Principal Engineer - Catalog

Job Summary: 

The Principal Engineer - Catalog operates at the intersection of deep technical execution and broad organizational influence. This role will resolve the hardest architectural questions, set the AI-native engineering bar, and ensure that iHerb's platform decisions compound over time rather than accumulate debt. Reporting to the VP of Engineering this role collaborates closely with peer Principals, Engineering Managers, and peer VPs across the organization. 

The Principal Engineer - Catalog owns the end-to-end technical strategy for iHerb's product catalog platform, one of the most business-critical systems in the company. This role will lead the catalog modernization effort, define service boundaries and data models, and set the full-stack engineering bar for the Catalog team. 

Job Expectations:

• Define and own the catalog platform architecture: service design, data modeling, API contracts, and technology choices across the stack. 

• Lead the technical scoping and execution of the catalog modernization effort, coordinating with the Catalog EM and cross-functional partners. 

• Hands-on contributor: write production code, build proofs of concept, and validate architecture through working software. 

• Set and enforce technical standards for the Catalog team; drive code reviews and architecture reviews. 

• Identify and resolve cross-cutting technical dependencies with peer engineering teams and shared platform services.

• Contribute catalog-specific patterns and lessons into iHerb's shared AI-driven SDLC golden path. 

• Drive the hardest cross-cutting technical decisions across multiple teams and shared platform services. 

• Establish and evolve iHerb's AI-driven SDLC golden path: shared standards, Claude Code skills, guardrails, and automation patterns. 

• Lead complex multi-team technical efforts by coordinating architecture reviews, aligning peer Principals and EMs, and resolving competing approaches. 

• Mentor and raise the technical bar across the engineering organization through code review, architecture review, and direct coaching of senior engineers. 

• Represent engineering in cross-functional conversations with product, data science, security, and infrastructure. 

• Feed architectural decisions into the shared knowledge base so institutional knowledge compounds across the organization. 

The duties and responsibilities described above may provide only a partial description of this position. This is not an exhaustive list of all aspects of the job. Other duties and responsibilities not outlined in this document may be added as necessary or desirable, with or without notice.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Required:

• AI-driven SDLC (required): demonstrated use of AI-assisted development tools such as Claude Code, GitHub Copilot, or Cursor to ship production systems. Can articulate workflow changes, quality tradeoffs, and guardrail strategies. 

• Architecture at scale: experience designing and evolving large-scale distributed systems across multiple teams and years: APIs, data pipelines, event-driven architectures, or high-traffic platforms.

• Cross-org technical leadership: track record of driving architectural standards, technical roadmaps, or platform initiatives that span multiple teams or organizations.

• Engineering quality mindset: deeply held opinions on code quality, observability, CI/CD, test automation, and maintaining velocity without accumulating hidden debt. 

• Communication and influence: able to write clear architecture documents, present to technical and non-technical audiences, and build consensus without formal authority. 

• Experience working in distributed teams across the US, China, and Latin America.

• Deep backend engineering experience with at least one of: C#/.NET (strongly preferred), Go, Java, or Python, at production scale. 

• Proven experience designing data models and APIs for high-volume catalog, inventory, or e-commerce systems. 

• Full-stack capability: able to contribute meaningfully to frontend (React or equivalent) and own backend-to-UI architectural decisions. 

• Experience driving a large-scale platform modernization or rewrite effort, including migration strategy and risk management. 

• High degree of accuracy and attention to detail

• Excellent organization skills and ability to multi-task

Equipment Knowledge:

• Experience with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

• Experience with Google Business Suite (Gmail, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Forms) preferred

Experience Requirements:

Generally requires a minimum of 10+ years of software engineering experience, with a significant portion at senior, staff, or principal IC level.

Education Requirements: 

Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science or related field preferred, or a combination of education and equivalent work experience.

Judgment/Reasoning Ability: Able to identify, troubleshoot and resolve problems quickly using sound judgment, poise and diplomacy. Ability to use judgment and reasoning skills, and determine when to escalate issues, as required, in a timely manner.

Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a Team Member to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the Team Member is regularly required to talk and hear. The Team Member is frequently required to sit, walk, climb stairs, use hands and fingers, bend, stoop and reach with hands and arms. Reaching above shoulder heights, below the waist or lifting as required to file documents or store materials throughout the work day. The Team Member may occasionally lift or move office products and supplies up to 25 pounds. Proper lifting techniques required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Work Environment: The noise in the work environment is usually moderate. Other factors are:

• Hectic, fast-paced with multi-level distractions

• Professional, yet casual work environment

• Office / Warehouse environment

• Ability to work extended hours as required

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