principal engineerdistributed systemsevent streamingasync messagingKafkaPub/SubLLMagentic systemsTypeScriptGolangCI/CDcloud infrastructurementorshiparchitectureprogrammaticAdTech
Key details
Salary
$200K – $230K
Employment type
Full-time
Seniority
Principal
Years experience
10+
Location
New York, US
Full job description
Kargo seeks a Principal Engineer with 12+ years of software engineering experience, including 3+ years at a senior IC level. The role involves setting multi-year technical direction and owning architectural decisions for Workflow, Self-Service Agentic Ad Buying, and Creative Hub systems. Candidates must have deep experience designing and operating distributed systems at scale, including event streaming and async messaging (Kafka, Pub/Sub). Expertise in building LLM-backed or agentic systems in production is required. Proficiency in TypeScript and/or Golang, CI/CD, containerization, cloud infrastructure, and production debugging is essential. Responsibilities include architectural leadership, mentoring senior engineers, owning technical interview standards, and collaborating with product leadership to align technical and business strategies. The position is full-time, based in New York, NY, with a salary range of $200,000 to $230,000 USD plus variable compensation.
What you'll do
Set and socialize target architecture across Workflow, Self-Service Agentic Ad Buying, and Creative Hub
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Requirements
12+ years in software engineering, including 3+ years at Staff, Principal, or equivalent senior IC scope
Deep, hands-on experience designing and operating distributed systems at scale
Experience with event streaming, async messaging (Kafka, Pub/Sub), and service coordination
Strong data modelling instincts and experience evolving a system of record over years
Experience building resilient integrations against third-party systems
Hands-on experience building LLM-backed or agentic systems in production
Expert-level proficiency in at least one high-performance, strongly typed language (TypeScript and/or Golang preferred)
Deep command of CI/CD, containerization, cloud infrastructure, and production debugging at scale
Demonstrated org-wide technical influence and mentorship track record
B.S. or higher in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or equivalent practical experience
AdTech or programmatic experience is a strong plus
Experience owning a system-of-record or integration-heavy platform
Tech stack
TypeScriptGolangKafkaPub/SubCI/CDcontainerizationcloud infrastructureLLM-backed systemsagentic systems
Benefits
Eligible for variable compensation (annual discretionary bonus)Work at a recognized top workplace (AdAge Best Places to Work, Built In Best Places to Work, etc.)
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