Principal Software Engineer Jobs in Sunnyvale, CA
Principal Software Engineer jobs in Sunnyvale are concentrated in the innovation corridor along Murphy Avenue, the Lawrence Expressway tech cluster, and the downtown core, driven by demand from semiconductor, cloud infrastructure, and consumer electronics companies hiring through Walmart, Fortinet, and Wayve. Openings run deep across platform engineering, distributed systems, and AI infrastructure. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Position Summary...
What you'll do...
Role summary:The (USA) Principal, Software Engineer leads the design and delivery of scalable platform capabilities, driving cloud-native architecture and AI/ML integration across multiple teams. This role oversees the full software development lifecycle, ensuring high availability, reliability, and performance of distributed systems. The position requires strategic technical leadership, mentorship, and collaboration with cross-functional stakeholders to align engineering efforts with business objectives. The Principal Engineer champions innovation, continuous improvement, and operational excellence while maintaining architectural integrity and fostering knowledge sharing within the organization.
About the team:
The BuyBox team plays a vital role in Walmart’s e-commerce platform by developing and maintaining a microservices ecosystem that optimizes offer selection using machine learning and business rules. The team focuses on enhancing offer ranking, ensuring seamless system interactions, and monitoring performance to address issues promptly. Emphasizing collaboration, technical expertise, and continuous innovation, the team drives operational excellence and supply chain efficiency. Utilizing agile methodologies and data-driven decision-making, the team supports Walmart’s commitment to reliable service and value, fostering a culture centered on problem solving and ongoing improvement.
What you'll do:
- Lead platform engineering efforts, delivering scalable infrastructure, reusable tooling, and AI/ML frameworks aligned with strategic roadmaps.
- Drive full software development lifecycle across multiple teams, ensuring high availability, fault tolerance, and real-time data processing.
- Architect and integrate intelligent AI-enhanced applications using cloud-native principles and model-driven design.
- Provide technical leadership and mentorship, promoting engineering excellence and standardization across teams.
- Collaborate with stakeholders to define technical requirements and success metrics, ensuring alignment with business objectives.
- Foster continuous improvement by identifying opportunities to enhance processes, tools, and product quality.
What you'll bring:
- Extensive experience leading platform engineering initiatives, delivering scalable, cloud-native architectures and reusable tooling.
- Proven expertise in designing and implementing distributed systems optimized for real-time data processing and AI/ML integration.
- Strong proficiency in software development lifecycle management, including CI/CD pipelines, testing, and observability.
- Demonstrated ability to apply model-driven design and leverage AI agents to enhance software solutions.
- Skilled in mentoring engineers and influencing architectural decisions to promote maintainability and interoperability.
- Excellent collaboration and communication skills with cross-functional teams and stakeholders.
- Commitment to continuous improvement, innovation, and technical excellence.
Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to a specific plan or program terms.
For information about benefits and eligibility, see One.Walmart.
The annual salary range for this position is $143,000.00 - $286,000.00 Additional compensation includes annual or quarterly performance bonuses. Additional compensation for certain positions may also include :
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Minimum Qualifications...
Outlined below are the required minimum qualifications for this position. If none are listed, there are no minimum qualifications.
Option 1: Bachelor's degree in computer science, computer engineering, computer information systems, software engineering, or related area and 5 years’ experience in software engineering or related area.Option 2: 7 years’ experience in software engineering or related area.
Preferred Qualifications...
Outlined below are the optional preferred qualifications for this position. If none are listed, there are no preferred qualifications.
Master’s degree in Computer Science or related field and 4 years' experience in software engineering or related fieldPrimary Location...
1395 Crossman Ave, Sunnyvale, CA 94089-1114, United States of America Walmart and its subsidiaries are committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace and has a no tolerance policy regarding the use of illegal drugs and alcohol on the job. This policy applies to all employees and aims to create a safe and productive work environment.See All 330+ Principal Software Engineer Jobs in Sunnyvale
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Find JobsPrincipal Software Engineer Job Market in Sunnyvale
Who's Hiring
- Walmart118

- Fortinet118

- Wayve24

- eGain24

- DoorDash24

Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software118
- Cybersecurity47
- Retail24
- Consumer Goods24
- E-Commerce & Online Marketplaces24
Principal Software Engineer Jobs in Sunnyvale: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a principal software engineer job in Sunnyvale?
Sunnyvale's hiring is dominated by semiconductor firms, cloud platform teams, and consumer electronics companies, so candidates who can demonstrate system-level design experience and cross-functional technical leadership stand out. Roles concentrate in the Lawrence Expressway corridor and downtown Sunnyvale campuses. Targeting companies with active infrastructure or platform expansion, contributing to relevant open-source projects, and building visibility through local tech meetups and IEEE Santa Clara Valley chapter events gives candidates a concrete edge in this market.
Which companies hire principal software engineers in Sunnyvale?
Employers hiring principal software engineers in Sunnyvale right now include Walmart, Fortinet, and Wayve, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Sunnyvale's employer mix skews heavily toward established semiconductor and networking hardware companies alongside newer cloud and AI infrastructure startups, making it one of the densest markets for senior engineering talent in the country.
Are there remote principal software engineer jobs in Sunnyvale?
Yes, though principal software engineer roles are more hybrid than fully remote, given the cross-functional collaboration and architecture-review work they require. About 0% of principal software engineer openings tied to Sunnyvale are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, with flexibility concentrated in platform, backend, and AI infrastructure teams rather than hardware-adjacent or lab-integrated roles.
How can I get a principal software engineer job in Sunnyvale with little or no experience?
The most realistic path is targeting senior software engineer roles at Sunnyvale's mid-size networking and semiconductor startups, which promote from within faster than large incumbents. Rotational engineering programs at established Sunnyvale hardware companies offer structured pathways toward staff and principal levels. Building depth in systems programming, RISC-V or custom silicon toolchains, or distributed storage positions candidates well for the technical profiles Sunnyvale employers prize most in early-career principal tracks.
Which industries hire the most principal software engineers in Sunnyvale?
The sectors hiring the most principal software engineers in Sunnyvale are Technology & Software, Cybersecurity, and Retail, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Sunnyvale's position as a longtime hub for semiconductor design, networking equipment, and cloud infrastructure means those industries consistently generate the highest volume of senior engineering openings in the city.
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