FreeWheel

PrincipalSoftwareEngineer-AdTech&DistributedSystems

$153–229k Chicago, Illinois, United States FULL TIME
Market Sentiment
HIGH DEMAND

Neural analysis suggests this role is
optimal for Senior candidates.

The Brief

“Principal Software Engineer - Ad Tech & Distributed Systems at FreeWheel. Skills: Distributed Systems, Ad Tech, Reliability Engineering. Own production reliability, availability, latency, and performance. Design, implement, and operate monitoring, alerting, and observability”

Industry & Context.

Problems you'll solve

Troubleshooting; Root cause analysis; Analytical skills; Data-driven problem-solving

Eligibility Requirements

On-call rotations, Weekend coverage

What They're Looking For.

Must Have

10 + years of professional experience in software development/engineering, 5+ years experience with AWS, Expert-level coding, debugging, and troubleshooting skills, Proven ability to lead and mentor engineers, Experience designing and operating server-side applications or services using Python, Go-Lang, or Scala, Experience developing, operating, and troubleshooting distributed systems and backend services, Deep knowledge of Linux systems, system internals, networking, and production infrastructure, Extensive experience with AWS cloud architecture and services, Proficiency with infrastructure-as-code and configuration management tools and practices, Mastery of CI/CD and SDLC tools, Understanding of database technologies, SQL, performance tuning, and operational data management, Advanced analytical and data-driven problem-solving skills

Nice to Have

Kubernetes experience a plus

What You'll Do.

Own production reliability

and operate monitoring

Lead incident response

Support and ensure stable operations during live events

Drive automation initiatives to reduce operational toil

Partner with software engineering teams to influence architecture

Lead and execute change management

Lead and execute capacity planning

Lead and execute production readiness reviews

vulnerability management

and secure configuration practices

Enforce and continuously improve Engineering Operations processes

Participate in on-call rotations

Provide escalation support for complex production issues

How You'll Work.

Team & Collaboration

Global, cross-functional team; Engineering teams; Vendors; Client services

Process & Methodology

Capacity planning, Change management

Full Job Description

FreeWheel, a Comcast company, provides comprehensive ad platforms for publishers, advertisers, and media buyers. Powered by premium video content, robust data, and advanced technology, we’re making it easier for buyers and sellers to transact across all screens, data types, and sales channels. As a global company, we have offices in nine countries and can insert advertisements around the world. **Job Summary** The Principal Software Engineer - Ad Tech & Distributed Systems is responsible for leading reliability, performance, and operational excellence of the FreeWheel platforms. This role focuses on designing, operating, and troubleshooting large‑scale distributed systems while owning monitoring, incident response, change management, and capacity planning. As a technical subject matter expert, the Principal Software Engineer leads and resolves complex issues, automates operational workflows, and partners with engineering, vendors, and client services to deliver scalable, high‑quality solutions. The role operates with limited supervision, applying sound judgment and independently developing solutions for non‑routine and complex challenges. **Job Description** **Core Responsibilities** * Own production reliability, availability, latency, and performance of large‑scale, mission‑critical systems * Design, implement, and operate monitoring, alerting, and observability solutions to ensure system health and rapid detection of issues * Lead incident response, root cause analysis, and post‑incident reviews to drive long‑term reliability improvements * Support and ensure stable operations during high‑visibility, time‑sensitive live events and releases * Drive automation initiatives to reduce operational toil, improve efficiency, and increase system resilience * Partner with software engineering teams to influence architecture and design decisions with production readiness in mind * Lead and execute change management, capacity planning, and production readiness reviews * Champ

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