The Impact of a Principal Software Engineer at Coupa:
The Principal Software Engineer will serve as a backend architect and visionary leader, responsible for the overall design, strategy, and implementation of our core .NET services. You will tackle our most complex technical and business challenges, leading without authority and serving as a key strategic partner to VPs of Engineering and Architecture.
Your work will directly impact the productivity of hundreds of engineers and the performance of a platform that serves the world's largest enterprises. This role requires a leader who can operate at both 30,000 feet—crafting long-term vision—and 3 feet—diving deep into C# code alongside our top engineers to solve critical problems.
What You’ll Do:
- Architectural Vision & Strategy: Define and drive the long-term vision and multi-year strategy for Coupa's backend .NET architecture. Make strategic decisions on migrating legacy monoliths to highly scalable, cloud-native microservices.
- Enterprise-Wide Technical Leadership: Act as a lead contributor on key or critical projects with broad design issues. Provide technical advice and counsel that impacts the technical and business direction of the entire company, extending across several departments.
- Pave the Engineering Path: Establish and enforce best practices for API-driven services (REST, GraphQL), microservice orchestration, data transport, and platform monitoring across all backend initiatives.
- Drive Innovation: Evaluate and implement cutting-edge technologies in distributed computing, asynchronous messaging (Kafka), and integrate AI/ML platform tooling directly into core business spend capabilities.
- Cross-Department Delivery: Take responsibility for the delivery of complex backend services on set timelines by coordinating seamlessly across multiple engineering departments and product teams.
- Mentorship & Standards: Serve as a subject matter expert on a wide range of specialty areas. Mentor Senior and Lead engineers, elevating the craft of backend engineering at Coupa.
What You Will Bring to Coupa
- Experience: 15+ years of Software Engineering experience within an enterprise-grade B2B SaaS environment, with significant leadership and architectural roles.
- Core Technical Mastery:
- Deep, proven expertise in C# and the modern .NET ecosystem (.NET 8/10).
- Extensive experience designing and scaling API-driven services and event-driven microservice architectures.
- Profound understanding of modern cloud ecosystems (AWS, Azure), container orchestration (Kubernetes), and high-throughput transaction processing.
- Database & Data Architecture: Expert in SQL Server, NoSQL, relational database management, query optimization, and managing large-scale data processing under heavy concurrent loads.
- Strategic Influence: Proven ability to influence and lead cross-functional teams without formal authority, driving alignment on complex technical decisions across senior leadership.
- Execution in Ambiguity: A track record of thriving in ambiguity, transforming complex, high-level business problems into structured, actionable, and resilient technical solutions.
- Education: Advanced degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent practical experience.
Skills Required
- 15+ years of software engineering experience in an enterprise B2B SaaS environment
- Deep, proven expertise in C# and the modern .NET ecosystem (.NET 8/10)
- Extensive experience designing and scaling API-driven services and event-driven microservice architectures
- Experience with REST and GraphQL API design and standards
- Experience with asynchronous messaging (Kafka) and high-throughput transaction processing
- Strong knowledge of modern cloud platforms (AWS, Azure), container orchestration (Kubernetes), and containerization (Docker)
- Expertise in SQL Server, NoSQL databases, query optimization, and large-scale data processing under heavy concurrent loads
- Proven ability to influence cross-functional teams and provide technical leadership without formal authority
- Advanced degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent practical experience
What the Team is Saying
Coupa Compensation & Benefits Highlights
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Healthcare Strength — Health, dental, vision, and mental‑wellness resources for employees and dependents begin on the first day of employment. Recent updates to health‑insurance programs this year indicate active management of core coverage.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Flexible Time Off, floating holidays, paid parental leave, and dedicated volunteer time off are emphasized as part of standard offerings. A global minimum vacation allowance outside the U.S. is also advertised.
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Retirement Support — Competitive compensation is paired with retirement savings programs, including a U.S. 401(k) with company match. An Employee Stock Purchase Plan is also referenced as part of long‑term financial support.
Coupa Insights
What We Do
Coupa is a global technology company that helps businesses run smarter by connecting all the ways they spend money — from procurement and expenses to payments and supply chain decisions — in one intelligent platform. In simple terms, Coupa gives organizations the visibility and control they need to make better financial choices, reduce waste, and drive real impact. It’s where technology meets purpose: helping companies manage their resources more responsibly while creating a positive ripple across their people, partners, and the planet.
Why Work With Us
At Coupa, we prioritize an inclusive and empathetic workplace where every voice is valued. Our teams are proactive and accountable, ensuring we collaborate effectively to achieve our goals. The foundation of our culture rests on our people; we believe in fostering an environment that encourages innovation and curiosity.
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Coupa Offices
Hybrid Workspace
Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.
Our virtual-first approach is intentional. It gives you the freedom to do your best work in a space that supports focus, balance, and creativity, while staying connected to a global team of changemakers who are redefining the future of business spend
