About the position
Docusign brings agreements to life. Over 1.5 million customers and more than a billion people in over 180 countries use Docusign solutions to accelerate the process of doing business and simplify people's lives. With intelligent agreement management, Docusign unleashes business-critical data that is trapped inside of documents. Until now, these were disconnected from business systems of record, costing businesses time, money, and opportunity. Using Docusign's Intelligent Agreement Management platform, companies can create, commit, and manage agreements with solutions created by the #1 company in e-signature and contract lifecycle management (CLM). We are seeking a highly skilled Principal Software Engineer who can architect and deliver complex enterprise applications from the ground up. This leadership role demands a thorough understanding and hands-on experience of the full technology stack-encompassing front-end, middleware, and backend services-as well as exposure to leading SaaS solutions like Salesforce, Conga, Oracle, Workday and Docusign. An essential component of this position involves integrating AI capabilities, including Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) frameworks and vector databases, to bolster innovation and drive tangible business outcomes. Acting as a trusted authority, the Principal Software Engineer will present clear technical strategies to executives, collaborate with Enterprise Architecture and Product Management, and mentor diverse engineering teams. By contributing, augmenting and championing a 'builder framework' for application development and maintenance, you will shape a future state Enterprise Applications technology footprint. The successful candidate will be a visionary leader adept at modern, modular design, who can confidently influence technical direction, streamline application deprecation strategies, and ensure that the entire transaction lifecycle-from user interaction to backend processing-operates with optimal security, scalability, and performance.
Responsibilities
- Own and drive the architectural vision for the organization, ensuring alignment with business objectives and technology standards
- Provide authoritative guidance on best practices, technology selection, and framework adoption to engineering teams and executive stakeholders
- Collaborate with Enterprise Architecture to ensure coherence with broader organizational technology initiatives
- Think about how to solve problems at scale and build fault-tolerant systems, continually evaluating new technologies for potential impact
- Identify and build proof-of-concepts (POCs) to address technical challenges and recommend scalable, sustainable solutions
- Architect end-to-end business applications, encompassing front-end (UI/UX), middleware (APIs, integrations), and backend (databases, services)
- Evaluate off-the-shelf SaaS solutions (Salesforce, Conga, Oracle, etc.) versus in-house development, advising on optimal strategies to meet business needs
- Develop testable, high-quality, and ship-ready code with ample test coverage, ensuring robust and maintainable solutions
- Work as part of a cross-site development team to drive the design, implementation, testing, and release of products, maintaining high engineering standards
- Integrate AI technologies, including Retrieval-Augmented Generation, into application design to improve functionality, user experience, and operational efficiency
- Provide technical expertise on AI-driven solutions, including data pipelines, model training/integration, vector databases, and orchestration of intelligent services
- Stay current with emerging AI technologies, recommending their adoption where it aligns with business goals
- Present software engineering strategies and solutions to executives, translating complex technical concepts into clear, actionable insights
- Influence and mentor cross-functional engineering teams, promoting best practices and driving adoption of new frameworks and technologies
- Foster collaboration with Product Management, ensuring architectural decisions align with product roadmaps and strategic objectives
- Mentor and guide other senior and lead engineers and architects, ensuring consistent technical excellence and alignment across the organization
- Define and implement a 'builder framework' that standardizes processes, tools, and libraries, accelerating development and improving quality
- Champion the adoption of the builder framework across teams, providing training and support to drive organization-wide adoption
- Collaborate with IT leadership on application footprint strategy, defining application deprecation plans, modernization timelines, and ROI analysis
- Design modular, service-oriented architectures that enable incremental updates, scalability, and flexible deployment strategies
- Establish and maintain clear principles for system interoperability, data governance, and extensibility
- Analyze and optimize the full transaction lifecycle, from user interaction through backend processes and data persistence
- Ensure systems are designed with reliability, performance, and security in mind, considering both current and future requirements
Requirements
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field; or equivalent experience
- 15+ years of professional software development experience, with at least 5 years in an architectural or senior technical leadership role
- 5+ years of experience working as a software architect or principal engineer
- Experience working with C#, Java, Java Script, or other modern programming languages
Nice-to-haves
- Proven track record of building and deploying large-scale, enterprise-grade applications, preferably using microservices and cloud-native architecture
- Involvement in the design and operation of large-scale cloud services
- Expertise in at least one major front-end framework (React, Angular, Vue) and one backend technology (Java, .NET, Node.js, etc.)
- Strong understanding of AI/ML concepts, including practical implementation of Retrieval-Augmented Generation frameworks
- Experience with vector databases (e.g., Pinecone, Weaviate, Milvus) and their role in AI-driven solutions
- Deep expertise on Lead to Cash, Record to Report, Procure to Pay processes
- Knowledge of RESTful APIs, GraphQL and asynchronous messaging systems
- Familiarity with middleware (Mulesoft, OCI/OIC, AWS Services, iPaaS) for seamless integrations and data flow
- Familiarity with CI/CD tools, containerization (Docker), and orchestration platforms (Kubernetes)
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to convey complex technical solutions to both engineering teams and senior executives
- Proven ability to influence and drive consensus across diverse stakeholder groups
- Experience mentoring architects and developers, promoting best practices and continuous improvement
- Strong conceptual understanding of enterprise architecture principles and governance
- Ability to define application deprecation strategies, factoring in business and technology drivers
- Forward-thinking approach to emerging trends, ensuring solutions remain cutting-edge and future-ready
- Demonstrated record of crafting innovative solutions that solve complex business challenges
- Ability to break down ambiguous problems into actionable steps and guide teams to effective resolutions
Benefits
- Paid Time Off: earned time off, as well as paid company holidays based on region
- Paid Parental Leave: take up to six months off with your child after birth, adoption or foster care placement
- Full Health Benefits Plans: options for 100% employer paid and minimum employee contribution health plans from day one of employment
- Retirement Plans: select retirement and pension programs with potential for employer contributions
- Learning and Development: options for coaching, online courses and education reimbursements
- Compassionate Care Leave: paid time off following the loss of a loved one and other life-changing events
