Principal Software Engineer - Software Architect

Join our fast-paced and passionate team as a Principal Software Engineer and technical leader. As we scale, you will be the chief architect of our software systems, defining technical strategy and leading critical projects from conception to delivery. This is a high-impact role for an experienced technologist who can balance visionary system design with hands-on implementation. You'll work directly with executive leadership to shape our technology roadmap, mentor engineering teams, and establish the architectural foundations that will scale with our growth. Your key responsibilities are as follows:Architecture & Technical Leadership:Define and drive the overall software architecture for our desktop applications, embedded systems, and instrument control platformsDesign scalable, maintainable system architectures that support current needs and anticipate future growthMake critical technical decisions on frameworks, tools, technologies, and architectural patternsEstablish and evangelize coding standards, design patterns, and engineering best practices across the organizationLead technical design reviews and provide architectural guidance to engineering teamsEvaluate and integrate new technologies and third-party solutions to enhance our product capabilitiesProject Leadership:Lead cross-functional software projects from requirements gathering through delivery and deploymentDefine project scope, technical requirements, milestones, and success criteria in collaboration with stakeholdersBreak down complex projects into actionable tasks and coordinate work across multiple engineersIdentify technical risks early and develop mitigation strategiesCommunicate project status, technical challenges, and trade-offs to leadership and non-technical stakeholdersDrive projects to completion while maintaining high quality standards and managing scope creepHands-On Development:Develop critical C++ software components for Qt-based GUI applications and instrument communication systemsImplement complex, performance-critical features and tackle the most challenging technical problemsDesign and build reusable frameworks and libraries that accelerate development across projectsConduct thorough code reviews with a focus on architecture, scalability, and maintainabilityPrototype new concepts and prove out architectural approachesMentorship & Team Development:Mentor and guide senior and mid-level engineers in system design, C++/Qt development, and professional growthFoster a culture of technical excellence, continuous learning, and knowledge sharingConduct technical interviews and help build a world-class engineering teamLead by example through high-quality code, clear communication, and collaborative problem-solvingStrategic Collaboration:Partner with product management, hardware engineering, and scientific teams to translate business needs into technical solutionsContribute to product strategy by providing technical insights on feasibility, effort, and innovation opportunitiesRepresent engineering in strategic planning discussions and roadmap developmentMaintain clear and comprehensive architectural documentation and technical specificationsRequirementsThis position requires access to export-controlled information. Employment is contingent upon the applicant being a U.S. person as defined by 8 U.S.C. § 1324b(a)(3)Experience:A bachelor's degree in Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field. Master's degree preferredMinimum of 10+ years of professional software development experience, with at least 3 years in a technical leadership or architect roleProven track record of successfully leading software projects from conception to deliveryExperience in a startup or fast-paced technology company environment preferredTechnical Skills:10+ years of expert-level C++ software development experienceDeep understanding of modern C++ (C++14/17/20/23) including advanced features, performance optimization, and memory managementExtensive experience with Qt framework (Qt 6) including Qt Widgets, QML, and Qt's architectural patternsStrong expertise in software architecture, design patterns, and system design principlesProven experience designing scalable, modular architectures for complex desktop applicationsExpert knowledge of CMake and modern C++ build systemsExperience with multi-threaded programming, concurrent systems, and real-time performance optimizationDeep familiarity with unit testing, integration testing, and test-driven development (Google Test or similar)Strong understanding of version control workflows and branching strategies (Git)Experience with instrument communication protocols and hardware interfacing (e.g., SCPI, USB, Serial, Ethernet, TCP/IP)Leadership Skills:Demonstrated ability to lead technical projects and coordinate across multiple teamsExcellent communication skills with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiencesExperience mentoring engineers and fostering technical growth in othersStrong decision-making abilities with a track record of making sound architectural choices under uncertaintyAbility to balance perfectionism with pragmatism and deliver results in a dynamic environmentPreferred Skills:Experience architecting cross-platform desktop applications (Windows, Linux)Background in scientific instrumentation, photonics, optics, or precision measurement systemsFamiliarity with containerization, DevOps practices, or CI/CD pipelinesExperience with Python for tooling and automationKnowledge of UI/UX design principles and user-centered designExperience with agile methodologies and leading agile teamsContributions to open-source projects or technical publicationsPrincipal Engineer Mindset:You're a visionary technologist who can see around corners and anticipate future challengesYou're comfortable with ambiguity and excel at bringing structure to complex, ill-defined problemsYou're passionate about building high-performing teams and elevating othersYou balance technical depth with strategic breadth and know when to zoom in and when to zoom outYou're a builder at heart and still love writing code alongside architecting systemsBenefitsThe expected annual salary range for this position is $175,000-$225,000.As a full-time employee, you will be eligible for Monarch's comprehensive benefits package, which includes:Medical, Dental, and Vision insuranceFidelity 401(k) plan with 4% employer matching20 paid time off (PTO) days per year13 paid company holidays9/80 work schedule (every other Friday off)Monarch Quantum is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, citizenship status, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, age, religion, creed, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, veteran status or any other characteristics protected under applicable federal, state and local laws.