Principal Engineer

At Webflow, our mission is to bring development superpowers to everyone. Webflow is the leading visual development platform for building powerful websites without writing code. By combining modern web development technologies into one platform, Webflow enables people to build websites visually, saving engineering time, while clean code seamlessly generates in the background. From independent designers and creative agencies to Fortune 500 companies, millions worldwide use Webflow to be more nimble, creative, and collaborative. It’s the web, made better. 

We are looking for a Principal Engineer, reporting to our CTO. The Principal Engineer is a seasoned expert with an exceptionally strong technical and functional background, consistently incorporating emerging technologies into engineering products and best practices. Recognized as a subject matter expert, they lead major Engineering projects and strategic initiatives, showcasing in-depth knowledge of industry trends and effectively communicating complex technical issues. This individual contributes significantly to long-term strategic business thinking and drives Engineering innovation. With an expert ability to identify and advocate for strategic changes, they play a key role in shaping Webflow's architecture and guiding the company's future. They model and encourage the expression of diverse ideas and opinions and drive the engineering culture internally and promote it externally to help attract world-class talent. 

About the role 

• Location: San Francisco HQ or US remote

• Full-time

• The cash compensation for this role is tailored to align with the cost of labor in different US geographic markets. The base pay for this role ranges from $234,900 in our lowest geographic market up to $341,600 in our highest geographic market. These figures are in $USD and apply to candidates in the United States. The specific base pay within the range will be determined by the candidate’s geographic location, job-related experience, knowledge, qualifications, and skills.

As a Principal Engineer you’ll:

• Drive engineering innovation across the entire company

• Stay abreast of industry trends and emerging technologies

• Spearhead research initiatives to explore new tools, frameworks, and methodologies

• Guide the approach and execution of a particular team or group of teams

• Dig deep into arbitrarily complex and critical problems and find an appropriate path forward until resolution

• Collaborate with product managers, designers, and other stakeholders to understand requirements to architect, design and deliver high-quality solutions

• Conduct thorough architectural reviews to help guide and shape Webflow’s technology stack

• Be a model for engineering innovation in the industry working with partners, customers, and investors

• Mentor and coach other engineers, fostering a culture of continuous learning

• Exemplify Webflow’s Core Behaviors in the pursuit of our mission to democratize software development

That said, these role responsibilities are just the start! At Webflow, we encourage you to contribute wherever your interests take you — and shape your role accordingly. 

About you

You’ll thrive as a Principal Engineer if:

• You have a genuine passion for building platforms for web applications and scalable web frameworks 

• You have exhibit proficiency in a diverse set of programming languages such as JavaScript, TypeScript, and Python

• You have hands-on experience with modern web technology such as React, Node.js, Tailwind.css, and frameworks such as Next.js and Remix

• You possess a deep understanding of monorepos, microservices architecture and cloud technologies

• You showcase strong expertise in database design and optimization, with a focus on NoSQL databases, particularly mongoDB.

• You have a solid grasp of containerization and orchestration tools like Docker and Kubernetes and extensive experience designing RESTful APIs, GraphQL APIs, and integrating third-party APIs

• You have a thorough understanding of security best practices in software development

• You should be well-versed in both frontend and backend technologies, combining a comprehensive skill set with a love for crafting highly technical and innovative solutions for web development

• You are committed to cultivating an inclusive team culture

Our Core Behaviors:

• Obsess over customer experience. We deeply understand what we’re building and who we’re building for and serving. We define the leading edge of what’s possible in our industry and deliver the future for our customers.

• Move with heartfelt urgency. We have a healthy relationship with impatience, channeling it thoughtfully to show up better and faster for our customers and for each other. Time is the most limited thing we have, and we make the most of every moment.

• Say the hard thing with care. Our best work often comes from intelligent debate, critique, and even difficult conversations. We speak our minds and don’t sugarcoat things — and we do so with respect, maturity, and care.

• Make your mark. We seek out new and unique ways to create meaningful impact, and we champion the same from our colleagues. We work as a team to get the job done, and we go out of our way to celebrate and reward those going above and beyond for our customers and our teammates.

Benefits & wellness

• Equity ownership (RSUs) in a growing, privately-owned company

• 100% employer-paid healthcare, vision, and dental insurance coverage for employees and dependents (US; full-time Canadian workers working 30+ hours per week), as well as Health Savings Account/Health Reimbursement Account, dependent on insurance plan selection. Employees also have voluntary insurance options, such as life, disability, hospital protection, accident, and critical illness

• 12 weeks of paid parental leave for both birthing and non-birthing caregivers, as well as an additional 6-8 weeks of pregnancy disability for birthing parents to be used before child bonding leave. Employees also have access to family planning care and reimbursement

• Flexible PTO with an mandatory annual minimum of 10 days paid time off, and sabbatical program

• Access to mental wellness coaching, therapy, and Employee Assistance Program

• Monthly stipends to support health and wellness, as well as smart work, and annual stipends to support professional growth

• Professional career coaching, internal learning & development programs

• 401k plan and financial wellness benefits, like CPA or financial advisor coverage

• Commuter benefits for in-office workers

Temporary employees are not eligible for paid holiday time off, accrued paid time off, paid leaves of absence, or company-sponsored perks.

Be you, with us

At Webflow, equality is a core tenet of our culture. We are committed to building an inclusive global team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, beliefs, and experiences. Employment decisions are made on the basis of job-related criteria without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other classification protected by applicable law.

Stay connected

Not ready to apply, but want to be part of the Webflow community? Consider following our story on our Webflow Blog, LinkedIn, Twitter, and/or Glassdoor. 

Please note:

To join Webflow, you'll need valid U.S. or Canadian work authorization depending on the country of employment.

If you are extended an offer, that offer may be contingent upon your successful completion of a background check, which will be conducted in accordance with applicable laws. We may obtain one or more background screening reports about you, solely for employment purposes.