Principal Software Engineer Drools and Java

Job SummaryWe are seeking a Principal Software Engineer with expertise in Drools and Java to lead the design, evolution, and operational excellence of business rules and underwriting decisioning capabilities.This role focuses on building and modernizing cloud-native, rules-driven systems that support scalable and efficient decision-making.The ideal candidate will act as a technical authority, influencing architecture, standards, and long-term strategy while remaining hands-on with critical systems.Key ResponsibilitiesLead the design and evolution of business rules engine architecture, including rule authoring, execution strategies, versioning, and governanceDevelop and maintain scalable, resilient Java-based services integrated with rules engines and distributed systemsDesign and implement decisioning capabilities using Drools, including decision tables, DRL, and rule flowsOptimize rule performance, conflict resolution, and lifecycle managementCollaborate with cross-functional teams, including product owners and domain experts, to translate business requirements into technical solutionsProvide architectural guidance and lead technical design reviews for complex systemsMentor and support engineers, fostering technical growth and best practicesContribute to DevOps and SRE practices, including deployment strategies, monitoring, and observabilityDrive modernization initiatives and support cloud-native platform developmentRequired Qualifications10+ years of professional software engineering experience with strong expertise in Java and enterprise application developmentMinimum 5+ years of hands-on experience with Drools or similar Business Rules Management Systems (BRMS) in production environmentsStrong understanding of object-oriented design, domain-driven design, and clean architecture principlesExperience with rule execution models (stateless and stateful), decision tables, DRL, and rule flowsProven experience in designing scalable, resilient systems using RESTful APIs, messaging systems, and event-driven architecturesStrong knowledge of performance optimization, memory management, and operational characteristics of rules-based systemsExperience contributing to architecture decisions and influencing technical direction across teamsFamiliarity with DevOps/SRE practices, including deployment, monitoring, and observabilityExperience leveraging AI-assisted development tools or practices in engineering workflowsStrong communication and collaboration skills with the ability to work across teams and stakeholders