Principal Software Engineer

At Bindplane , we’re building the first observability pipeline purpose-built for OpenTelemetry , empowering engineering teams to take control of their telemetry data, optimize costs, and scale observability with confidence. Our platform is trusted by Fortune 500 companies and high-growth startups to bring order to the chaos of metrics, logs, and traces.

We're looking for a Principal Software Engineer to take a technical leadership role in shaping the future of our platform. This is more than just a senior coding role—you'll help architect solutions, lead complex initiatives, and mentor a high-performing team, all while staying hands-on with a world-class engineering stack.

🧠 What You’ll Do

As a Principal Engineer at Bindplane, you'll serve as a strategic technical leader, architect, and hands-on contributor. You’ll guide the design and development of complex systems and services across our cloud and agent-based products. Your impact will be felt across all layers of the stack—from backend microservices and infrastructure orchestration to front-end delivery and developer workflows.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead architecture and implementation of major product features and system enhancements that impact the scale, reliability, and performance of the Bindplane platform.
• Design and build backend services and distributed systems in Go , Node.js , and TypeScript , orchestrated via Kubernetes on Google Cloud Platform (GCP) .
• Contribute to and guide full-stack development , including front-end work with React and Rails to support critical product features.
• Set engineering standards and drive excellence in code quality, testing, CI/CD, and performance.
• Mentor and coach engineers , helping them grow technically and professionally through code reviews, pairing sessions, and strategic project assignments.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Product, DevOps, Design, and Customer Success to translate business needs into scalable technical solutions.
• Evaluate and introduce new technologies where appropriate, keeping the platform modern and competitive.
• Represent engineering in strategic discussions , providing input into product direction and long-term technical vision.

💻 Our Tech Stack

You’ll be working in a modern cloud-native environment with a strong emphasis on performance, observability, and rapid delivery.

• Languages : Go, Node.js (TypeScript), Ruby, Java, Python
• Frameworks : React, Ruby on Rails
• Cloud : Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Kubernetes, Docker, Terraform
• Databases : PostgreSQL, Redis, Elasticsearch
• CI/CD : GitHub Actions, ArgoCD, Helm
• OS Environments : Linux (Ubuntu, Debian), Windows Server, macOS

Why Join Us in Grand Rapids?

Located in the heart of West Michigan, Grand Rapids is quickly becoming a tech hub with the charm of a close-knit community and the innovation of a major city. At Bindplane, you’ll find:

• A collaborative, startup culture with room to grow
• Opportunities to work on industry-shaping technology
• A chance to be part of something big, right here at home
• Flexibility with hybrid work options and a commitment to work-life balance

✅ What We're Looking For

Required:

• Proven success in a Principal, Staff, or Senior Engineering role , with deep backend engineering experience.
• Expertise in modern system architecture and experience designing reliable, scalable microservices.
• Proficiency with Go , Node.js/TypeScript , and modern cloud-native technologies.
• Experience with cloud platforms , ideally GCP , and deploying production-grade systems using Kubernetes .
• Deep understanding of distributed systems , telemetry pipelines, and infrastructure observability.
• Strong leadership and mentoring skills—you enjoy helping others grow and succeed.
• Exceptional problem-solving ability and communication skills.
• A proactive, hands-on approach with a strong sense of ownership.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent real-world experience.

Preferred:

• Experience with observability tools such as OpenTelemetry, Prometheus, or FluentBit.
• Background in building or contributing to open-source software .
• Familiarity with high-scale environments , multi-cloud infrastructure, and enterprise integrations.
• Prior experience building developer platforms or SaaS tools used by engineering teams.

Benefits

• 401(k) retirement savings plan with employer matching
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance
• Life insurance coverage
• Employee assistance program for personal and professional support
• Generous paid time off, including vacation, sick leave, and holidays
• Opportunities for professional development and continuous learning