Principal Software Engineer, Payroll Services

Modern, online people platform that helps small businesses take care of their teams, offering payroll, health insurance, 401(k)s, HR, and team management tools.
$222,000 - $290,000
Backend
Principal Software Engineer
Hybrid
1,000 - 5,000 Employees
15+ years of experience
Finance · Enterprise SaaS

Description For Principal Software Engineer, Payroll Services

Gusto, a leading online people platform serving over 400,000 businesses nationwide, is seeking a Principal Software Engineer for their Payroll Services team. This role is crucial in developing and scaling the core platform capabilities that power Gusto's payroll system. The position offers a unique opportunity to work on complex challenges in the financial technology sector, specifically focusing on payroll processing, tax calculations, and compliance systems.

The role spans multiple critical teams including Tax Accuracy, Ledger, Engine, and Platform teams, each responsible for different aspects of Gusto's payroll infrastructure. As a Principal Engineer, you'll be expected to provide technical leadership across these teams, designing and implementing solutions that handle complex payroll calculations, tax compliance, and money movement at scale.

The position requires extensive experience (15+ years) in software engineering, with a focus on building maintainable, large-scale systems. You'll work with modern technologies including Ruby/Rails and TypeScript/React, while collaborating with cross-functional teams to deliver robust solutions. The role offers competitive compensation ($222,000-$290,000 depending on location) and comprehensive benefits.

This is an ideal opportunity for a seasoned engineer who enjoys solving complex technical challenges in a highly regulated domain while having a direct impact on small businesses across the country. The hybrid work environment (2-3 days in office) provides flexibility while maintaining collaborative opportunities with the team. The role requires travel to Denver for onboarding, demonstrating Gusto's commitment to building strong team connections despite the flexible work arrangement.

Last updated 5 hours ago

Responsibilities For Principal Software Engineer, Payroll Services

  • Function as a Technical Lead across multiple teams in Payroll Services
  • Design, build, and test the foundation that supports compliant payroll
  • Help scale Ruby/Rails and TypeScript/React applications
  • Collaborate on complex and ambiguous problems with cross-functional teams
  • Mentor and grow fellow engineers
  • Drive the product development process from concept to launch
  • Improve team productivity with services, tools, and APIs
  • Stay up-to-date with AI and Machine Learning advancements

Requirements For Principal Software Engineer, Payroll Services

Ruby
TypeScript
React
  • 15+ years of experience
  • Able to build maintainable, structured, well-documented code
  • Strong knowledge of data structures, data modeling, and system design
  • Experience working across 3+ teams, influencing product and team direction
  • Experience working on platform products
  • Experience engineering large scale systems in production
  • Aptitude in bringing clarity to complex problems
  • Experience operationalizing and scaling production systems
  • Enthusiasm for test-driven environment
  • Experience in complex highly regulated domains

Benefits For Principal Software Engineer, Payroll Services

Medical Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
401k
Relocation Benefits
  • Medical Insurance
  • Dental Insurance
  • Vision Insurance
  • 401k
  • Hybrid work environment
  • Relocation Benefits

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