Senior Principal Software Architect
TLDR
Lead the design and development of next-generation Agentic AI platforms that enhance customer engagement and drive significant business metrics for Shutterfly.
At Shutterfly, we make life’s experiences unforgettable. We believe there is extraordinary power in the self-expression. That’s why our family of brands helps customers create products and capture moments that reflect who they uniquely are.
We are seeking a Sr. Principal Engineer to lead the design and development of next-generation Agentic AI platforms and applications that power personalization, lifecycle engagement, and customer journeys across Shutterfly. This is a high-impact, hands-on technical leadership role responsible for shaping the architecture and execution of AI systems that directly drive conversion, customer satisfaction, and long-term growth.
Note: We are unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position at this time. This position is a remote role that will be based in the United States.
What You’ll Do
Own and Build Agentic AI Platforms
- Architect and build scalable agentic AI systems that power various seamless experiences for customers that drive conversion and customer delight.
- Develop multi-agent systems that reason, plan, and take actions across tools and services
- Build Autonomous agents operating across end-to-end customer journeys
- Build reusable platforms, not one-off solutions
- Enable multiple teams to innovate independently
Drive End-to-End Technical Strategy
- Define platform abstractions and reusable capabilities that enable teams across the organization to build and deploy AI-powered experiences independently
- Lead design of systems leveraging multimodal data (photos, metadata, behavioral signals) to power personalization at scale
- Define and lead architecture for AI platforms integrated into Shutterfly
- Build foundational capabilities including:
- Evaluation frameworks for AI quality, safety, and business impact
- Scalable inference and orchestration infrastructure
- Ensure systems are highly available, performant, and production-grade at scale
Be Deeply Hands-On
- Maintain deep hands-on involvement in prototyping, architecture, and critical production systems, setting the standard for engineering excellence.
- Leverage modern AI tooling (LLMs, agents, vector databases, orchestration frameworks)
- Set the standard for AI-driven engineering productivity and development practices
- Lead by example in coding, design reviews, and system debugging
Deliver Measurable Business Impact
- Define and track AI-specific success metrics, including model quality, latency, cost efficiency, and business KPIs
- Partner with Product, UX, and Data teams to translate AI capabilities into:
- Increased conversion and revenue
- Improved customer experience and engagement
- Faster time-to-market for new capabilities
- Drive experimentation (A/B testing) and ensure AI systems deliver quantifiable outcomes
Lead Across the Organization
- Influence architecture and execution across multiple teams and domains:
- Ecommerce platform (shopping, cart, checkout)
- Creation flows and personalization systems
- Marketing technology and lifecycle platforms
- Mentor senior engineers and leaders; raise the bar on AI and system design excellence
- Champion adoption of agentic AI and AI-first development practices across engineering
What Success Looks Like
- Agentic AI systems measurably improve conversion, AOV, and engagement
- AI capabilities are deeply embedded across customer journeys
- Teams adopt AI-first development practices at scale
- Platform enables rapid experimentation and innovation across orgs
Basic Qualifications
- 12+ years of software engineering experience with deep expertise in distributed systems
- Proven track record of architecting and delivering large-scale, high-impact systems
- Experience influencing and leading cross-organizational technical strategy
- Strong hands-on coding and system design skills
- Experience operating large-scale, highly available cloud systems
- Demonstrated ability to translate advanced technology into business impact
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience building 0→1 AI platforms or products in ambiguous, fast-moving environments
- Experience building AI/ML systems, especially with:
- LLMs, agent frameworks, and retrieval systems
- Multi-agent architectures and orchestration
- Experience in consumer-facing products or ecommerce platforms
Supporting a diverse and inclusive workforce is important to Shutterfly not only because it directly reflects our value of Embracing our Differences, but also because it’s the right thing to do for our business and for our people. We welcome all applicants and evaluate them based on their qualifications. Learn more about our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion on our Career Site.
The compensation package for this role is based on multiple factors, such as job level, responsibilities, location, and candidate experience. The base pay ranges included below are specific to the locations listed, and may not be applicable to other locations.
California : [$170,000-240,750]
Connecticut and New York: [$170,000-220,250]
Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota and Washington: [$170,000-204,000]
Nevada: [$159,750-220,250]
Maryland and New Jersey: [$183,500-220,250]
Hawaii : [$159,750-191750]
This position may be eligible for a bonus incentive, health benefits, a 401K program, and other employee perks. More details about our company benefits can be found at https://shutterflyinc.com/benefits/.
This opportunity can be remote, but candidates must reside in a state in which Shutterfly is registered to do business. This includes all US states except District of Columbia, North Dakota, Mississippi, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wyoming.
This position will accept applications on an ongoing basis until filled.
#SFLYTechnology
Shutterfly is a digital retailer that specializes in personalized photo products and home decor, offering customers unique and customizable items for all occasions. Our platform is designed for individuals looking to create lasting memories through tailor-made products that reflect their personal experiences.
- Founded
- Founded 1999
- Employees
- 500+ employees
- Industry
- Commercial Services & Supplies
- Total raised
- $28M raised