of 3 roles within 12 months to ensure you are not duplicating efforts.

Job Category

Software Engineering

Job Details

The Experience

Salesforce is building the next generation of intelligent customer and business platforms by combining CRM, enterprise data, automation, and AI. As part of this vision, we are investing in a unified engineering ecosystem that spans Salesforce applications, Data 360, customer data platforms, enterprise integrations, and AI-powered developer experiences.

We are seeking a highly motivated, hands-on Principal Member of Technical Staff (PMTS) who brings a rare combination of software engineering, data engineering, and AI expertise. This role is ideal for a technical leader who can seamlessly operate across CRM applications, enterprise integrations, data platforms, and modern AI-powered development environments.

You will help define the technical strategy for critical business capabilities while building scalable systems that connect transactional applications with enterprise data platforms. Just as importantly, you will be a force multiplier for engineering productivity by leveraging modern AI development platforms to accelerate software delivery and developer efficiency.

What You'll Actually Be Doing

  • Define and drive technical strategy across Salesforce CRM, Data 360, enterprise data platforms, and AI-enabled engineering initiatives.

  • Architect and build large-scale applications using Salesforce Core, Apex, Lightning Platform, MuleSoft, Heroku, APIs, and cloud-native services.

  • Design and implement enterprise data products, data pipelines, and data services supporting customer, account, marketing, and operational use cases.

  • Build scalable integrations between Salesforce applications, Data 360, Snowflake, enterprise data warehouses, and external systems using APIs, streaming, and event-driven architectures.

  • Design and develop AI-powered engineering accelerators, developer tools, code generation frameworks, testing automation solutions, and operational tooling using Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, GitHub Copilot, and agentic AI technologies.

  • Partner closely with Product Managers, Architects, Data Engineers, and Software Engineers to define platform roadmaps and long-term architectural direction.

  • Drive the design of highly scalable data processing frameworks leveraging Airflow, Python, SQL, streaming technologies, CDC patterns, and modern cloud-native architectures.

  • Establish engineering standards for data quality, observability, platform reliability, governance, and operational excellence.

  • Mentor senior engineers and provide technical leadership across multiple teams and business domains.

  • Lead complex production investigations spanning applications, integrations, data pipelines, and platform services.

You're Our Person If...

  • 12+ years of experience across software engineering, platform engineering, data engineering, or enterprise application development.

  • Strong hands-on experience building applications on Salesforce technologies including Apex, Lightning Platform, CRM, APIs, MuleSoft, and Heroku.

  • Strong experience building enterprise-scale data platforms, data products, data pipelines, and data-intensive applications.

  • Deep expertise in Python, SQL, distributed data processing, orchestration frameworks, and modern data engineering practices.

  • Experience designing and operating large-scale ETL/ELT pipelines using Airflow or similar orchestration technologies.

  • Proven experience integrating application platforms with enterprise data ecosystems using APIs, streaming technologies, event-driven architectures, and cloud-native services.

  • Demonstrated experience building AI-powered developer tools, engineering productivity platforms, or software delivery accelerators using modern AI platforms such as Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, GitHub Copilot, or equivalent technologies.

  • Strong understanding of Generative AI, agentic workflows, MCP frameworks, and practical applications of AI within enterprise software engineering organizations.

  • Ability to influence technical direction across multiple teams and organizations while remaining deeply hands-on.

  • Proven ability to take complex technical initiatives from concept through production deployment.

Even Better If...

  • Experience with Salesforce Data Cloud (Data360), Customer 360, Identity Resolution, Data Modeling, Segmentation, Activations, or Customer Data Platforms.

  • Experience building marketing technology, personalization, customer engagement, or campaign management applications.

  • Experience with Snowflake, Databricks, Kafka, CDC frameworks, and modern cloud data platforms.

  • Experience building customer identity, profile, account hierarchy, master data, or knowledge graph solutions.

  • Experience with Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), vector databases, AI agents, semantic search, or AI-native application architectures.

  • Experience building internal developer platforms, engineering productivity systems, CI/CD automation, or product engineering solutions.

  • Experience working across both application engineering and data engineering domains at enterprise scale.

At Salesforce, we believe in equitable compensation practices that reflect the dynamic nature of labor markets across various regions. The typical base salary range for this position is $197,300 - $313,700 annually. In select cities within the San Francisco and New York City metropolitan area, the base salary range for this role is $237,700 - $344,700 annually. The range represents base salary only, and does not include company bonus, incentive for sales roles, equity or benefits, as applicable.



About Salesforce

ExactTarget is a provider of on-demand email marketing software solutions. Their suite of on-demand one-to-one marketing applications enables clients to send business-critical and event-triggered communications to increase sales, optimize marketing investments, and strengthen customer relationships. They offer four editions of their on-demand software application along with integrated solutions such as ExactTarget for AppExchange and ExactTarget for [Microsoft](/organization/Microsoft) Dynamics CRM.

Salesforce Careers

Joining Salesforce means becoming part of a dynamic, global team of professionals who are deeply committed to driving customer success and innovation. As the world's leading Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform, Salesforce offers unparalleled job opportunities in technology and consulting, making it an ideal place for ambitious individuals looking to make a significant impact.

Work You'll Do

At Salesforce, every position is a chance to leverage your skills and creativity to transform businesses and industries. Our diverse team of experts collaborates to deliver cutting-edge solutions that foster growth and enhance leadership capabilities. By joining our team, you'll be at the forefront of digital innovation, using Salesforce's powerful platform to help clients navigate their transformation journeys.

Innovate and Lead

Salesforce is not just a company; it's a community where you can lead with your ideas and see them come to life. Our culture of innovation encourages you to challenge the status quo and push the boundaries of what's possible. With Salesforce, you'll work alongside leaders in technology and business who are committed to your growth and professional development.

Career Growth and Opportunities

Whether you're looking for an internship, a full-time position, or leadership roles, Salesforce provides a wealth of opportunities to advance your career. Our commitment to professional growth is reflected in our robust training programs, including leadership development and diversity training, designed to help you excel at every stage of your career.

Be Part of a Great Team

Salesforce prides itself on a culture that values diversity, teamwork, and open communication. We believe that our strength lies in our people, and we're committed to creating an environment where everyone can thrive. Joining our team means being part of a supportive community that encourages networking and collaboration.

Benefits and Culture

At Salesforce, we understand that job satisfaction extends beyond the office. That's why we offer competitive benefits to support the health, well-being, and financial security of our employees and their families. From health insurance and retirement plans to wellness programs and flexible working arrangements, we provide the benefits that contribute to a better work-life balance.

Explore Job Opportunities

Ready to take the next step in your career? Explore the wide range of employment opportunities at Salesforce. From technical roles to customer engagement positions, we are continuously hiring talented individuals who are passionate about making a difference.

Stay Connected

Keep up to date with the latest at Salesforce by following our careers blog. Gain insights from the people who work here and learn how you can bring your career to the next level with Salesforce.

Apply Now

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Learn more about Salesforce
Size
73,541 employees
Market Cap
$130.4 billion
Industry
Net Income
$4 billion
Founded
2000
5 Year Trend
+25.7%
Revenue
$21.2 billion
NASDAQ

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