Principal Software Engineer (Java Full Stack with Cloud)

About the job

Overview: At Zebra, we are a community of innovators who come together to create new ways of working. United by curiosity and a culture of caring, we develop smart solutions that anticipate our customer’s and partner’s needs and solve their challenges.

Being part of Zebra Nation means you are seen, heard, valued, and respected. Drawing from our unique perspectives, we collaborate to deliver on our purpose. Here you are part of a team pushing boundaries today to redefine the work of tomorrow for organizations, their employees, and those they serve.

You’ll have opportunities to learn and lead in a forward-thinking environment, defining your path to a fulfilling career while channeling your skills toward causes you care about—locally and globally.

Come make an impact every day at Zebra.

What We're Looking For: As a Principal Software Engineer at Zebra, you will act as a key technical leader and full-stack developer, shaping the future of our enterprise device and cloud solutions. Under consultative direction, you will be entrusted to determine and pursue courses of action essential to achieving our predetermined long-range targets. This is a hands-on, full-stack software engineering leadership role, not a DevOps or IT infrastructure position. We are seeking a master-level engineer who will personally research, architect, design, and write production-grade code for our most complex and real-time cloud solutions. You will also maintain the critical software for our products and systems, acting as a technical leader who builds and delivers enterprise-grade platforms from the ground up. A key aspect of your work will involve performing complex system integration of software and hardware to ensure program consistency and maintain system throughput. Beyond coding, you will develop, validate, and test system structures and user documentation to ensure we deliver robust, high-quality, and well-documented solutions.

Candidates whose experience is primarily in DevOps, SRE, or cloud administration will not be considered for this position. Essential Duties and Responsibilities: •  Architects, designs, and oversees the development of cloud software solutions for highly complex technical projects, ensuring alignment with business and technical strategies and highly decoupled microservices optimized for distributed cloud environments. •  Creates detailed software specifications and leads the technology roadmap process, recommending project approaches and long-term goals •  Champions innovation and cultivates creativity among team members, fostering an environment that attracts and retains top talent •  Leads and advises on all aspects of the software development lifecycle, prioritizing quality and continuous improvement •  Monitors competitor products and development strategies, ensuring the organization’s designs exceed industry standards •  Develops next-generation technologies and solutions in collaboration with other engineering disciplines, anticipating and addressing client needs before the competition •  Protects intellectual property by analyzing competitor patents and contributing to related organizational initiatives •  Serves as a thought leader, representing the organization as a spokesperson on specialized projects and programs •  Establishes formal networks and coordinates efforts across teams and organizational units to achieve shared objectives •  Acts as a prime consultant and advisor for projects impacting the organization’s long-term technical and business goals •  Provides strategic mentorship to senior engineers and management, fostering knowledge sharing and technical excellence •  Lead end-to-end development of high-performance cloud solutions, ensuring maximum reliability and system uptime. •  Leverage Google Cloud Platform (GCP) services to design, deploy, and continuously optimize cloud-native products. •  Build low-latency, real-time push notification and messaging systems for enterprise mobile devices and peripherals. •  Manage and tune highly scalable databases and storage layers (PostgreSQL, BigQuery, MongoDB, Pub/Sub, Cloud Storage) to guarantee data integrity and performance.

Job Requirements: • Bachelors Degree or Advanced Degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related engineering discipline • 10+ years of relevant full stack development experience with a Bachelors Degree or  7+ years of experience with an Advanced Degree • Expert hands-on experience in architecture, design, full-stack development, and coding is essential. Experience limited to DevOps will not qualify for this position.

Key Skills and Competencies: • Expertise in software architecture, system design, and scalable software solutions for enterprise-level applications • In-depth knowledge of multiple programming languages, advanced software development methodologies, and adopting GenAI in the Software Development Lifecycle • Proven ability to lead and influence cross-functional teams and drive complex, high impact projects to completion • Strong strategic thinking skills, with a focus on long-term technical and business goals • Exceptional innovation and creativity in solving complex challenges and developing novel solutions • Demonstrated ability to mentor and develop technical talent, fostering a culture of learning and growth • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with experience engaging with senior leadership and external customers • Familiarity with intellectual property protection, competitor analysis, and industry trends • Proven hands-on experience of 10+ years as a Cloud Solutions Engineer with multiple enterprise-grade solutions architected, designed, developed, and delivered. • Proven hands-on experience in architecting and developing highly scalable, multi-tenanted, and real-time solutions. • Proven hands-on experience with microservice architecture, design, and development. • Proven hands-on experience with containerization and orchestration tools like Docker and Kubernetes. • Proven hands-on experience with real-time push notifications for mobile devices and peripherals. • Extensive hands-on experience with Google Cloud Platform (GCP), including Compute Engine, Cloud Storage, Pub/Sub, Cloud Functions, Kubernetes Engine, and others. • Expertise in designing and managing highly scalable databases such as PostgreSQL, BigQuery, and MongoDB. • Excellent problem-solving skills, the ability to troubleshoot complex issues, and ability to work in a fast-paced environment. • Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively in a global team environment. • Strong programming skills in languages such as JavaScript and Java. • Solid understanding of networking concepts, security best practices, and cloud architecture patterns. • GCP Platform Deployment: Leverage Google Cloud Platform (GCP) services to design, deploy, and continuously optimize cloud-native products. • Real-Time Systems: Build low-latency, real-time push notification and messaging systems for enterprise mobile devices and peripherals. • Data & Database Systems: Manage and tune highly scalable databases and storage layers (PostgreSQL, BigQuery, MongoDB, Pub/Sub, Cloud Storage) to guarantee data integrity and performance. • Data Analytics Integration: Seamlessly integrate analytics and telemetry pipelines into cloud platforms to extract actionable system insights. • AI Integration in SDLC Adaptation: Drive the secure adoption of AI technologies (such as Claude and other LLMs) within the software development life cycle (SDL), ensuring code quality, security compliance, and prompt engineering best practices. • Leadership & Collaboration: Partner with cross-functional teams to translate business requirements into technical specs, and mentor junior engineers to drive continuous improvement. • Documentation & Stakeholder Reporting: Maintain comprehensive architectural designs and proactively report on project milestones, risks, and systems health.

Position Specific Information: • Travel Requirements: Up to 15% • Able to Telework?: Hybrid

Physical Demands: • Sedentary work that primarily involves sitting or standing

Benefits: We understand the importance of work-life balance and wellbeing, which is why we offer flexibility for our teams including: hybrid work, adaptable hours, Summer Flex Fridays, Focus Fridays, and an annual companywide well-being day to promote revitalization and success.

Job Posting Statement: To protect candidates from falling victim to online fraudulent activity involving fake job postings and employment offers, please be aware our recruiters will always connect with you via @zebra.com email accounts. Applications are only accepted through our applicant tracking system and only accept personal identifying information through that system. Our Talent Acquisition team will not ask for you to provide personal identifying information via e-mail or outside of the system. If you are a victim of identity theft contact your local police department.

AI Technology Statement: Zebra Technologies leverages AI technology to evaluate job applications using objective, job-relevant criteria. This approach enhances efficiency and promotes fairness in the hiring process. However, every decision regarding interviews and hiring is made by our dedicated team, because we believe people make the best decisions about people. For more on how we use technology in hiring and how we process applicant data, see our Zebra Privacy Policy .