Freelance Remote Operations Engineer Jobs in Iowa

What You'll Do

We’re looking for a Senior Software Engineer II to join our Retirement & Income Solutions (RIS) organization, supporting a critical modernization initiative across the enterprise. This role sits on a newly formed engineering enablement team, where you’ll help define, build, and scale enterprise integration patterns that will be used broadly across RIS and beyond.

In this role, you’ll operate as a hands-on engineer and technical leader, setting direction through example, designing reusable solutions and guiding other engineers through well-defined standards and patterns.

You'll have the opportunity to:

• Design, build, and evolve enterprise integration patterns leveraging APIs, events, and messaging to support the RIS modernization effort
• Partner closely with enterprise teams to enable scalable integrations using AWS-native services (e.g., EventBridge, SQS, Lambda, ECS/EKS)
• Develop reusable, composable CDK constructs that can be adopted consistently across teams
• Provide technical direction and informal leadership, helping engineers align to standards while staying deeply hands-on
• Translate complex business and modernization needs into practical, repeatable engineering solutions
• Contribute to architectural discussions with a strong engineering lens, understanding design intent and implementation tradeoffs
• Help shape how integration capabilities are delivered at scale across RIS and the broader organization

Operating at the intersection of financial services and technology, Principal builds financial tools that help our customers live better lives. We take pride in being a purpose-led firm, motivated by our mission to make financial security accessible to all. Our mission, integrity, and customer focus have made us a trusted leader for more than 140 years.

As Principal continues to modernize its systems, this role will offer you an exciting opportunity to build solutions that will directly impact our long-term strategy and tech stack, all while ensuring that our products are robust, scalable, and secure!

Who You Are

• Associate's or bachelor's degree (preference in a computer science, technology, engineering or math-related field) or equivalent experience
• 8+ years of enterprise engineering experience, with increasing scope and technical influence
• Deep experience building solutions on AWS, with strong working knowledge of core services
• Experience working in matrixed, highly collaborative environments, partnering across teams and disciplines
• Informal team leadership experience, mentoring and providing strategic direction to a team
• Excellent communication and problem-solving skills, with the ability to work through complex technical challenges

Skills That Will Help You Stand Out

• Experience designing and implementing enterprise integrations using APIs, events, files, and messaging
• Experience with TypeScript or similar modern languages
• Hands-on experience creating Level 2 and Level 3 AWS constructs or similar reusable cloud patterns
• Familiarity with Domain-Driven Design (DDD) concepts and application patterns
• Exposure to or experience with AI and agentic AI solutions in modern cloud environments
• A track record of contributing to modernization efforts while maintaining reliability and continuity

Salary Range Information
Salary ranges below reflect targeted base salaries. Non-sales positions have the opportunity to participate in a bonus program. Sales positions are eligible for sales incentives, and in some instances a bonus plan, whereby total compensation may far exceed base salary depending on individual performance. Actual compensation for all roles will be based upon geographic location, work experience, education, licensure requirements and/or skill level and will be finalized at the time of offer.
Salary Range (Non-Exempt expressed as hourly; Exempt expressed as yearly)
$130000 - $170000 / year
Time Off Program
Flexible Time Off (FTO) is provided to salaried (exempt) employees and provides the opportunity to take time away from the office with pay for vacation, personal or short-term illness. Employees don't accrue a bank of time off under FTO and there is no set number of days provided.
Pension Eligible
Yes Hours

To support collaboration across teams, this role has an expectation to begin the workday at 7:30 a.m. Central Time.

Work Environments

This role offers in-office, hybrid (blending at least three office days in a typical workweek), and remote work arrangements (only if residing more than 30 miles from Des Moines, IA, or Charlotte, NC). You’ll work with your leader to figure out which option may align best based on several factors.

Our Engineering Culture

Through our product-driven Agile/Lean DevOps environment, we’ve fostered a culture of innovation and experimentation across our development teams. As a customer-focused organization, we work closely with our end users and product owners to understand and rapidly respond to emerging business needs.

Collaboration is embedded into everything we do – from the products we develop to the quality service we provide. We’re driven by the belief that diversity of thought, background, and perspective is critical to creating the best products and experiences for our customers.

Work Authorization/Sponsorship

At this time, we're not considering applicants that need any type of immigration sponsorship (additional work authorization or permanent work authorization) now or in the future to work in the United States. This includes, but IS NOT LIMITED TO: F1-OPT, F1-CPT, H-1B, TN, L-1, J-1, etc. For additional information around work authorization needs please use the following links.

Nonimmigrant Workers and Green Card for Employment-Based Immigrants

Investment Code of Ethics

For Principal Asset Management positions, you’ll need to follow an Investment Code of Ethics related to personal and business conduct as well as personal trading activities for you and members of your household. These same requirements may also apply to other positions across the organization.

Experience Principal

At Principal, we value connecting on both a personal and professional level. Together, we’re imagining a more purpose-led future for financial services – and that starts with you. Our success depends on the unique experiences, backgrounds, and talents of our employees. And we support our employees the same way we support our customers: with comprehensive, competitive benefit offerings crafted to protect their physical, financial, and social well-being. Check out our careers site to learn more about our purpose, values and benefits.

Principal is an Equal Opportunity Employer

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.

Posting Window
We will accept applications for 3 full days following the Original Posting Date, after which the posting may remain open or be removed based upon applications received. If we choose to post the job again, we will accept additional applications for at least 1 full day following the Most Recently Posted Date. Please submit applications in a timely manner as there is no guarantee the posting will be available beyond the applicable deadline.
Original Posting Date
5/5/2026
Most Recently Posted Date
7/20/2026
 

Principal uses artificial intelligence tools to assist in reviewing and evaluating job applications, fraud prevention, and candidate matching and comparisons. These AI tools support our human recruiters in the initial review process but do not make final hiring decisions without human involvement. By submitting your application, you acknowledge this use of AI in our recruitment process. Please review our Workforce (U.S.) Privacy Notice for more details on our practices and your data privacy rights.

LinkedIn Remote Hashtag

#LI-Remote

LinkedIn Hashtag

#LI-EW1Qualifications:

• Associate's or bachelor's degree (preference in a computer science, technology, engineering or math-related field) or equivalent experience
• 8+ years of enterprise engineering experience, with increasing scope and technical influence
• Deep experience building solutions on AWS, with strong working knowledge of core services
• Experience working in matrixed, highly collaborative environments, partnering across teams and disciplines
• Informal team leadership experience, mentoring and providing strategic direction to a team
• Excellent communication and problem-solving skills, with the ability to work through complex technical challenges

Skills That Will Help You Stand Out

• Experience designing and implementing enterprise integrations using APIs, events, files, and messaging
• Experience with TypeScript or similar modern languages
• Hands-on experience creating Level 2 and Level 3 AWS constructs or similar reusable cloud patterns
• Familiarity with Domain-Driven Design (DDD) concepts and application patterns
• Exposure to or experience with AI and agentic AI solutions in modern cloud environments
• A track record of contributing to modernization efforts while maintaining reliability and continuity

Education:UNAVAILABLEEmployment Type: FULL_TIME