Senior Principal Software Engineer

Position Overview

As Autodesk transitions to cloud-powered data services, we are building a data interoperability platform connecting desktop design applications with our cloud data exchange ecosystem. Our connectors and SDKs facilitate data flow between tools like Revit, Rhino, and Autodesk Construction Cloud, enabling cross-application workflows for AEC and manufacturing customers. We are seeking a Senior Principal Software Engineer to lead the technical direction of this platform and connector toolkit.

This role requires a "T-shaped" contributor with deep hands-on expertise and the ability to drive outcomes across teams. The ideal candidate will have a strong sense of ownership over complex platforms, a track record of delivering key business outcomes, and the ability to influence technical strategy at the division level.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end architecture for the data exchange connector platform and SDK, covering engineering practices, solution design, quality, deployment, and support.
• Drive technical strategy for data interoperability, including engineering vision, architecture roadmaps, and best practices.
• Lead and influence technical discussions across functional areas and divisions, ensuring alignment on results and business outcomes.
• Write production code across multiple platforms while providing technical leadership and architectural guidance.
• Drive cross-team and cross-domain technical decisions, resolving complex problems spanning multiple platforms and connectors.
• Identify and implement tools, patterns, and frameworks to improve development processes and engineering productivity.
• Influence architectural decisions impacting beyond the immediate team, including defining and evaluating good architecture.
• Champion best practices for product quality and service reliability, encompassing resiliency, risk assessments, and service reviews.
• Extend existing architectures and frameworks to new use cases and resolve difficult problems across teams.
• Act as Product Owner when required, balancing requirements from Product Management, architectural roadmaps, and service improvements.
• Lead incident response, driving investigation and timely resolution, and ensuring follow-up improvements.
• Propose technology options for multi-year business outcomes and anticipate technical/operational risks on a 2–5 year horizon.
• Mentor and develop technical leadership and contributors across Product Data, fostering growth and coaching teams on engineering practices.

Minimum Qualifications

• 10+ years of software development experience with expertise across the full product development lifecycle.
• Deep technical expertise in a critical technology or capability area, acting as an authoritative expert.
• Proven ability to lead key business outcomes and initiatives, with accountability for division-level impact.
• Strong experience designing and evolving SDKs, APIs, and platform capabilities for multiple teams.
• Demonstrated ability to influence technical direction and achieve alignment across teams without direct authority.
• Experience building desktop application plugins or extensions integrating with cloud platforms.
• Strong understanding of build automation, CI/CD pipelines, and developer experience optimization.
• Ability to clearly articulate business drivers for technical investments.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience building high-performance systems in C# / .NET, including desktop frameworks and cloud service integration.
• Domain expertise in CAD, BIM, 3D/2D geometry, computational geometry, or design data exchange formats (e.g., STEP, IFC).
• Experience building software integrations for Autodesk products (Revit, Rhino, Inventor) or similar AEC/Manufacturing design tools.
• Familiarity with Autodesk platform APIs (Forge/APS, Data Exchange, ACC) or comparable cloud data exchange ecosystems.
• Experience with cross-platform desktop application development (e.g., Tauri, Electron).
• Track record of building and shipping SDK/toolkit products for internal or external developers.
• Experience with protocol buffers, binary serialization, or high-throughput data processing pipelines for geometry data.
• Awareness of emerging threats and opportunities in design data interoperability.

About Autodesk

Autodesk enables innovators to turn ideas into reality, transforming how things are made. We pride ourselves on a culture of belonging, where meaningful work helps build a better world designed and made for all. Join us to shape your future.

Key skills/competency

• Software Architecture
• Technical Leadership
• SDK/API Design
• Cloud Data Services
• Interoperability Platforms
• C#/.NET Development
• CI/CD Pipelines
• Desktop Application Plugins
• 3D/2D Geometry
• AEC/Manufacturing Software