Principal Software Engineer, Architect (Education)

TL;DR

Principal Software Engineer, Architect (Education): Lead the design and implementation of scalable full-stack solutions and cloud-native systems supporting millions of students exploring educational opportunities with an accent on modern infrastructure, microservices, and data optimization. Focus on architecting AWS-based systems, implementing infrastructure-as-code, and ensuring security, compliance, and observability at scale.

Location: Hybrid schedule based out of San Juan, Puerto Rico office (Monday-Thursday in-office, Friday remote; must be currently residing in Puerto Rico or willing to relocate); relocation assistance may be provided for qualified candidates.

Company

RV Education (EDU), part of hirify.global, partners with 300+ colleges and universities to deliver online learning resources and advice via brands like BestColleges, serving 90M+ annual visitors.

What you will do

• Lead design and development of full-stack solutions using Next.js, React, TypeScript, and Tailwind CSS.
• Build and maintain Node.js backend services for performance, security, and scalability.
• Architect AWS cloud-native systems with microservices, event-driven patterns, and data modeling (RDS, DynamoDB, S3).
• Implement infrastructure-as-code with AWS CDK or Terraform.
• Partner with product managers to translate business objectives into architectural plans and delivery strategies.
• Mentor engineers, establish engineering standards, and evaluate new technologies.

Requirements

• 8+ years in software engineering with full-stack foundation.
• Deep expertise in Next.js, React, Tailwind CSS, TypeScript (frontend); Node.js (backend).
• Strong AWS experience (Lambda, API Gateway, S3, DynamoDB, RDS); CDK/Terraform.
• Experience designing secure, scalable distributed systems, data modeling (SQL/NoSQL), and reliability.
• Proven technical leadership, mentorship, and cross-functional collaboration.
• Must be based in Puerto Rico (resident or relocate).

Nice to have

• Experience with headless CMS (WordPress, Contentful).
• Background in education, lead generation, or high-scale consumer platforms.
• Familiarity with event-driven architectures and domain-driven design.
• Previous Principal Engineer or Staff+ role in SaaS.

Culture & Benefits

• Work with smart, driven team on impactful edtech products.
• Hybrid schedule: in-office Mon-Thu, remote Fri at San Juan office.
• Matching 401(k), flexible PTO, medical/dental/vision coverage.
• Casual dress code.
• Comprehensive benefits including life insurance, disability, EAP, paid parental leave.