Principal Software Engineer

Open Function

Principal Engineer at OpenFn responsible for end-to-end feature development on a complex public service platform. Collaborating on UI architecture and technical standards for government services.

Posted 7/20/2026full-timeRemote • 🇰🇪 KenyaLeadWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates extensive expertise in Javascript and full-stack development, with a strong focus on building interactive UIs and evolving design systems. Proven ability to lead technical initiatives, set architectural standards, and communicate effectively in a remote-first environment.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Javascript ExpertiseFull Stack DevelopmentUI Architecture DesignTechnical Problem-SolvingAI-Powered UI Development

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

JavascriptUI DevelopmentAPIsWebSocketsCI/CDTesting StrategiesComponent LibrariesDesign SystemsReal-Time CollaborationMVC Approaches

Soft Skills

Excellent Communication Skills

Tools & Technologies

GitHubSlackFigma

Industry Keywords

Open-SourceInternational DevelopmentCivil Service

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Build the "Claude Code for Public Services". As a Principal Engineer you'll own features end-to-end across the whole stack: helping users wire up data sources into workflows, chat with AI agents to test their services against complex edge cases, spot anomalous behaviour at a glance in dynamic dashboards, and debug failing workflows in real time.
Write the pattern book. Set the technical vision for our UI architecture — state management, component patterns, build tooling, design system — and make the decisions that allow us to rapidly test new ideas and scale the ones that work. You'll partner closely with product and design to shape what gets built, not just how.
Raise the bar. You'll be the technical leader other engineers learn from. Set high standards through code review, architectural guidance, and your own work. Model what infrastructure-grade craft looks like in practice — the kind of engineering that governments can depend on.

Requirements

What you’ll need

7+ years of engineering experience, with deep expertise in Javascript
You've shaped the architecture of a complex, multi-user platform and lived with the results
Strong technical problem-solving — you instinctively see the underlying issues creating surface-level noise and chart a path to resolving them.
Experience building rich, interactive UIs — canvas editors, streaming interfaces, real-time collaboration, or similarly complex front-end work
Comfort with the full stack adjacent: APIs, WebSockets, build tooling, CI/CD, and testing strategies
Excellent communication skills for remote-first work using GitHub, Slack, and Figma
Fluency in English
Even better
Experience building or evolving a design system in code — tokens, component libraries, and patterns that other engineers actually use
Experience building AI-powered UIs — streaming chat, inline code generation, agentic tool interfaces
Experience with both component-driven and MVC approaches such as Phoenix LiveView
Experience with developer tools, code editors, or CLI-adjacent web experiences
Background in open-source, international development, or the civil service
Second language proficiency

Benefits

Comp & perks

Competitive, commensurate with experience
Fully remote with regular meetups across Europe and Africa
Leadership development and strategic influence in a small, mission-driven team
The opportunity to impact millions of lives through open-source software