Principal Software Developer

Principal Software Developer, Lightspeed Retail

Are you actively looking for a new opportunity? As a hands-on Principal Software Developer, you will guide the design and architecture of critical system components for the flagship Lightspeed Retail product, utilized by thousands of global merchants. You will personally contribute to key system parts to deliver innovative solutions that meet customer needs and uplevel engineering craft across the organization.

Key Responsibilities

• Ensure that systems built for new initiatives are well-designed and highly scalable.
• Analyze existing systems and infrastructure landscape, identifying opportunities to improve architecture, reduce duplication, and enhance system performance and robustness.
• Identify key recurring patterns leading to incidents and non-project overhead, developing strategic plans to address them.
• Drive significant improvements in systems reliability and performance.
• Improve development practices, spanning design reviews, testing, deployment, and incident management.
• Conduct architectural deep-dives and mentor key members across all service teams.
• Develop a high-performance culture within the Retail organization as a senior engineering team member.
• Contribute as part of the wider team to achieve organizational objectives.

Required Experience and Skills

• 15+ years of professional experience in software development.
• 5+ years of experience serving as a technical leader for multiple teams.
• 2+ years of experience managing architecture across multiple teams (35+ engineers).
• Proven history of developing business-critical systems at scale, designed to run on the cloud.
• Track record of delivering key business outcomes, even under challenging timelines.
• Experience across more than one technology stack (e.g., Go, PHP, Java, RoR, Python).
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey complex ideas concisely.
• Ability to moderate technical conversations, manage diverse opinions, and make quick, informed decisions.

Preferred Qualifications (Bonus Skills)

• Expertise in distributed systems and building multi-region systems for the cloud.
• Deep expertise in domain-driven software development.
• Ability to lead and guide a team of engineers while maintaining personal contribution.
• Retail or Ecommerce domain experience.
• Experience with people management responsibilities.

Who You Are

• You possess a passion for software development and maintain a customer-focused mindset.
• You are a team player who collaborates effectively and helps grow fellow developers.
• You understand the necessity for constant improvement, self-growth, and accountability.
• You step up to lead features, solve complex problems, and research new technologies.
• You set ambitious goals and act with a sense of urgency and focus.

What’s In It For You (Benefits & Perks)

• Join a growing team with opportunities for advancement.
• Amazing benefits and perks, including equity for all Lightspeeders.
• Constant development of both your skill-set and business acumen with limitless growth opportunities.
• High degree of autonomy and a flexible work culture.
• Innovation time dedicated to exploration and learning at work.
• Opportunity to shape the company by joining cultural and technical committees.
• Tons of growth opportunities into technical or people management roles.
• Opportunity to join a fast-paced, high-growth company.
• Opportunity to learn, expand your skill set, forge wonderful relationships, and make your mark within the diverse and inclusive Lightspeed family.

Compensation and Benefits Summary:

We reasonably expect the total compensation for this position (for candidates hired to perform work within Ontario) to be in the range of $210,000 - $235,000 CAD. Lightspeed provides a variety of employee benefits including, but not limited to: medical, dental, wellness, life and disability insurance, RRSP plan and match, paid parental leave top-up, and paid time off.

Additional benefits include:

• Lightspeed equity scheme (we are all owners).
• Flexible paid time off and remote work policies.
• Health insurance.
• Contributions to your pension plan (RRSP).
• Health and wellness benefit of $500 per year.
• Paid leave and assistance for new parents.
• Mental health online platform and counseling & coaching services.
• Training opportunities to grow your skills and career.
• Volunteer day.
• Fully stacked kitchen (hot and cold beverages, meals served) and happy hours (where applicable).