Principal Software Engineer

About UpstartUpstart is the leading AI lending marketplace partnering with banks and credit unions to expand access to affordable credit. By leveraging Upstart's AI marketplace, Upstart-powered banks and credit unions can have higher approval rates and lower loss rates across races, ages, and genders, while simultaneously delivering the exceptional digital-first lending experience their customers demand. More than 80% of borrowers are approved instantly, with zero documentation to upload. Upstart is a digital-first company, which means that most Upstarters live and work anywhere in the United States. However, we also have offices in San Mateo, California; Columbus, Ohio; and Austin, Texas. Most Upstarters join us because they connect with our mission of enabling access to effortless credit based on true risk. If you are energized by the impact you can make at Upstart, we’d love to hear from youThe Team Upstart’s GenAI Core Platform team builds the foundational infrastructure that democratizes access to generative AI across the company. As a Principal Software Engineer, you will provide technical leadership across multiple cross-functional teams, shaping the vision, architecture, and adoption strategy for our new GenAI platform for Engineers and non-Engineers alike. You will work closely with engineering leaders, ML researchers, and product stakeholders to ensure Upstart can scale the safe, efficient, and responsible use of LLMs across all business domains. This role goes beyond delivery. It is about setting long-term direction, de-risking our most ambitious AI initiatives, and raising the bar for technical excellence across the organization. In short, you will have a direct influence and impact on how we enable and implement GenAI and LLMs internally at Upstart. How You’ll Make an Impact Define and drive the multi-year technical roadmap for the Core GenAI Platform, influencing adoption and alignment across several engineering teams Lead architecture and design of large-scale, mission-critical systems for model inference, orchestration, and compliance Identify and solve systemic technical risks that impact multiple teams and business-critical AI initiatives Build high-leverage, generalizable platform components that meaningfully accelerate the productivity of engineers across Upstart Mentor senior engineers (L5) and shape the growth of future technical leaders, fostering a culture of learning and excellence Collaborate with VP-level and above leadership to influence business strategy with technical insight Represent Upstart internally and externally as a thought leader in GenAI systems through executive reviews, cross-company forums, and industry venues Establish operational standards for GenAI integrations, ensuring security, fairness, and reliability at scale Minimum Qualifications 10+ years of professional software engineering experience, with at least 3 years leading large-scale, cross-team technical initiatives Proven track record of delivering complex, distributed systems and platform infrastructure that span multiple teams Deep expertise in backend systems and infrastructure technologies such as Kubernetes, Docker, Terraform, and cloud-native architectures Experience designing and operationalizing ML/LLM platforms at scale, including optimization for cost, latency, and reliability Demonstrated ability to set long-term technical direction and influence organizational strategy Excellent communication skills with a history of driving alignment across engineering and business stakeholders Preferred Qualifications Full-stack engineering experience (Python, FastAPI, Kotlin, Spring, React/TypeScript, or similar) Expertise in LLM-specific infrastructure such as inference optimization (quantization, ONNX, streaming), retrieval-augmented generation, and vector databases Hands-on experience with LLM toolchains such as LangChain, LlamaIndex, or OpenAI APIs Recognized as a technical leader beyond your immediate team, influencing platform strategy across organizations Awareness of industry best practices and risks in GenAI including hallucination mitigation, fairness, explainability, and data privacy Experience mentoring senior engineers and shaping organizational standards for operational excellence   What you'll love:  Competitive Compensation (base + bonus & equity) Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with Health Savings Account contributions from Upstart  401(k) with 100% company match up to $4,500 and immediate vesting and after-tax savings Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) Life and disability insurance Generous holiday, vacation, sick and safety leave   Supportive parental, family care, and military leave programs Annual wellness, technology & ergonomic reimbursement programs Social activities including team events and on-sites, all-company updates, employee resource groups (ERGs), and other interest groups such as book clubs, fitness, investing, and volunteering Catered lunches + snacks & drinks when working in offices   #LI-MidSenior At Upstart, your base pay is one part of your total compensation package.  The anticipated base salary for this position is expected to be within the below range. Your actual base pay will depend on your geographic location–with our “digital first” philosophy, Upstart uses compensation regions that vary depending on location. Individual pay is also determined by job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process. In addition, Upstart provides employees with target bonuses, equity compensation, and generous benefits packages (including medical, dental, vision, and 401k).United States | Remote - Anticipated Base Salary Range$186,100—$257,500 USD