Principal Software Engineer

About the role

This role involves taking full technical ownership of a high-revenue web platform and its associated mobile application. The Principal Software Engineer will be responsible for defining the architecture and long-term technical strategy, ensuring performance is a core requirement across all systems. This includes managing the server-side rendering pipeline, optimizing the data layer, and maintaining the GCP infrastructure.

The position also requires deep engagement with ad-tech integrations, including Google Ad Manager and related technologies, to power the company's ad-tech optimization engine. A key aspect of the work will be performance optimization at scale, where precision in milliseconds is critical. The engineer will also be involved in maintaining and optimizing the machine learning pipeline that supports ad-tech performance.

Pubgenius Inc. operates as a small, senior team that prioritizes craft and rapid execution. The successful candidate will have significant autonomy and direct influence over both product and technical direction. The environment is characterized by a lack of extensive committee approvals or lengthy processes, allowing for high-autonomy work on complex and interesting problems.

The salary for this role ranges from $100,000 to $140,000 USD annually.

Skills that matter here

• Node.js: This role requires strong production experience with Node.js, specifically within a server-side rendering context using TypeScript.
• TypeScript: Production-proven experience with TypeScript is essential, particularly when working with Node.js.
• React: Candidates must have strong experience with React, specifically in a server-side rendering pipeline using React 19.
• MySQL: This position involves managing the data layer, requiring expertise in MySQL for database design, query optimization, and ORM usage.
• BigQuery: The role includes managing the data layer, necessitating strong skills in BigQuery for querying and managing large-scale datasets.
• GCP: Hands-on experience with GCP infrastructure, including Cloud Run, Cloud Build, and Global Load Balancer, is a mandatory requirement.

Who this role suits

• A person who thrives on end-to-end technical ownership and defining long-term strategy.
• Someone who values high autonomy and direct influence over product and technical decisions.
• An engineer who is deeply committed to performance optimization at scale, where every millisecond counts.
• An individual who prefers working within a small, senior team that emphasizes craft and moves quickly without extensive bureaucratic processes.

From the employer

What You'll Own

• End-to-end technical ownership of a high-revenue web platform and mobile app
• Architecture design and long-term technical strategy
• Server-side rendering pipeline using Node.js, Fastify 5, and React 19
• Data layer across MySQL and BigQuery
• GCP infrastructure including Cloud Run, Cloud Build, and Global Load Balancer
• Ad-tech integrations including Google Ad Manager, GTM, GTag, and GPT.js
• Performance optimization at scale, where every millisecond counts
• ML pipeline maintenance and optimization for ad-tech performance

Must-Have Qualifications

These are non-negotiable. Please only apply if you have strong, production-proven experience in all of the following:

• Node.js with TypeScript in production
• React in a server-side rendering context
• MySQL including database design, query optimization, and ORM usage
• BigQuery for querying and managing large-scale datasets
• GCP with hands-on experience in Cloud Run, Cloud Build, Cloud SQL, and Load Balancing. GCP certification is a significant bonus

Nice-to-Have Experience

• Ad-tech industry experience including ad serving, yield optimization, and programmatic advertising
• Affiliate marketing experience, particularly with Anura and Everflow
• Cloudflare including CDN configuration, caching strategies, and Workers
• Fastify, especially Fastify 5 patterns
• Flutter for mobile app contribution
• Golang or Rust for high-performance service work
• Machine learning applied to ad-tech optimization (not LLMs or agents)
• Experience in DeFi, crypto, NFT, blockchain, fintech, or healthcare verticals

About Working With Us

We are a small, senior team that moves fast and cares deeply about craft. You will have genuine ownership and direct influence over product and technical direction. No committee approvals, no lengthy processes, just high-autonomy contract work across interesting problems.

Benefits

• Fully remote work
• Flexible hours
• Paid vacation and sick days