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Watermark

WM-04 Engineering - Principal Software Engineer

🇺🇸 Columbus, OH 🕑 Full-Time 💰 $160K - $170K 💻 Software Engineering 🗓️ April 9th, 2026
SaaS SQL Kubernetes

Edtech.com's Summary

Watermark Insights is hiring a Principal Software Engineer to develop innovative, scalable technology that supports educators and institutions. The role involves driving architecture, design, and development of platforms while collaborating with product managers, designers, and engineers to build solutions that improve accessibility, engagement, and learning outcomes.

Highlights
  • Lead large-scale product initiatives and mentor developers within an agile team environment
  • Develop software tasks based on functional designs and user stories with accurate estimation
  • Refactor existing code and document development patterns adhering to current standards
  • Expertise in .NET Framework and Core, TypeScript, React, and REST APIs
  • Proficient with SQL Server or Postgres, Windows Server, IIS, version control, and Kubernetes deployments
  • Strong understanding of software design patterns and unit testing with full code coverage
  • Excellent troubleshooting, production incident support, and debugging skills
  • Bonus skills include experience with Tailwind and Web Components
  • Salary range from $160,000 to $170,000 depending on factors such as experience and location
  • Committed to fair pay practices and an inclusive, diverse work environment

WM-04 Engineering - Principal Software Engineer Full Description

All candidates must reside in the US and be authorized to work in the US. Preferred locations: Austin, TX and Columbus, OH

About Us
We’ve spent the last 20 years helping thousands of colleges and universities spend less time collecting data and more time learning from it. Watermark is a global, high-growth SaaS provider of assessment software for higher education institutions worldwide including the majority of the top 200 U.S. News & World Report colleges. There is a reason we’ve won EdTech’s Overall Higher EdTech Solution of the Year! In 2024, we celebrated being named a winner for The Edtech Breakthrough, The TITAN Business, and the Stevie Award. We’re just getting started! Our phenomenal team of people is at the heart of everything we do — and we’d love to invite you to join us!

About the Role
The Principal Software Engineer will help develop innovative, scalable technology. In this role, you will help to drive the architecture, design, and development of platforms that support educators, and institutions. You feel comfortable collaborating cross-functionally with product managers, designers, and other engineers to build high-impact solutions that improve accessibility, engagement, and learning outcomes. You are comfortable diving into code, influencing long-term technical vision, and communicating with stakeholders at all levels.

The Principal Software Engineer reports directly to the VP of Engineering

Key Responsibilities of the Role
• Work within an agile team to rapidly deliver software against a highly available application
• Lead large scale product initiatives with multiple contributing developers of varying seniority
• Coach other developers on technical approaches and problem solving
• Develop tasks from functional designs and user stories
• Estimate user stories and tasks
• Prototype, present, build and deliver solutions based on written specifications
• Refactor existing code to meet current standards and patterns
• Identify and thoroughly document development patterns specific to the application
• This job description is not designed to contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required. Nothing in this job description restricts management's right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities at any time.
Key Qualifications of the Role
• 5+ years of experience in .NET (Framework and Core)
• 5+ years of experience with TypeScript and React
• Expert level knowledge of at least one RDBMS, preferably SQL Server and Postgres
• Experience with REST API(s), Windows Server, IIS and version control
• Experience with production Kubernetes deployments
• An understanding of software patterns and practices, affinity for developing unit tests with complete code coverage
• Proven experience delivering end to end software artifacts within a large code base
• Excellent troubleshooting, production incident support and debugging skills

Bonus Qualifications
• Experience with Tailwind
• Experience with Web Components

Watermark is committed to fair and equitable pay practices for all qualified candidates. The pay range for this role is $160K - 170K and varies based on several factors including geographical location, level of experience related to the role, education/ licensure/certificates of the individual filling the role and other business and operational considerations.

At Watermark we are continually strengthening the rich diversity in our workplace - the primary reason we succeed. We’re committed to equal opportunity employment and work together to provide an inclusive hiring experience where all qualified applicants receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, family status, marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, neurodiversity, disability, age, protected military/veteran status, or any other non-merit based or other legally protected grounds.