Principal Software Engineer

Overview / About the Role Join a budding start-up SaaS company on a mission to transform how businesses simplify and automate their bookkeeping and accounting. As our Principal Software Developer, you’ll play a pivotal role in shaping the technical direction of our platform, driving innovation, and ensuring delivery excellence. This role is both strategic and hands-on — ideal for a senior engineering leader who thrives on turning business objectives into scalable, elegant software solutions. You’ll be a key bridge between technical teams, product management, and executive stakeholders, guiding architecture decisions, mentoring developers, and ensuring projects are delivered on time and within scope. Your leadership will directly influence the next generation of our platform’s evolution — ensuring stability, scalability, and innovation as we continue to expand. The company is based in Australia and you will be expected to cross over with Australian stakeholders and working hours. (ie. Be available from 8:30am – 12:30pm IST). Key Responsibilities Lead full-stack development across the SaaS platform, ensuring performance, scalability, and code quality. Translate business requirements into detailed technical briefs, user stories, and tasks — aligning product vision with development execution. Collaborate with key stakeholders to manage expectations, scope, budgets, and delivery timelines. Design and oversee technical architecture for a modern SaaS ecosystem, ensuring security, reliability, and long-term maintainability. Integrate with third-party APIs , predominantly Xero accounting platform, ensuring seamless and secure data flow. Mentor and manage a remote development team , promoting best practices in agile methodologies (Scrum, sprints, retrospectives, etc.). Own the development pipeline , from planning and prioritization through deployment and maintenance. Champion clean, modular, and scalable codebases, enforcing coding standards, CI/CD practices, and rigorous testing. Collaborate cross-functionally with design, product, and operations to deliver technically sound and customer-centric solutions. Continuously optimize systems architecture and development processes for speed, quality, and efficiency. Key Skills & Experience Proven leadership in architecting and delivering SaaS products from concept to scale. Deep technical expertise in: Frontend: ReactJS, React Native, etc Backend: NodeJS, PHP, etc Databases: Mongo DB, MySQL, PostgreSQL, or similar relational systems DevOps: CI/CD pipelines, Docker, and cloud hosting environments (AWS) Hands-on experience integrating with Xero Accounting Platform API (required). Familiarity with Dext and ApprovalMax integrations (preferred). Demonstrated ability to manage remote teams, establish sprint rhythms, and maintain accountability and momentum. Strong understanding of API design principles, authentication protocols (OAuth2, JWT), and secure data handling. Excellent command of written and spoken English, with the ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly to non-technical stakeholders. Strategic mindset — able to balance immediate delivery needs with long-term architectural vision. Qualifications / Preferred Experience 8+ years of professional software development experience, with at least 3 years in a senior or principal-level leadership role. Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or equivalent professional experience. Proven experience leading multi-disciplinary teams and driving successful SaaS deployments in production. Experience managing technical roadmaps, prioritizing product backlogs, and working closely with founders, CTOs, or product leaders. Exceptional problem-solving skills, adaptability, and the ability to operate in a fast-paced startup environment. A proactive, ownership-driven attitude — you don’t just build software; you build systems, teams, and processes. Benefits / What We Offer Competitive salary and performance bonuses — commensurate with seniority and impact. Flexible work environment — remote-first culture with options for hybrid collaboration. Autonomy and influence — play a defining role in shaping product direction and engineering culture. Collaborative, innovation-driven culture — where your ideas genuinely influence strategy and product roadmap. Cutting-edge projects integrating accounting automation, data intelligence, and workflow optimization for real-world business impact. Ready to Lead? If you’re an experienced technical leader who loves solving complex problems, guiding high-performing teams, and building products that scale — we’d love to hear from you. Apply now to join a company where your technical leadership drives innovation and real business results. All applications require you to share your resume and relevant working experience. Only successful candidates will be contacted.