(USA) Principal, Software Engineer
About the role
The Principal Software (Data) Engineer – Tech leads the evolution of our Data Lake and enterprise data platform. This role defines architecture, standards, and engineering practices for scalable, reliable, and intelligent data systems. It designs and operates data pipelines, event streaming applications, and large-scale platforms for analytics, operations, and AI-driven experiences. The engineer partners with teams across engineering, product, analytics, machine learning, and infrastructure to ensure a trusted, scalable, future-ready data ecosystem. The role also advances AI-ready data enablement and uses AI tools to improve productivity, delivery, and operational effectiveness.
About the team
The Data Engineering team for the Vizio Datalake drives a data-first approach to support key business and product goals. The team ensures data quality, governance, visibility, and accessibility to enable reliable analytics and faster decision-making. Collaborating across functions, members design and implement scalable technical solutions while maintaining strong standards for data integrity. Leveraging expertise in cloud architecture, system design, and problem-solving, the team delivers impactful results that advance organizational objectives and continuous improvement. This environment fosters innovation, technical excellence, and cross-functional collaboration.
Responsibilities
- Lead large, cross-functional engineering projects from requirements gathering through design and delivery
- Provide technical leadership, collaboration, and clear communication across teams
- Conduct design and code reviews to ensure quality and architectural alignment
- Design scalable, high-availability, high-performance data platforms
- Contribute hands-on while influencing architecture and technical direction
- Solve complex technical problems across structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data
- Work in cloud-native environments
- Mentor others and drive continuous improvement
- Build AI-ready, discoverable, context-rich data foundations
- Apply AI tools in engineering workflows for code generation, pipeline acceleration, documentation, debugging, testing, or operational support
Requirements
- Strong technical leadership, communication, and collaboration skills
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a passion for mentoring others
- Proficiency in Python, SQL, and PySpark
- Experience with SQL/NoSQL databases
- Experience designing and implementing ETL/ELT at scale
- Hands-on experience managing batch, streaming, and real-time data pipelines
- Hands-on experience with AWS, GCP, Databricks, Snowflake, Spark, Kafka, and Airflow
- Understanding of distributed processing and in-memory computation
- Strong software engineering practices
- Experience with data observability, schema design, and governance
- A strong understanding of how data foundations enable AI at scale, including AI-ready, discoverable, context-rich data
- A pragmatic approach to using AI to improve engineering productivity and quality
- Comfort contributing hands-on while shaping architecture and technical direction
Qualifications
Option 1: Bachelor’s degree in computer science, computer engineering, computer information systems, software engineering, or related area and 5 years’ experience in software engineering or related area.
Option 2: 7 years’ experience in software engineering or related area.
Preferred Qualifications
Master’s degree in computer science, computer engineering, computer information systems, software engineering, or related area and 3 years’ experience in software engineering or related area.
We value candidates with a background in creating inclusive digital experiences, demonstrating knowledge in implementing Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 AA standards, assistive technologies, and integrating digital accessibility seamlessly.
Pay
The annual salary range for this position is $121,000.00 – $242,000.00. Additional compensation includes annual or quarterly performance bonuses. Additional compensation for certain positions may also include stock awards.
Benefits
- Health benefits: medical, vision and dental coverage
- Financial benefits: 401(k), stock purchase and company-paid life insurance
- Paid time off benefits: PTO (including sick leave), parental leave, family care leave, bereavement, jury duty, and voting
- Other benefits: short-term and long-term disability, company discounts, Military Leave Pay, adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement
You will also receive PTO and/or PPTO that can be used for vacation, sick leave, holidays, or other purposes. The amount you receive depends on your job classification and length of employment. It will meet or exceed the requirements of paid sick leave laws, where applicable.
Live Better U is a Walmart-paid education benefit program for full-time and part-time associates in Walmart and Sam’s Club facilities. Programs range from high school completion to bachelor’s degrees, including English Language Learning and short-form certificates. Tuition, books, and fees are completely paid for by Walmart. Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to a specific plan or program terms.