Frontline AI- Principal Software Engineer

Overview At Zebra, we are a community of innovators who come together to create new ways of working. United by curiosity and a culture of caring, we develop smart solutions that anticipate our customer’s and partner’s needs and solve their challenges.

Being part of Zebra Nation means you are seen, heard, valued, and respected. Drawing from our unique perspectives, we collaborate to deliver on our purpose. Here you are part of a team pushing boundaries today to redefine the work of tomorrow for organizations, their employees, and those they serve.

You’ll have opportunities to learn and lead in a forward-thinking environment, defining your path to a fulfilling career while channeling your skills toward causes you care about—locally and globally.

Come make an impact every day at Zebra.

What We’re Looking For As a Frontline AI Principal Software Engineer, you will be responsible for leading the architecture, design, and development of software solutions for the organization’s most complex and high impact projects. Drives long-term technical strategies, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives and competitive industry trends. Operates under consultative direction, setting and pursuing courses of action essential to achieve long-range business goals. Serves as a technical expert and mentor, influencing the organization’s technical direction and fostering innovation.

Location- ***Role is required to be onsite in Holtsville, NY OR Lincolnshire, IL office (Hybrid- Minimum of 3 days in the office per week).

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Architects, designs, and oversees the development of software solutions for highly complex technical projects, specifically targeting customer-facing multi-platform applications (React Native, web), deep Android capabilities (background services, camera integrations), and robust backend data integrations.
• Engineers intelligent application and Android framework architectures that leverage the latest developments from Google. Continuously monitors and experiments with the newest AI edge developments and modern OS concepts (such as App Functions) to keep our solutions at the industry’s cutting edge.
• Creates detailed software specifications and leads the technology roadmap process, recommending project approaches and long-term goals for data capture, mobile architecture, and edge AI processing.
• Champions innovation and cultivates creativity among team members, fostering an environment that attracts and retains top talent.
• Leads and advises on all aspects of the software development lifecycle, prioritizing modular, maintainable architectures, quality, and continuous improvement.
• Monitors competitor products and development strategies, ensuring the organization’s mobile and vision designs exceed industry standards.
• Develops next-generation technologies and solutions (e.g., integrating GenAI SDKs, advanced OCR, and on-device ML workflows) in collaboration with other engineering disciplines, anticipating and addressing client needs before the competition.
• Protects intellectual property by analyzing competitor patents and contributing to related organizational initiatives.
• Serves as a strategic thought leader for both the organization and our customers, representing Zebra as a spokesperson on specialized projects, developer blueprints, and next-generation enterprise architectures.
• Serves as a thought leader, representing the organization as a spokesperson on specialized projects, developer blueprints, and reference applications.
• Establishes formal networks and coordinates efforts across teams and organizational units to achieve shared objectives.
• Acts as a prime consultant and advisor for projects impacting the organization’s long-term technical and business goals.
• Provides strategic mentorship to senior engineers and management, fostering knowledge sharing and technical excellence in modern development tools.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering or a related technical field
• 10+ years of professional experience OR 7+ years of experience with a master’s degree
• Experience in software architecture, system design, and scalable software solutions bridging enterprise-level backend systems with modern client applications.
• In-depth knowledge of core native mobile development (Android Kotlin/Java, deep background services, OS intern…