Principal Software Engineer - Risk Management / Risk AI (all genders)

Role: Principal Software Engineer in the Risk Management department at Zalando. Guides multiple teams developing software and machine‑learning solutions to detect and manage payment fraud, elevates architectural and engineering standards, mentors engineers, and collaborates with Engineering Managers, Applied Science Managers, Principal Applied Scientists, and Product Managers. Responsibilities: - Design and drive technical solutions for high‑impact, ambiguous projects across multiple teams. - Break down complex solutions into iterative releases, reduce risk, and ship large‑scale projects to production while mentoring, designing, and contributing code. - Evangelize best software practices and drive technical innovation within the department and across teams. - Provide technical guidance and mentorship to software engineers on day‑to‑day work. - Improve operational excellence through review meetings, post‑mortems, and hands‑on support for time‑critical investigations. - Act as a sparring partner for tech and product leadership, researching and proposing productivity and effectiveness improvements. Qualifications: - 3+ years experience as a Principal Engineer, Solutions Architect, or Staff Engineer. - Extensive experience in software architecture and cloud‑environment design, with a proven track record leading complex, multi‑team projects. - Experience with Machine Learning, particularly productionizing models and MLOps. - Strong leadership and communication skills to guide and mentor teams through architectural decisions and implementations. - Hands‑on mindset while effectively delegating tasks. What We Offer: - 27 days of holiday per year (full‑time) plus 2 paid volunteering days. - Hybrid working model with up to 60 % remote work and up to 30 days per year working from abroad. - Employee share program and 40 % discount on Zalando fashion and beauty products (additional partner discounts). - Relocation assistance (subject to prior agreement). - Family services, health and wellbeing options, mental health support and coaching. - Development opportunities via a training platform and bi‑annual peer‑to‑peer reviews.