About the Role
We are seeking a highly accomplished Principal Software Engineer to serve as the foremost technical authority within our Product Engineering & Technology (PET) division. This is a hands-on leadership position for an exceptional software architect and engineering practitioner who will define the technical direction of our flagship cybersecurity products while driving the adoption of sovereign cryptography and Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) principles across our technology ecosystem.
The successful candidate will architect and deliver high-assurance software solutions that operate seamlessly across both enterprise environments and highly sensitive sovereign, air-gapped infrastructures. This individual will establish engineering standards, govern secure software development practices, and provide strategic technical leadership across the organization.
Sovereign Architecture & Backend Engineering
- Define and lead the architecture, development, and deployment of highly resilient backend services using Python and FastAPI.
- Establish and enforce engineering standards, coding practices, and architectural principles across the software development organization.
- Design scalable microservices architectures capable of operating in both connected and disconnected sovereign environments.
- Embed advanced cryptographic controls into applications, including:
- Sovereign cryptographic frameworks
- Secure key management implementations
- Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) readiness
- Secure data protection mechanisms for data in transit and at rest
- Ensure compliance with NCA Essential Cybersecurity Controls (ECC) and other applicable security frameworks.
Frontend Engineering & Systems Integration
- Lead the design and development of modern, highly responsive frontend platforms using Vue.js, JavaScript, and TypeScript.
- Architect seamless integration between application platforms and specialized cybersecurity hardware appliances deployed within Operational Technology (OT) environments.
- Ensure reliable real-time communication, synchronization, and data integrity across distributed systems.
- Drive frontend performance optimization, scalability, and maintainability across the CyProducts ecosystem.
Technical Leadership & Engineering Excellence
- Act as the highest technical escalation point for complex software engineering challenges.
- Mentor senior engineers and technical leads, fostering a culture of engineering excellence and innovation.
- Define and mandate best practices for:
- Software architecture
- Code quality
- System reliability
- Security engineering
- Performance optimization
- Review critical architectural decisions and provide authoritative technical direction.
Secure Software Development Lifecycle (SSDLC)
- Champion and enforce Secure Software Development Lifecycle (SSDLC) practices across all engineering teams.
- Establish security-first engineering processes from project inception through deployment and maintenance.
- Design and implement secure CI/CD pipelines leveraging GitLab CI/CD.
- Drive automated security validation including:
- Static Application Security Testing (SAST)
- Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST)
- Dependency and container security scanning
- Infrastructure security validation
- Ensure software releases meet stringent security and quality standards before deployment.
Strategic Architecture & Innovation
- Define the long-term technical roadmap for software platforms and engineering practices.
- Lead initiatives to reduce technical debt while maintaining delivery velocity.
- Evaluate and introduce emerging technologies, frameworks, and cryptographic approaches.
- Support the organization's strategic vision for sovereign cybersecurity solutions and secure digital transformation.
Required Qualifications
Education
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
- Master's degree preferred.
Experience
- Minimum 10 years of professional software engineering experience.
- Significant experience operating at Principal Engineer, Lead Architect, or equivalent senior technical leadership level.
- Proven track record designing and delivering complex distributed systems within high-security or mission-critical environments.
- Extensive hands-on coding experience with continued involvement in architecture and software development.
Preferred Certifications
- Certified Secure Software Lifecycle Professional (CSSLP)
- Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist (CKS)
- Google Cloud Professional Cloud Architect
- CISSP
- GIAC Secure Software Programmer (GSSP)
- TOGAF (Architecture)
