Principal Software Engineer

Role overview

Lightspeed Commerce is hiring a Principal Software Engineer in Auckland to take a leading, hands-on role in shaping the architecture and technical direction of the core systems that support Lightspeed Retail. This position focuses on building scalable, maintainable solutions that help merchants around the world, while also raising the engineering bar through mentoring, strong technical practices, and sustainable design.

The role suits someone who is deeply interested in software engineering, works with a customer-first approach, and enjoys collaborating with others. You’ll be expected to own complex work, explore modern technologies, and help teammates grow through guidance and example.

What you’ll do

• Design systems for new initiatives so they are resilient, scalable, and easy to maintain over time.
• Review current platforms and infrastructure to find ways to improve architecture, cut unnecessary duplication, and strengthen performance and reliability.
• Spot repeated incident patterns and operational overhead, then turn those findings into practical fixes and prevention plans.
• Continuously improve system reliability, capacity, and overall speed.
• Improve engineering standards across the team, including design reviews, testing, release processes, and incident response.
• Lead technical deep-dives and mentor senior engineers across service teams.
• Help build a strong, high-performing, growth-focused engineering culture across the Retail organisation.
• Contribute to broader company goals even when the work extends beyond the immediate scope of the role.

What you need

• Substantial professional experience in software development.
• Experience providing technical leadership across multiple teams.
• Background in owning architecture for large-scale systems that span several engineering teams.
• Demonstrated success building and scaling cloud-based systems that are critical to the business.
• Practical experience working across more than one stack, such as Go, PHP, Java, Ruby on Rails, and Python.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical ideas clearly.
• Confident facilitation and decision-making abilities, including guiding discussions, balancing viewpoints, and making timely technical calls.

Benefits and perks

• A genuinely flexible work setup.
• Real career growth opportunities in a company that continues to expand.
• The chance to join a team that is large enough to support growth but small enough for individual impact.
• Employee share scheme.
• Unlimited paid time off.
• Ability to work remotely from anywhere in the world for up to 60 days each year.
• Flexible working policy.
• Annual health and wellness allowance of $500.
• Access to an online mental health platform plus counselling and coaching support.
• Paid leave and support for new parents.
• Paid volunteer day.
• Premium health insurance cover if enrolled with Southern Cross.
• Regular events hosted by the Auckland Culture Club.
• Subsidised public transport covering up to 75% of commuting costs.
• Secure full-time parking.
• Dog-friendly office.
• Complimentary breakfast and lunch, plus fresh fruit, snacks, and beverages in the office.
• Recently renovated office in Newmarket, Auckland.

Additional information

Applicants must be prepared to disclose any criminal convictions, and criminal record checks are part of the hiring process for this position.

Lightspeed does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruitment agencies. If an agency has not been formally engaged in writing for this vacancy, no fee will be payable for unsolicited candidate submissions.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to an inclusive, barrier-free workplace. Candidates with disabilities are encouraged to apply, and accommodations can be provided on request throughout the selection process.

Lightspeed is committed to building communities through commerce and has placed inclusion at the centre of its culture since its founding. The company was established in Montréal in 2005, with its early team rooted in the LGBTQ+ community.

About Lightspeed

Lightspeed provides a cloud commerce platform that helps merchants simplify operations, scale their businesses, and create better customer experiences. Its platform supports online and in-person commerce, multichannel selling, expansion into new locations, global payments, financial services, and supplier network connections.

Founded in Montréal, Canada in 2005, Lightspeed is listed on both the NYSE and TSX. With teams across North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific, it serves retail, hospitality, and golf businesses in more than 100 countries.

Applicant information is handled in accordance with the company’s Applicant Privacy Statement.