Principal Software Development Engineer

About the teamThe Connections Platform team at Zillow builds and supports platforms that connect customers with their move teams throughout the home-buying journey. Our work powers lead management, communication, and pre-connection experiences across Zillow’s services, helping ensure every customer has a seamless, personalized experience. We focus on scalable, reliable, and secure solutions that enable other teams to solve problems efficiently and innovate quickly, all while enhancing reliability and security.

About the role

As a Principal Engineer on the Connections Platform team, you will drive technical strategy and deliver solutions that impact multiple teams and organizations. You will collaborate with leaders across Zillow, shape architectural decisions, and mentor engineers. Your work will help build flexible, maintainable, and secure systems that scale with Zillow’s evolving needs, directly influencing the future of the home-buying experience.

As a Principal Software Development Engineer, You Will Get To

• Lead the design and implementation of complex, cross-team systems

• Mentor and guide engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence

• Collaborate with product managers, engineers, and stakeholders to align on technical strategies

• Build secure, reliable, and maintainable platforms that support lead management and communication

• Communicate technical concepts clearly to diverse audiences

• Drive operational excellence by proactively identifying and resolving system issues

• Research and pioneer new technologies to improve platform capabilities

• Ensure solutions are scalable and adaptable to business needs

This role has been categorized as a Remote position. “Remote” employees do not have a permanent corporate office workplace and, instead, work from a physical location of their choice, which must be identified to the Company. U.S. employees may live in any of the 50 United States, with limited exceptions.

In California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Washington state, and Washington DC the standard base pay range for this role is $191,300.00 - $305,700.00 annually. This base pay range is specific to these locations and may not be applicable to other locations. In Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Minnesota, Nevada, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Vermont the standard base pay range for this role is $181,800.00 - $290,400.00 annually. The base pay range is specific to these locations and may not be applicable to other locations.

In addition to a competitive base salary this position is also eligible for equity awards based on factors such as experience, performance and location. Actual amounts will vary depending on experience, performance and location. Employees in this role will not be paid below the salary threshold for exempt employees in the state where they reside.

Who you are

• Proven technical leader with experience influencing teams without direct authority

• Deep expertise in designing and building scalable, reliable, and maintainable systems

• Skilled at making high-judgment decisions in complex, ambiguous situations

• Strong verbal and written communication skills for diverse audiences

• Experienced in operating and troubleshooting production systems

• Committed to continuous learning and staying current with industry trends

• Recognized for setting high standards in testing, code quality, and maintainability

• Here at Zillow, we value the experience and perspective of candidates with non-traditional backgrounds. We encourage you to apply if you have transferable skills or related experiences.

Get to know us

At Zillow, we’re reimagining how people move—through the real estate market and through their careers. As the most-visited real estate platform in the U.S., we help customers navigate buying, selling, financing and renting with greater ease and confidence. Whether you're working in tech, sales, operations, or design, you’ll be part of a company that's reshaping an industry and helping more people make home a reality.

Zillow is honored to be recognized among the best workplaces in the country. Zillow was named one of FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For® in 2025, and included on the PEOPLE Companies That Care® 2025 list, reflecting our commitment to creating an innovative, inclusive, and engaging culture where employees are empowered to grow.

No matter where you sit in the organization, your work will help drive innovation, support our customers, and move the industry—and your career—forward, together.

Zillow Group is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive, innovative environment with the best employees. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please contact your recruiter directly.

Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with applicable state and local law.

Los Angeles County applicants: Job duties for this position include: work safely and cooperatively with other employees, supervisors, and staff; adhere to standards of excellence despite stressful conditions; communicate effectively and respectfully with employees, supervisors, and staff to ensure exceptional customer service; and follow all federal, state, and local laws and Company policies. Criminal history may have a direct, adverse, and negative relationship with some of the material job duties of this position. These include the duties and responsibilities listed above, as well as the abilities to adhere to company policies, exercise sound judgment, effectively manage stress and work safely and respectfully with others, exhibit trustworthiness and professionalism, and safeguard business operations and the Company’s reputation. Pursuant to the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.