Principal Software Engineer

<p style="min-height:1.5em"><strong>Why Mend.io</strong></p><p style="min-height:1.5em">We are redefining how modern organizations secure software from open source and custom code to AI-generated components. As the creators of the first AI Native AppSec Platform, we help global enterprises stay safe, fast, and compliant in an era of AI-driven development. Our platform combines intelligent automation, deep risk visibility, and developer-first experiences, shaping the future of application security.</p><p style="min-height:1.5em">We are also committed to building a collaborative, empowering workplace. If you are excited about this role but do not meet every requirement, we encourage you to apply. Your perspective could be exactly what we need!</p><p style="min-height:1.5em"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://Mend.io">Mend.io</a> is looking for a hands-on Principal Software Engineer (Individual Contributor) to join our Mend AI team, a group building the next generation of application security solutions for AI powered software.</p><p style="min-height:1.5em">We’re looking for someone who can take end to end ownership of systems, design solid architectures from scratch, and influence both technological decisions and product direction. The right person brings strong experience writing effective, thread-safe code and building reliable systems in a complex engineering environment.</p><p style="min-height:1.5em">Our Mend AI product is an innovative solution in AI application security, focused on protecting codebases and systems in the AI era. It helps detect and secure AI/ML components in applications, addressing emerging risks such as data leakage and prompt injection.</p><p style="min-height:1.5em">This role is a strong fit if you’re excited to independently own and drive innovative projects from research to production. You move fast, leverage AI agents across the development lifecycle, and are comfortable operating in a new and evolving space where standards are still being defined. You take initiative, make decisions, and turn ideas into working solutions quickly.</p><p style="min-height:1.5em">You’ll work in a fast evolving domain where problems are not fully defined, requiring strong technical judgment, adaptability, and a product oriented mindset. A key part of the role is leveraging AI agents across the development lifecycle from research and design to coding and testing and building hybrid solutions that combine classical algorithms with AI capabilities in a practical, cost effective way.</p><div style="min-height:1.2em;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0"> </div><div style="min-height:1.2em;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0"> </div><h3>Responsibilities</h3><ul style="min-height:1.5em"><li><p style="min-height:1.5em">Design and build solutions from scratch, taking full ownership from idea to production</p></li><li><p style="min-height:1.5em">Develop backend systems, leveraging and customizing AI agents, and extend solutions with simple frontend components when needed</p></li><li><p style="min-height:1.5em">Leverage AI agents across all stages of development : research, design, coding, and testing to improve speed and quality</p></li><li><p style="min-height:1.5em">Drive independent research and lead development in new, ambiguous domains, shaping innovative products where standards are still evolving</p></li><li><p style="min-height:1.5em">Act as a technical leader and key decision maker, owning critical architectural and design choices</p></li><li><p style="min-height:1.5em">Build and evolve backend architectures, extending traditional microservices with AI/LLM-based capabilities to create advanced security solutions</p></li><li><p style="min-height:1.5em">Collaborate closely with security researchers, data scientists, and product managers to turn ideas into production ready solutions</p></li></ul><h3>Requirements</h3><ul style="min-height:1.5em"><li><p style="min-height:1.5em">10+ years of backend software engineering experience</p></li><li><p style="min-height:1.5em">3+ years in a hands on technical leadership role (Principal / Tech Lead / Architect)</p></li><li><p style="min-height:1.5em">Strong experience building systems end to end from scratch in a product environment</p></li><li><p style="min-height:1.5em">Strong hands on experience with a modern programming language (Go preferred; experience with Java or Python is also valuable), and the ability to quickly adapt to new languages and technologies</p></li><li><p style="min-height:1.5em">Strong product mindset and ability to connect technical decisions to business impact</p></li><li><p style="min-height:1.5em">Proven ability to own and drive initiatives independently in ambiguous environments</p></li><li><p style="min-height:1.5em">Experience building or working on systems that integrate AI/LLM based capabilities into real world applications</p></li><li><p style="min-height:1.5em">Hands on experience using AI agents throughout the development lifecycle, with a deep understanding of their strengths, limitations, and best practices</p></li><li><p style="min-height:1.5em">Solid understanding of cloud environments and modern development practices (AWS/GCP/Azure)</p></li><li><p style="min-height:1.5em">Strong communication skills and ability to collaborate effectively with senior stakeholders</p></li></ul><h3>Nice to Have</h3><ul style="min-height:1.5em"><li><p style="min-height:1.5em">Hands on experience developing, tuning, or customizing LLM based solutions (beyond using out of the box APIs)</p></li><li><p style="min-height:1.5em">Familiarity with AI security challenges (e.g., prompt injection, model leakage, adversarial attacks)</p></li><li><p style="min-height:1.5em">Experience with machine learning workflows (training, deployment, inference)</p></li><li><p style="min-height:1.5em">Experience with tools such as LangChain, Hugging Face, or OpenAI SDKs</p></li><li><p style="min-height:1.5em">Background in application security, cloud security, or DevSecOps</p></li></ul><p style="min-height:1.5em"><strong>Our Culture</strong></p><p style="min-height:1.5em">At <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.mend.io">Mend.io</a>, we are leading the way in securing AI-powered applications, and we believe the best innovations come from teams where everyone feels valued. We are committed to a workplace built on respect, trust, and growth, where learning and flexibility empower people to do their best work.</p>

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Common Interview Questions And Answers

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This is what this question poses: When do you focus and start working seriously? What are the hours you work optimally? Are you a night owl? A morning bird? Remote teams can be made up of people working on different shifts and around the world, so you won't necessarily be stuck in the 9-5 schedule if it's not for you...

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The day I watched Marie Forleo's film separating the important from the urgent, my life changed. Not all remote jobs start fast, but most of them are...

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This is a great question because it shows your comfort level with technology, which is very important for a remote worker because you will be working with technology over time...