Principal Software Developer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

It all started when engineer Fred Luddy wrote code that automated a tedious task for his coworker, Phyllis. She cried tears of joy. That moment inspired Fred to build a company that could do that for everyone—freeing people from busywork so they could focus on meaningful work. Today, ServiceNow is the AI control tower for business reinvention. Our ServiceNow AI platform brings together any AI, any data, and any workflow— helping 85% of the Fortune 500® work smarter, faster, and better. We're building an AI-native culture where technology and talent are unstoppable together. And we're just getting started.

Join us to put AI to work for people.

Principal Software Engineer
 

The engineering organization is a dynamic group of builders, thinkers, and problem-solvers dedicated to delivering scalable, AI-powered software products that elevate how organizations work. We value clean architecture, intuitive user experiences, and a culture of continuous improvement. Every engineer here plays a key role in shaping the quality and reliability of our products.

About the Team:

The IT Service Management (ITSM) and IT Operations Management (ITOM) organization unifies incident, request, fulfillment, and service resilience capabilities with end‑to‑end infrastructure visibility, service mapping, and AIOps on the ServiceNow Platform to deliver proactive, self‑healing operations and exceptional employee experiences at scale.  Together, they enable streamlined service delivery and intelligent operations at scale, tightening the loop between operations and service delivery, all targeting modernized, AI‑assisted operations and measurable productivity outcomes on a single platform.

What you get to do in this role:

The Principal Software Engineer plays a key role in shaping the future of ServiceNow’s platform by architecting and developing core frameworks that enhance user experience and embed generative AI capabilities. This role involves driving large-scale technical initiatives, making strategic architectural decisions, and mentoring engineers while collaborating across product and design teams to deliver innovative, high-performance solutions. We’re seeking a Principal Software Engineer with deep expertise in large-scale endpoint agent development and deployment, and microservices architecture. The role requires technical leadership to drive best practices, architecture recommendations, and standards for data collection, transport, and storage at scale.
 

• Design and develop scalable, maintainable, and reusable software components with a strong emphasis on performance and reliability.
• Collaborate with product managers to translate requirements into well-architected solutions, owning features from design through delivery
• Build intuitive and extensible user experiences using modern UI frameworks, ensuring flexibility for customer-specific needs.
• Contribute to the design and implementation of new products and features while enhancing existing product capabilities.
• Integrate automated testing into development workflows to ensure consistent quality across releases.
• Participate in design and code reviews ensuring best practices in performance, maintainability, and testability.
• Develop comprehensive test strategies covering functional, regression, integration and performance aspects
• Foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement by sharing best practices in engineering and quality
• Promote a culture of engineering craftsmanship, knowledge-sharing, and thoughtful quality practices across the team.

Qualifications

To be successful in this role you have:

• Experience in leveraging critical thinking about how to integrate AI into work processes, decision-making, or problem-solving. This may include using AI-powered tools, automating workflows, analyzing AI-driven insights, or exploring AI’s potential impact on the function or industry.
• Typically requires a minimum of 15 years of related experience with a Bachelor's degree; or 12 years and a Master's degree; or a PhD with 8 years experience; or equivalent experience.
• Proficiency in Python, Java, or similar object-oriented languages.
• Experience with modern front-end frameworks such as Angular, React, or Vue.
• Strong knowledge of data structures, algorithms, object-oriented design, design patterns, and performance optimization
• Familiarity with automated testing frameworks (e.g., JUnit, Selenium, TestNG) and integrating tests into CI/CD pipelines
• Understanding software quality principles including reliability, observability, and production readiness.
• Ability to troubleshoot complex systems and optimize performance across the stack.
• Experience with AI-powered tools or workflows, including validation of datasets, model predictions, and inference consistency.
• Comfort with development tools such as IDEs, debuggers, profilers, source control, and Unix-based systems

Why Join Us

• Build and deliver high-impact software that powers digital experiences for millions of users.
• Collaborate in a culture that values craftsmanship, quality, and innovation.
• Work symbiotically with AI and automation tools that enhance engineering excellence and drive product reliability.
• Be part of a culture that encourages innovation, continuous learning, and shared success.

To be successful in this role you have:

• Experience in leveraging critical thinking about how to integrate AI into work processes, decision-making, or problem-solving. This may include using AI-powered tools, automating workflows, analyzing AI-driven insights, or exploring AI’s potential impact on the function or industry.
• Typically requires a minimum of 15 years of related experience with a Bachelor's degree; or 12 years and a Master's degree; or a PhD with 8 years experience; or equivalent experience.
• Proficiency in Python, Java, or similar object-oriented languages.
• Experience with modern front-end frameworks such as Angular, React, or Vue.
• Strong knowledge of data structures, algorithms, object-oriented design, design patterns, and performance optimization
• Familiarity with automated testing frameworks (e.g., JUnit, Selenium, TestNG) and integrating tests into CI/CD pipelines
• Understanding software quality principles including reliability, observability, and production readiness.
• Ability to troubleshoot complex systems and optimize performance across the stack.
• Experience with AI-powered tools or workflows, including validation of datasets, model predictions, and inference consistency.
• Comfort with development tools such as IDEs, debuggers, profilers, source control, and Unix-based systems

For positions in this location, we offer a base pay of $221,200 - $387,100, plus equity (when applicable), variable/incentive compensation and benefits. Sales positions generally offer a competitive On Target Earnings (OTE) incentive compensation structure. Please note that the base pay shown is a guideline, and individual total compensation will vary based on factors such as qualifications, skill level, competencies, and work location. We also offer health plans, including flexible spending accounts, a 401(k) Plan with company match, ESPP, matching donations, a flexible time away plan and family leave programs. Compensation is based on the geographic location in which the role is located and is subject to change based on work location.

Work Personas

We approach our distributed world of work with flexibility and trust. Work personas (flexible, remote, or required in office) are categories that are assigned to ServiceNow employees depending on the nature of their work and their assigned work location. Learn more here. To determine eligibility for a work persona, ServiceNow may confirm the distance between your primary residence and the closest ServiceNow office using a third-party service.

Equal Opportunity Employer

ServiceNow is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, gender identity,  veteran status, or any other category protected by law. In addition, all qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with legal requirements.  

Accommodations

We strive to create an accessible and inclusive experience for all candidates. If you require a reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the application process, or are unable to use this online application and need an alternative method to apply, please contact globaltalentss@servicenow.com for assistance. 

Export Control Regulations

For positions requiring access to controlled technology subject to export control regulations, including the U.S. Export Administration Regulations (EAR), ServiceNow may be required to obtain export control approval from government authorities for certain individuals. All employment is contingent upon ServiceNow obtaining any export license or other approval that may be required by relevant export control authorities. 

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