Principal Full Stack Web Developer Jobs

Location: South Tampa, FL - Hybrid (3 days on-site, 2 days remote).

Job Description: Summary Draper's Full-Stack Group operates like an incubator, giving engineers space to experiment, iterate, and deliver software that protects lives and advances the national interest. You'll play a primary role in developing and executing the technical vision for complex, high-impact web solutions that directly enable our customers' missions.

Key Responsibilities: Lead architecture decisions for new and existing web platforms (micro-services, data pipelines, UI/UX).Write production-ready, test-driven code in modern stacks (React + TypeScript, Node.js, GraphQL, PostgreSQL, etc.).Mentor senior engineers and set engineering standards (code reviews, CI/CD, automated testing).Partner with program officers, product owners, and other technical leads to define roadmaps and delivery milestones. Represent the team in program reviews, weekly/quarterly stakeholder meetings, and client demos. Drive continuous improvement: performance tuning, security hardening, and operational excellence.

Required Qualifications: 7+ years of full-stack development experience, with at least 2 years leading architecture decisions. 10+ years in the field is a bonus. Proven track record delivering production-grade web applications at scale. Strong proficiency in modern front-end (React, TypeScript, CSS-in-JS) and back-end (Node.js/Express, Python, Java) technologies. Deep understanding of REST/GraphQL APIs, authentication/authorization (OAuth, OIDC), and cloud-native patterns. Experience with issue-tracking and CI/CD tools (Jira, GitLab, GitHub Actions).BA/BS in Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent practical experience (Master's a plus).

Preferred Qualifications: Hands-on experience with Docker and Kubernetes (EKS, GKE, AKS).Deployments on AWS, GCP, or Azure; familiarity with IaC (Terraform, CloudFormation).Knowledge of serverless architectures and event-driven designs. Experience with high-availability, multi-tenant SaaS platforms.

About You: Insatiable appetite to learn new technologies and share knowledge. Comfortable navigating ambiguity and forging clear paths to success. Passionate about building products you'd proudly use yourself. Thrives in a team that pushes each other to excel daily. The description below provides further information on Draper's view of its principal staff members.

Duties/Responsibilities: Independently execute task assignments. Designs algorithms using modern theory and proven techniques, adheres to software best practices. Analyzes designs to demonstrate performance and functionality. Develops and executes software tests to check compliance with requirements. Prepares technical data, procedures, reports, drawings, manuals, and other required documentation. Communicates with customers and stakeholders to establish requirements and describe the design and deliverables. Independently drive solutions to complex problems, develop requirements, propose ways forward when customer requirements are unclear or incomplete, and adapt appropriately to changes in requirements. Act as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) in their discipline. Identify program/system-level technical risks and develop and execute mitigation strategies. Leads the design of system architecture, delegating tasks and collecting feedback on designs as needed. Lead a medium size team of engineers across multiple disciplines.

Skills/Abilities: Curiosity-driven approach to solving complex, customer-driven problems as part of a multi-disciplinary team. Demonstrate an ability to learn new programming languages and technologies quickly. Collaborate and communicate effectively and openly with multi-disciplinary program team members, program leadership, and non-technical personnel. A team player able to work in a fast-paced environment with the ability to balance multiple competing tasks and demands. Demonstrate strong organization, planning, and time management skills to achieve program goals.

Education: Requires a bachelor's in Computer Science or other related field. Master's degree is preferred. Experience 10+ years experience in Software Engineering or related field. The US base salary range for this full-time position is $95,000.00 - $245,000.00. Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target salaries for the position across all US locations. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Union ranges will be in compliance with the collective bargaining agreement's approved rates by location and role. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process. Please note that the compensation details listed in US role postings reflect the base salary only, and does not include bonuses or benefits. Our work is very important to us, but so is our life outside of work. Draper supports many programs to improve work-life balance including workplace flexibility, employee clubs ranging from photography to yoga, health and finance workshops, off site social events and discounts to local museums and cultural activities. Draper is committed to creating an inclusive environment. We understand the value of inclusivity and its impact on a high-performance culture. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information. Draper is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. To request reasonable accommodation, please contact hr@draper.com.