Principal Engineer – DevX, AI

📋 Description

• Take charge of the technical architecture for the agent-accessible Shop Builder platform: determining which APIs to offer, their structure, and the interfaces through which they will be accessed (REST, SDK, MCP, CLI).

• Establish the interface contracts that LLMs and developers will engage with — including React component APIs, custom block schemas, theme tokens, and data binding formats — and uphold these standards with the same rigor as a public API.

• Design and oversee the development of the MCP server that enables AI agents (such as Claude Code, Cursor, etc.) to build, deploy, and manage Shop Builder storefronts independently, without requiring editor intervention.

• Architect the CLI and local development environment: defining how developers can scaffold projects, iterate locally, preview modifications, and deploy to production.

• Outline the deployment, versioning, and rollback strategy for developer-generated content — including custom blocks, themes, and layouts.

• Create the sandbox and preview environment system to allow agents and developers to iterate without impacting live partner sites.

• Establish documentation standards: crafted for both LLMs and humans as primary users, maintained from a single canonical source, and published across all surfaces (CLI help, developer documentation, MCP tool descriptions, AI context).

• Lead the architecture for the evaluation harness: detailing how the team assesses the correctness of LLM-generated blocks, themes, or layouts before they are released.

• Collaborate with Principal/Staff Engineers across domains such as payments, authentication, live operations, and catalog management to integrate inbound capabilities into cohesive developer-facing interfaces.

• Act as the technical bar-raiser for the team: establishing coding standards, reviewing critical implementation decisions, and mentoring the Tech Lead and engineers.

• Engage in recruitment efforts and help shape the technical culture of the team from the outset.

⛳️ Requirements

• Over 10 years of professional engineering experience, with a proven history as a Staff or Principal engineer who has influenced platforms, APIs, or developer tools utilized by external builders.

• Extensive knowledge in designing and launching public APIs and SDKs, including versioning strategies, backward compatibility, and enhancing developer ergonomics — possessing strong opinions on what constitutes a delightful vs. frustrating API.

• Advanced proficiency in JavaScript/TypeScript and React — the primary programming languages for LLMs and developers on this platform.

• Practical experience in developing CLI tools and local developer workflows (including scaffolding, hot reloading, file-based configuration, and deployment commands).

• Comprehensive understanding of the Model Context Protocol (MCP) or similar agentic tool-use interfaces, along with experience in creating tools that AI agents can reliably utilize.

• Experience in building systems at a global scale on cloud infrastructure (AWS or GCP), with in-depth knowledge of containerization, CI/CD practices, and infrastructure-as-code methodologies.

• Capability to write and think critically about LLM-friendly documentation and API surfaces: recognizing that token efficiency, predictability, and schema clarity are as crucial as human readability.

• Outstanding technical communication skills: producing clear RFCs and ADRs, conducting effective architecture reviews, and articulating secondary consequences to engineering and business leadership.

• Comfort in operating within a greenfield environment — you shape the structure rather than inherit it.

🏝️ Benefits

• We are dedicated to creating a supportive atmosphere for our team, prioritizing the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of our employees and their families through a comprehensive Benefits Program.

• This program encompasses medical, dental, and vision coverage, paid time off (PTO), and a personalized career progression plan for each employee.

• By investing in professional development through training and educational opportunities, we ensure that our team flourishes both personally and professionally.

• Together, we are not merely building a business; we are nurturing a community that values creativity, collaboration, and the transformative impact of play.