Principal AI Software Engineer

Introduction to Demandbase:

Demandbase is the only pipeline AI platform that empowers GTM teams to automate growth at scale. With a unified view of data, insights, actions, and outcomes, B2B enterprises can seamlessly align and execute their account-based GTM strategies with confidence. Thousands of businesses trust Demandbase to maximize revenue, minimize waste, and consolidate their data and tech stacks – all in one platform.

As a company, we’re as committed to growing careers as we are to building world-class technology. We invest heavily in people, our culture, and the community around us. We have also continuously been recognized as One of The Best Places To Work in the San Francisco Bay Area by Fortune, and One of The 60 Best Companies To Sell For by Selling Power. Our offices are located in San Francisco, New York, Austin, Seattle, India, and the United Kingdom.

About the Role: Principal AI Software Engineer

Demandbase is an AI-first organization. While others are just starting to experiment, our engineering teams are already deploying agentic workflows and releasing a suite of AI-native products that redefine the B2B landscape.

We are looking for a Principal Software Engineer who doesn’t just see AI as a feature, but as the core architectural pillar. This role is for a visionary Staff or Principal Engineer who wants to lead the transition from traditional SaaS to intelligent, autonomous systems. You will be the technical north star for teams building scalable, high-impact platforms that leverage generative and agentic AI at their foundation.

The base compensation range for this position are for candidates based in San Francisco, CA. For all other locations, the base compensation range is based on the primary work location of the candidate as our ranges are location specific. Actual compensation packages are based on a wide array of factors unique to each candidate, including but not limited to skillset, years of experience, and depth of experience.

Key Responsibilities

• Architect AI-Native Systems: Drive the technical direction for scalable microservices designed specifically to support large language models (LLMs), agentic frameworks, and real-time data synthesis.

• Lead the AI Frontier: Partner with Product and Engineering leadership to translate "AI-first" vision into production-ready roadmaps, ensuring our infrastructure keeps pace with the rapid evolution of Generative AI.

• Hands-on AI Leadership: Stay deep in the stack—participating in architectural planning for AI agents, conducting design reviews for vector databases, and optimizing inference at scale.

• Optimize Developer Velocity: Champion the use of AI-driven development tools (Copilots, automated testing, and synthetic data) to 10x our internal engineering efficiency.

• Cross-Team Orchestration: Collaborate with other Staff/Principal Engineers to integrate multi-modal AI capabilities across our entire platform, ensuring seamless customer outcomes.

• Modern Engineering Stewardship: Set the standard for cloud-native deployment, observability, and resiliency in an environment where non-deterministic AI outputs require elite-level engineering discipline.

Qualifications

• The AI Visionary: A seasoned Staff+ engineer who has moved beyond traditional CRUD apps and has a proven track record of shipping complex, intelligent systems.

• Agentic Mindset: Deep interest (and ideally experience) in building autonomous agents, prompt engineering at scale, and RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) architectures.

• Technical Influence: Proven ability to align cross-functional teams around radical technical shifts, bridging the gap between raw AI research and scalable product delivery.

• Elite Communicator: Able to explain complex architectural trade-offs to stakeholders while fostering a culture of high-velocity experimentation.

• Systems Specialist: Deep expertise in system design, performance tuning, and the unique challenges of scaling AI-heavy workloads (latency, cost, and reliability).

Technical Requirements

• 10+ years of professional software engineering experience, with 3+ years in a Staff or Principal leadership capacity.

• AI Integration: Demonstrated success building or deploying production-grade AI/ML features, specifically utilizing LLMs or Agentic frameworks.

• Core Stack: Proficiency in Python (preferred for AI/DS workflows), Java, or Scala, with a deep understanding of distributed systems.

• Modern Infrastructure: Experience with Kubernetes, vector databases (Pinecone, Milvus, Weaviate), and cloud platforms (AWS/GCP/Azure).

• CI/CD & Automation: Experience leveraging AI-driven CI/CD pipelines and modern container orchestration.

• Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s in CS, Engineering, or a portfolio of real-world "AI-first" engineering triumphs.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Demandbase

At Demandbase, we believe in creating a workplace culture that values and celebrates diversity in all its forms. We recognize that everyone brings unique experiences, perspectives, and identities to the table, and we are committed to building a community where everyone feels valued, respected, and supported. Discrimination of any kind is not tolerated, and we strive to ensure that every individual has an equal opportunity to succeed and grow, regardless of their gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, race, ethnicity, background, marital status, genetic information, education level, veteran status, national origin, or any other protected status. We do not automatically disqualify applicants with criminal records and will consider each applicant on a case-by-case basis.

We recognize that not all candidates will have every skill or qualification listed in this job description. If you feel you have the level of experience to be successful in the role, we encourage you to apply!

We acknowledge that true diversity and inclusion requires ongoing effort, and we are committed to doing the work required to make our workplace a safe and equitable space for all. Join us in building a community where we can learn from each other, celebrate our differences, and work together.

Unsolicited Submissions

At Demandbase, we value thoughtful partnerships and direct connections with candidates. We’re not accepting unsolicited resumes or outreach from third-party recruiting agencies. Any unsolicited submissions will not be reviewed, and no fees will be paid.