Principal Software Engineer – Reston, Cambridge

Akamai Technologies

. Architect complex distributed software systems and author technical blueprints to eliminate operational toil .

Posted 10/31/2026full-timeRemote • Massachusetts • United StatesLead💰 $169,300 - $304,700 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in architecting complex distributed software systems and integrating Site Reliability Engineering principles into web applications and APIs. Proven ability to mentor engineering teams and establish development standards while ensuring system resilience and operational efficiency.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Architecting Distributed Software SystemsFull-Stack Web Application DevelopmentPython, JavaScript, SQL, Ruby, PHP ExpertiseCI/CD Pipelines and Automated TestingSite Reliability Engineering Principles

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Full-Stack Web Application DevelopmentAPIs DevelopmentMicroservices ArchitecturePythonJavaScriptSQLRubyPHPCI/CD PipelinesAutomated Testing

Soft Skills

Mentoring Engineering TeamsCollaborative Technical Culture

Tools & Technologies

LinuxUnixContainerizationRevision Control Workflows

Industry Keywords

Service Level ObjectivesSite Reliability EngineeringToil ReductionRoot-Cause AnalysisTechnical Blueprints

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

JavaScriptLinuxMicroservicesPHPPythonRubySQLUnix

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Architect complex distributed software systems and author technical blueprints to eliminate operational toil
Establish development standards, pull request review frameworks, and Service Level Objectives to maintain system resilience
Design deployment safety pipelines, continuous integration workflows, and automated testing frameworks for secure production releases
Serve as the Tier-3 escalation authority for complex application failures and lead postmortem reviews
Mentor engineering teams on system design while cultivating an inclusive and collaborative technical culture
Integrate Site Reliability Engineering principles into web applications, APIs, and automation platforms
Build specialty tooling to maintain globally distributed infrastructure

Requirements

What you’ll need

12 years of relevant experience
Bachelor's degree
Experience developing full-stack web applications, APIs, and microservices in Linux or Unix environments
Expertise in Python, JavaScript, SQL, Ruby, or PHP
Knowledge of CI/CD pipelines, containerization, automated testing, and revision control workflows
Grounding in SRE principles, including SLI/SLO tracking, toil reduction, and root-cause analysis
Success creating architectural blueprints, evaluating emerging technologies, and mentoring engineering peers
US Citizenship
Eligible to undergo the required security clearance process; an active clearance is not required

Benefits

Comp & perks

Healthcare
401K savings plan
Company holidays
Vacation (in the form of PTO)
Sick time
Parental leave
Employee assistance program
Mental wellness benefits
Financial wellness benefits
Annual bonus or incentives
Equity awards
Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP)
Flexible work at home, in an office, or a combination of both