Senior Principal Software Engineer

At Zalando, our vision is to build the leading pan-European ecosystem for fashion and lifestyle e-commerce. The Logistics Capabilities teams develop and scale the technology for our entire logistics network. This critical work powers the fulfilment of orders placed by our more than 52 million active customers across Europe. Our systems ensure fast, reliable, and efficient logistics operations that translate into seamless convenience for our customers–from fast delivery to effortless returns.

Over 200 Software Engineers, Applied Scientists, Product Managers, and Product Analysts work in our Berlin, Dortmund, Erfurt, and Moenchengladbach locations to maintain business-critical systems. Set up in more than 30 Logistics Capabilities teams, they drive innovation in one of the most complex areas of e-commerce. Our in-house technology landscape is not just essential to Zalando—it is a benchmark for the industry, shaping the future of logistics through seamless delivery experiences.

At Zalando, shaping the future of logistics means solving real-world challenges at scale. As a Senior Principal Software Engineer, you will own the full development lifecycle for large-scale, mission-critical systems from design to deployment and operational excellence. 

If you think you have what it takes, we encourage you to apply even if you don't meet every single requirement. You may just be the right candidate for this or other roles

At Zalando, our vision is to be the leading pan-European ecosystem for fashion and lifestyle e-commerce – one that thrives on diversity and is truly inclusive by design. We believe that diverse teams fuel innovation and creativity, and we actively seek out talent from all backgrounds.

We actively seek to reduce bias in our hiring and employment processes, focusing on your qualifications, skills, and contributions. To support this, we kindly ask that you refrain from including personal details such as your photo, age, or marital status in your CV, ensuring a fair and equitable evaluation based solely on your abilities and potential.

We are committed to providing an exceptional and accessible candidate experience for everyone. If you require any accommodations to support you throughout the hiring process, please let us know – we are here to assist you.

Discover more about our commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace:

• Architect and Evolve Logistics Platforms: Design and lead the technical vision for our mission-critical logistics software, used both internally and by third-party providers. You will create robust, scalable microservice architectures for seamless warehouse and transportation operations, optimizing processes to reduce costs, improve delivery speed, and future-proof our logistics network through strategic integrations.

• Drive Innovation with Automation and AI: Spearhead the integration of automation, robotics, and AI-driven tools into our in-house developed systems. You will be key in enhancing fulfilment center efficiency and pushing the boundaries of what's possible in logistics technology.

• Define Migration Readiness and Technical Health: Develop and own the migration strategy for our warehouse systems. Establish clear criteria to determine migration readiness, evaluate the technical health and scalability of our platforms to ensure they can support expansion, and oversee all other technical aspects of the migration planning process.

• Provide Technical Leadership and Mentorship: Act as a technical expert across the entire logistics domain. You will deep dive into complex challenges to get things done while simultaneously guiding engineering teams and raising the technical bar for the entire organization.

• Manage and Execute Complex Initiatives: Take ownership of multiple high-impact technical initiatives simultaneously. From initial concept and design through to implementation and delivery, you will be the driving force that ensures technical excellence and timely execution.

• Foster Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with other principal engineers, product managers, and operational stakeholders for different initiatives and also to create a unified technical roadmap. Your ability to map and understand the complete logistics ecosystem will be key to our success.

• You have proven extensive experience in designing, building, and operating complex, large-scale distributed systems.

• You possess deep expertise in software architecture patterns, including Distributed Systems, Event-Driven Architecture, and REST.

• Your technical toolkit is strong in JVM-based languages (Java, Kotlin, Scala), cloud-native development (AWS, Docker, Kubernetes), and relational databases like PostgreSQL

• You are a tech-oriented leader who gets up to speed quickly, takes full responsibility for your domain, and has a history of successfully guiding teams through complex technical projects.

• You have a strategic and hands-on mindset too, and you are able to define a long-term technical vision while also diving deep into technical challenges to drive them to completion.

• You demonstrate a proven ability to manage multiple complex projects and initiatives simultaneously, from planning through to successful delivery.

• You have exceptional leadership and communication skills, with the ability to inspire teams and influence technical and non-technical stakeholders at all levels.

Zalando provides a range of benefits, here's an overview of what you can expect. Ask your Talent Acquisition Partner to learn more about what we offer.

• 27 days of holiday a year to start for full-time employees

• 2 paid volunteering days a year

• Hybrid working model with up to 60% remote per week, actual practice is up to each team to best support their collaboration

• Work from abroad for up to 30 working days a year

• Employee shares program

• 40% off fashion and beauty products sold and shipped by Zalando, 30% off Lounge by Zalando, discounts from external partners

• Relocation assistance available (subject to prior agreement)

• Family services, including counseling and support

• Health and wellbeing options (including Wellhub, formerly Gympass)

• Mental health support and coaching available

• Drive your development through our training platform and biannual peer-to-peer review