Principal Software Engineer (BE)

About Nerdery and Being a “Nerd.”Nerdery is a digital product consultancy. Much more than consultants, we’re allies and guides on our clients’ digital journey – helping them to grow their business and delight their customers through intuitive, thoughtfully designed technology. As true partners, we prepare our clients for the opportunities in front of them, help them achieve their goals, and quickly deliver value for their customers. We do this by solving problems in creative ways across strategy, design, and technology. At Nerdery, we’re not defined by our job titles but by the impact we make. You’ll work directly and closely with some of the world’s best brands to help create innovative digital products that serve everyone. As Nerds, our insight, innovation, and expertise are celebrated, and our growth is not only encouraged but expected. Being a Nerd means stepping up and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. We are looking for a PRINCIPAL SOFTWARE ENGINEER (BE) to join our team! We invite you to check out the details below and consider whether becoming a Nerd is the next step in your career journey. The Principal Software Engineer utilizes their deep professional software engineering experience to oversee entire project life cycles while serving as a technical leader to their project team. Highly proficient in their craft, the Principal Software Engineer provides architectural direction and technical guidance to other engineers while being effective communicators with non-technical team members. The Principal Software Engineer is responsible for the overall technical quality of the product. Requirements:

• Undergraduate or graduate degree in a computer related field, coding bootcamp certificate, OR a thorough demonstration of self-taught software development skills
• 8+ years of software development experience
• 2-3+ years of application software architecture experience, including familiarity with common design patterns and approaches for solving typical application problems for their discipline
• Ability to write complex software and demonstrated proficiency in explaining the “why” behind code
• Strong technical communication acumen; can explain complex technical problems to technical and non-technical audiences (clients, project members, team members, peers, etc.)
• Strong understanding of the development process and ability to maintain an iterative approach throughout the project lifecycle
• Strong proficiency in C# and .NET development, including designing, building, and maintaining scalable, production-ready applications and services.
• Hands-on experience with Microsoft Azure, including developing, deploying, and maintaining cloud-based applications and services.
• AI-forward development mindset, with demonstrated experience incorporating AI-assisted development tools into daily software engineering workflows, including code generation, debugging, testing, and optimization.
• Proficiency in context and specification-driven AI development, including providing structured context, defining clear technical requirements, and validating AI-generated solutions for quality, security, and maintainability.

Preferred:

• Introductory systems architecture experience
• Has experience or demonstrates the ability to participate in client pitches
• Exposure to full stack applications and coding skills outside of your specialization
• Experience developing AI-powered applications, including LLM integrations, AI agents, agentic workflows, or AI orchestration frameworks.
• Experience participating in technical solutioning, including requirements discovery, solution design, technical feasibility assessments, and presenting proposed approaches to clients or stakeholders.

What You'll Do:

• Oversee the entire technical lifecycle of a product including, but not limited to software/language/framework decisions, breaking down features into technical stories, and production readiness
• Write and demonstrate comprehension of complex software using expert level understanding of code patterns, application architecture, and best practices
• Serve as the technical lead for a team of software engineers
• Own the technical quality of their product
• Leading fruitful discussions about and documenting architectural decisions
• Adapt the development process to fit the team and client needs
• Foster cross-functional collaboration as a technical liaison between engineering and other project disciplines (Design, Quality, Project Management, Strategy, Product, etc.).
• Own the technical review process for team members and provide ongoing technical feedback and recommendations
• Participate in the internal leadership of their respective domain; provide input to the strategic direction of the domain, assist with domain initiatives, and maintain best practices within the domain
• Utilize deep technical communication acumen to explain complex technical concerns across multiple levels of abstraction and audiences
• Assess the technical skills of prospective candidates and provide recommendations to hiring managers
• Provide ad-hoc technical support to other practitioners in the domain as needed
• Assist with sales requests as needed by providing technical recommendations and estimates to prospective clients
• Participate in other duties as assigned

Pay Range:

• $164,500-$200,000/per year

The pay range provided reflects the target compensation for this position, and individual pay within this range is determined by a variety of factors including, but not limited to, the candidate's relevant experience, specific skills, education, certifications, internal equity with comparable roles at our company, market conditions, and the geographic location of the role. We are committed to fair and equitable compensation practices, and we regularly review our pay structures to ensure competitiveness and alignment with industry standards. Our Benefits & Perks:We believe in supporting our Nerds with a truly comprehensive and competitive benefits package designed for flexibility and financial security.

• Health & Wellness: Choose from two comprehensive medical plans (including an HSA-eligible option), plus high-quality dental and vision insurance.
• Financial Security (Company-Paid): We provide peace of mind by fully covering the cost of several essential plans: Basic Life and AD&D Insurance, Short-Term Disability (STD), and Long-Term Disability (LTD) coverage.
• Comprehensive Support: Take advantage of discounted, employee-paid options to protect your family, pets, and assets, including Voluntary Life and AD&D, Accident, Critical Illness, and Hospital Indemnity insurance, Pet Insurance, and plans offering Legal Support and Identity Theft Protection.
• Retirement: We offer a 401(k) plan with a company match of up to 3.5% with immediate vesting.
• Time Off: Nerds enjoy flexible time off with Flex PTO that can be used for vacation, personal time, personal illness, or time off to care for dependents.
• Remote Work: Nerdery is a remote-friendly workplace. Our Minnesota office space is available for Nerds who prefer an in-office environment or collaborative setting.
• Professional Growth: All Nerds have dedicated resources and access to funds to pursue professional development, attend industry conferences, and obtain certifications.

What Skills Will Help You Be A Successful Nerd?

• Customer-Focused Execution and Communication: Excels at translating deep customer understanding into impactful work, ensuring that every project and decision delivers exceptional user value. Able to effectively explain technical decisions to non-technical stakeholders.
• Tenacious Problem-Solving: Relentlessly unravels complex problems, developing innovative solutions to overcome any challenge that stands in the way of progress.
• Integrity-Driven Work: Builds trust by consistently upholding high standards in all work and advocating for the right approach, ensuring quality and transparency.
• Collaborative Impact: Actively elevates the team's capabilities by fostering a collaborative environment, sharing knowledge, and prioritizing collective success over individual credit.
• End-to-End Ownership: Takes full accountability for an initiative's entire lifecycle, from concept to completion, ensuring the final result successfully achieves its intended goals.
• Dedication to Craftsmanship: Driven by a passion for their craft to continuously learn, deepen their expertise, and strive for excellence in their chosen field.

Physical Demands and Work EnvironmentThe physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable Accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions

• Sitting for extended periods: will spend significant time in meetings, presentations, and computer use.
• Occasional standing and walking: will need to move around during presentations and client interactions.
• Computer Use: Extensive use of a keyboard, mouse, and computer screen for extended periods. Ability to adjust focus between screen and documents.
• Public Speaking: requires public speaking, including presenting to clients.
• Reaching: Reaching for items on a desk, retrieving documents, or working with equipment is required.
• Lifting: Occasional lifting of light objects (e.g., laptops, peripherals) may be necessary.
• Office Environment: The work environment is primarily an office setting, with typical office equipment and noise levels.
• On-site client work: some work might involve on-site client visits and demonstrations, possibly requiring some walking and standing for extended periods.

Are We the Right Fit For You?The best way to get the scoop on whether Nerdery is the right place for you is to chat with current Nerds. We would be delighted to have a conversation with you and share insight into what it’s really like to work at our organization and if it’s a place where you can thrive. Our interview process will provide you ample opportunity to talk with other team members and assess whether the role is a good fit for your next chapter. Take the first step and apply today – our Talent Advocates will then reach out to you to get the ball rolling! Disclaimer:Must be legally authorized to work within the country of employment without sponsorship for employment visa status. Nerdery is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state and local fair employment practice laws. Nerdery strictly prohibits and does not tolerate discrimination against employees, applicants or any other covered persons because of race, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, gender (including gender nonconformity and status as a transgender or transsexual individual), pregnancy, marital status, familial status, age, physical or mental disability, citizenship, past, current or prospective service in the uniformed services, genetic information, membership or activity in a local human rights commission, status with regard to public assistance or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state or local law. All employees, other workers and representatives of Nerdery are prohibited from engaging in unlawful discrimination. Nerdery will ensure that all employment practices are free of such discrimination. Such employment practices include, but are not limited to: hiring, promotion, demotion, transfer, recruitment or recruitment advertising, selection, layoff, disciplinary action, termination, compensation, benefits, selection for training, including apprenticeship and other terms and conditions of employment. Nerdery will also provide reasonable accommodation to applicants and employees with disabilities pursuant to all applicable laws. Fraud Detection Notice and ConsentTo ensure a secure and fair hiring process, Nerdery works with third-party service providers, Gem and Tofu, to detect and prevent fraudulent applications (such as bot activity or identity misrepresentation).By submitting your application, you consent to the processing of your application data for these fraud detection purposes.How it works: Our systems perform an automated analysis of application metadata (e.g., IP addresses, email patterns, and submission characteristics) to identify potential fraud risk signals.Your Rights: We do not use these signals to make automated hiring decisions without human review. If you believe your application has been unfairly flagged, you have the right to request a manual review by contacting our recruiting team at [email protected]. For more details on how we protect your information, please contact us. Nerdery will never request a chat interview. All interviews are conducted either in person or through Google Meets. Additionally, Nerdery exclusively uses email addresses ending with @‌Nerdery.com If you have questions about any correspondence you receive regarding an opportunity at Nerdery, please reach out to [email protected].

Compensation

The base pay range for this role is $164,500 – $200,000 per year.

8+ years software development, 2-3+ years application architecture, strong C#/.NET and Microsoft Azure, AI-forward development mindset, degree or bootcamp certificate or self-taught skills, legal work authorization without sponsorship.

Key Responsibilities

• overseeing technical lifecycle
• leading engineering teams
• providing architectural direction

Skills & Tools

C#, .NET, Microsoft Azure

Job Details

• Category: Software Development
• Seniority: Senior Level
• Commitment: Full Time
• Workplace: Remote — Minneapolis or United States
• Salary: USD 164,500 – 200,000 / year
• Languages: English

Benefits

• 401k matching
• Generous paid time off
• Retirement plan

About Nerdery

A digital product consultancy that helps clients grow their business through intuitive, thoughtfully designed technology. — Industry: Information Technology