Principal Software Engineer

About SovrnEvery interesting company solves important problems for other people. Sovrn is a Software and Data business that helps Open Web businesses be and remain independent. We help them understand their business better, operate more efficiently, and make & keep more money.We believe in the freedom and free-flow of information.We believe the Open Web is the largest source of this information.We believe in helping Open Web businesses be and remain Independent. Through Software products and Data solutions we help our customers:Understand their business better, so they can make better decisionsOperate their business more efficiently, so they can invest in what matters mostMake (and Keep) more money, so they control their own destinyAbout The RoleWe're looking for a Principal Software Engineer with deep roots in adtech infrastructure and a genuine conviction about what AI-native engineering looks like in practice. This role is backend-focused at its core — you'll work on the systems that power our exchange, from bid request processing and traffic shaping to data pipelines and auction logic. But we're also at an inflection point in how we build software, and we want this person to help lead us through it.From a generative/agentic AI capabilities standpoint, we already use LLMs and agentic tooling across our data stack and, we’re looking for is someone who can help us take that from general adoption to intentional practice — who has strong opinions about where AI creates real leverage in a high-throughput adtech environment, and who can bring the rest of the engineering organization along with them.Languages/components/tools in our stack: Java, Kafka (Redpanda), AWS, Databricks, Datadog, ONNX.What you'll be doing:Own the design and evolution of backend systems that operate at exchange scale — high throughput, low latency, always onLead architectural decisions across auction infrastructure, bid processing, traffic shaping, and supply-side integrationsEstablish and champion AI engineering practices across the team — from prompt engineering and RAG patterns to agentic workflow design and LLM evaluationIdentify high-leverage opportunities to apply AI in our adtech stack: traffic scoring and filtering, bid shading, yield optimization, anomaly detection, and automated decisioningSet standards for how we evaluate, trust, and operate AI-powered systems in production — including observability, fallback behavior, and model governanceDrive technical standards, design reviews, and engineering best practices across a senior teamPartner with product, data science, and platform teams to ship end-to-endHelp the broader engineering team build fluency and confidence with AI tooling, not just tolerance of itMentor and level up engineers through code review, design collaboration, and hands-on guidanceA successful candidate will have:10+ years of software engineering experience, with a strong backend track record5+ years working specifically in adtech infrastructure — SSP, DSP, exchange, or ad server environmentsDeep fluency in the programmatic ecosystem: OpenRTB, bid request/response flows, auction mechanics, supply path optimization, or similarExperience building and operating systems at exchange scale — high QPS, strict latency budgets, fault toleranceDemonstrated experience leading AI or agentic engineering efforts in production environments — not just experimentation, but shipped, operated, and iterated onHands-on experience with LLM integration patterns: RAG, tool use, multi-step agentic workflows, prompt engineering, and evaluation frameworksStrong distributed systems fundamentals: messaging, caching, service architecture, observabilityComfort driving technical decisions in ambiguous, fast-moving environmentsA point of view on where AI is and isn't the right tool — and the credibility to make that caseLocation: Sovrn offices are located in Boulder, CO and New York, NY. We believe collaboration and shared purpose lead to deeper relationships, more creative problem-solving, and more learning, faster. For employees located near one of our offices, working in-person is our default. We trust people to use personal agency when focused work or life circumstances call for flexibility.We understand that no candidate is perfectly qualified for any job. Experience comes in different forms; many skills are transferable; and passion goes a long way. Even more important than your resume is a clear demonstration of accountability and the ability to thrive in a fluid and collaborative environment. We expect you to learn new things in this role and encourage you to apply if your experience is close to what we’re looking for.Sovrn Core Values: Candid, Customer Empathy, Learning, Scrappy, Second Order ThinkingCompensation And BenefitsThe base pay range for this position is $200,000 to $240,000 annually. In addition to the base salary, the total compensation package includes bonus, equity, and benefits. Actual earnings may vary depending on the candidate’s direct experience, skills, industry knowledge, and location.Sovrn offers a full slate of benefits from competitive salaries, stock options, medical, dental, and vision coverage, short and long-term disability, life insurance, 11 paid holidays, flexible vacation, commuter benefits, a 401(k) plan and match, and a paid parental leave program.Job PostingApplications will be accepted until August 1, 2026.Equal Opportunity EmployerSovrn is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants regardless of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, parental or pregnancy status, marriage and civil partnership, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.Recruitment AgenciesSovrn does not accept agency resumes. Please do not forward resumes to our jobs alias or Sovrn employees. Sovrn is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.