Principal Engineer

Company: Zoom
Location: San Jose
Posted on: April 1, 2026

Job Description:

Immigration sponsorship is not available for this position What you can expect Zoom is seeking a Principal Engineer to help advance the reliability and operational maturity of our DevOps teams. This role will also support broader engineering organizations where their work intersects with production operations. This is a senior leadership role focused on improving how our teams operate systems at scale. It emphasizes shifting away from reactive patterns toward more proactive and sustainable approaches informed by SRE principles. The role emphasizes execution, follow-through, and practical change, rather than planning or architecture ownership. It reports to the Head of DevOps and works closely with senior and executive leadership. About the Team With eight specialized departments, the engineering team functions as a highly collaborative, diverse powerhouse. Each department mission is to deliver seamless and innovative communication solutions. These range from software development and machine learning to quality assurance teams that work to create and maintain Zoom's user-friendly interfaces and robust infrastructure. The team continues to push the boundaries of communication technology, bringing people together regardless of their physical distance. Responsibilities Working closely with DevOps teams to understand current operating practices and identify areas where reactive behaviors increase operational risk or operational toil Helping teams adopt automation-first, low-touch operating models that reduce manual intervention and human error Supporting teams in applying systematic learning from failures, translating incident root causes into durable improvements to systems, tooling, and operating practices Promoting convergence of infrastructure and operational practices across DevOps teams where shared approaches improve reliability and reduce fragmentation Supporting teams operating in shared and regulated environments, including Zoom for Government, by helping establish clear, understandable operational expectations Contributing to improved capacity planning and cost-aware reliability tradeoffs, adding structure and follow-through to existing efficiency efforts Engaging with external vendors and partners where their systems or services materially affect Zoom’s reliability, cost, or compliance posture Providing clear, thoughtful updates to senior leadership that summarize operational health, trends, and areas for improvement, including human-driven failure modes What we’re looking for 15 years of experience in engineering, DevOps, or infrastructure-adjacent roles Motivate teams responsible for operating large-scale production systems Have a track record of helping teams improve how they operate, not just what they deliver Prioritize building and implementing low touch, automation-first operating models for services at scale Provide influence across teams without direct authority Deliver pragmatic, steady, and effectiveness in ambiguous situations Able to communicate operational issues, tradeoffs, and improvement opportunities clearly to both engineers and leaders Champion working in regulated or compliance-sensitive environments Salary Range or On Target Earnings: Minimum: $171,800.00 Maximum: $375,900.00 In addition to the base salary and/or OTE listed Zoom has a Total Direct Compensation philosophy that takes into consideration; base salary, bonus and equity value. Note: Starting pay will be based on a number of factors and commensurate with qualifications & experience. We also have a location based compensation structure; there may be a different range for candidates in this and other locations At Zoom, we offer a window of at least 5 days for you to apply because we believe in giving you every opportunity. Below is the potential closing date, just in case you want to mark it on your calendar. We look forward to receiving your application! Anticipated Position Close Date: 04/27/26 Ways of Working Our structured hybrid approach is centered around our offices and remote work environments. The work style of each role, Hybrid, Remote, or In-Person is indicated in the job description/posting. Benefits As part of our award-winning workplace culture and commitment to delivering happiness, our benefits program offers a variety of perks, benefits, and options to help employees maintain their physical, mental, emotional, and financial health; support work-life balance; and contribute to their community in meaningful ways. Click Learn for more information. About Us Zoomies help people stay connected so they can get more done together. We set out to build the best collaboration platform for the enterprise, and today help people communicate better with products like Zoom Contact Center, Zoom Phone, Zoom Events, Zoom Apps, Zoom Rooms, and Zoom Webinars. We’re problem-solvers, working at a fast pace to design solutions with our customers and users in mind. Find room to grow with opportunities to stretch your skills and advance your career in a collaborative, growth-focused environment. Our Commitment? At Zoom, we believe great work happens when people feel supported and empowered. We’re committed to fair hiring practices that ensure every candidate is evaluated based on skills, experience, and potential. If you require an accommodation during the hiring process, let us know—we’re here to support you at every step. If you need assistance navigating the interview process due to a medical disability, please submit an Accommodations Request Form and someone from our team will reach out soon. This form is solely for applicants who require an accommodation due to a qualifying medical disability. Non-accommodation-related requests, such as application follow-ups or technical issues, will not be addressed.

Keywords: Zoom, Redwood City , Principal Engineer, IT / Software / Systems , San Jose, California