Principal Software Engineer

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.

This position is an individual contributor role reporting to the Sr. Director, Enterprise Applications.

Responsibility

• 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

Hybrid: Employee divides their time between in-office and remote work. Access to an office location is required. (Frequency: Minimum 2 days per week; may vary by team but will be weekly in-office expectation)

Positions at Docusign are assigned a job designation of either In Office, Hybrid or Remote and are specific to the role/job. Preferred job designations are not guaranteed when changing positions within Docusign. Docusign reserves the right to change a position's job designation depending on business needs and as permitted by local law.

Basic

• 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

Preferred

• 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

Pay$195,500.00 - $315,775.00 for this position is based on a number of factors including geographic location and may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

Based on applicable legislation, the below details pay ranges in the following locations:

California: $195,500.00 - $315,775.00 base salary

This role is also eligible for the following:

• Bonus: Sales personnel are eligible for variable incentive pay dependent on their achievement of pre-established sales goals. Non-Sales roles are eligible for a company bonus plan, which is calculated as a percentage of eligible wages and dependent on company performance.
• Stock: This role is eligible to receive Restricted Stock Units (RSUs).

Global benefits provide options for the following:

• 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

Working here

Docusign is committed to building trust and making the world more agreeable for our employees, customers and the communities in which we live and work. You can count on us to listen, be honest, and try our best to do what's right, every day. At Docusign, everything is equal.

We each have a responsibility to ensure every team member has an equal opportunity to succeed, to be heard, to exchange ideas openly, to build lasting relationships, and to do the work of their life. Best of all, you will be able to feel deep pride in the work you do, because your contribution helps us make the world better than we found it. And for that, you'll be loved by us, our customers, and the world in which we live.

Accommodation

Docusign is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities in our job application procedures. If you need such an accommodation, or a religious accommodation, during the application process, please contact us at accommodations@docusign.com.

If you experience any issues, concerns, or technical difficulties during the application process please get in touch with our Talent organization at taops@docusign.com for assistance.

Applicant and Candidate Privacy Notice

This position is not eligible for employment in the following states: Alaska, Hawaii, Maine, Mississippi, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia and Wyoming.

It's important to us that we build a talented team that is as diverse as our customers and where all employees feel a deep sense of belonging and thrive. We encourage great talent who bring a range of perspectives to apply for our open positions. Docusign is an Equal Opportunity Employer and makes hiring decisions based on experience, skill, aptitude and a can-do approach. We will not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, color, age, sex, religion, national origin, ancestry, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, physical or mental disability, registered domestic partner status, caregiver status, marital status, veteran or military status, or any other legally protected category.

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