Principal Software Engineer

Insurance touches people during some of the most challenging moments in their lives. Hi Marley is on a mission to transform how the P&C industry communicates, making those moments faster, easier, and more empathetic for carriers and the customers they serve. We build AI-powered software that keeps everyone in the claims conversation informed and connected. If you believe insurance can combine operational excellence and automation with a human touch, we’d love to meet you. 

We're looking for a Principal Software Engineer, a person trusted with our hardest, highest-leverage technical problems. This is a dual-mandate role: you are both a multiplier for theteam who raises the ceiling for engineers across the org, and a high-leverage builder who stillShips.  

You'll go wherever the most important work is, from complex re-architectures of existing systems, to building ambitious new capabilities, to strengthening the foundations the whole team builds on. A lot of that is AI right now: the agent-driven experiences at the core of what we build, in a regulated insurance environment where carrier trust and compliance shape every decision. Teamwork and shared enthusiasm are a core part of our culture, which is why this role involves joining us in the Boston office 3 days each week. 

What You'll Do:  

• Set technical direction across domains. Define the patterns and architecture for multiple systems, make high-stakes trade-off decisions, and communicate them clearly to engineers, product, and executives.
• Work at the right altitude. Move flexibly between embedding deeply with a single team when an initiative needs your hands and operating horizontally across teams to set direction and unblock, exercising judgment and advocating for what the moment calls for.
• Technically lead complex initiatives end-to-end. Drive multi-team, long-horizon work from architecture through delivery and operational excellence, owning reliability, scale, and security of mission-critical systems.Ship as a high-leverage producer. Use modern AI development tools (e.g., Claude Code,
• Cursor, Codex) to design, prototype, and deliver real systems yourself - modeling how to build with AI at a high bar for quality, testing, and rigor.'
• Raise the bar on how we build with AI. Help engineer the practices, guardrails, and review discipline of our AI-enabled development lifecycle - so we can scale AI adoption safely, with quality improving as we go, as a regulated environment demands.
• Multiply the team. Mentor and coach engineers, set the standard for quality and design, and help the people around you get better at their craft.
• Be a trusted advisor. Serve as a go-to technical voice across engineering, and a steady, consensus-building presence when teams are stuck or the path isn't clear.
• Represent Hi Marley. Be recognized as a technical leader internally and externally, and help attract and grow great engineers. 

What We're Looking For:

• Typically 10+ years of software development experience; high-performing candidates with less experience are encouraged to apply.
• A track record of delivering large, complex systems to production at scale - defining the patterns and architecture for one or more domains, influencing technical direction across teams, and earning trust as an advisor across engineering. You identify the problems worth solving and shape and execute the work.
• Experience designing distributed architectures, ideally in the AWS ecosystem, with a strong command of principles like separation of concerns, scalability, loose coupling, and designing for failure.
• Fluency with modern AI-assisted development and with designing systems where AI and agents are first-class architectural components - not just a tool user, but someone who reasons about agent design, orchestration, configurability, and guardrails, and who rigorously reviews and verifies AI-generated work to keep the quality bar high.
• Sound judgment about building AI products responsibly in a high-trust, regulated environment, where speed is bounded by carrier trust and compliance.
• Experience with relational and document-oriented databases, including performance tuning and scaling.
• Proficiency in Node.js, TypeScript, and frontend frameworks such as React; fluency with automated testing, CI/CD, and modern code-management practices.
• A multiplier effect on those around you - the engineers and systems near you get measurably better because of how you work and mentor.
• The ability to influence without authority, build consensus, and communicate complex issues simply to any audience - from engineers to executives.
• A passion for clean code and sound design, pragmatic decision-making, and continually improving both the code and the way we work.
• At this time, we are only able to consider candidates who are currently authorized to work in the U.S. and will not require sponsorship now or in the future. 

Compensation, Benefits & Perks:

At Hi Marley, we are committed to fair and transparent pay practices. The annual base salary for this role is expected to fall within the range of [$114,200-$267,800], depending on experience, skills, qualifications, and location. Offers are determined based on these factors as well as internal peer equity. It’s most common for new hires to start near the midpoint of the range, allowing room for growth as employees develop in their role. 

In addition to base pay, we offer a comprehensive total rewards package that supports both your wellbeing and professional growth, including:

• Equity grants for all employees
• A 4% matching 401(k) program
• Medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance coverage for employees working 30+ hours per week
• Monthly wellness stipend
• Paid parental leave
• A flexible vacation policy - we all work hard and take time when we need it

Who We Are:

At Hi Marley, our culture is built on three core values that every employee embodies:

• Max Courage  - We encourage our team, our customers, and their customers to dream big, try new ideas, and maximize impact by measuring risk.
• Be Humble  - We lead with appreciation and promote a culture of humility, compassion, and openness to learn from anyone, anywhere.
• Ubuntu (“I am because we are”)  - We believe true success is much bigger than any single individual or company. By aligning our individual aims behind a shared purpose, we can achieve our fullest potential - together.

Life at Hi Marley:

Life at Hi Marley is shaped by collaboration, learning, and genuine connection. We’re proud to foster an environment where people can do their best work, feel supported, and grow alongside a team that celebrates both individuality and shared purpose.

• A fun, lively startup culture that embraces creativity and innovation
• Core values-based leadership that guides our decision-making and daily interactions
• A culture of engagement, diversity, inclusion, and belonging - everyone’s voice matters
• Flexible, hybrid work environment that values balance and trust
• Ample opportunities to learn, take on new challenges, and make an impact in a fast-growing organization
• Meaningful work that directly supports our mission to help people and organizations communicate with empathy and clarity

Hi Marley is proud to be an equal employment opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and do not discriminate based on gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, race, veteran status, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We are committed to building an inclusive work environment representing a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills, where all employees are encouraged to be their authentic selves.

Hi Marley participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. For more information, please review the documents under "E-Verify Poster" here: https://e-verify.uscis.gov/web/OnlineResources.aspx