THE ROLE & THE TEAM
As a Principal Software Engineer in Zalando’s Customer Care (CuCa) Tech department, you will be the primary architect of our transformation from traditional service models to AI-powered automated resolution. You will move beyond a single team's scope to provide hands-on technical leadership for the entire department.
Your mission is to define the architecture for systems where complex AI models meet customer-facing production environments. You will ensure that automated intelligence handles high-volume customer queries monthly while maintaining a seamless "human-in-the-loop" fallback for complex cases. You will be the go-to expert for Product and Engineering Management, ensuring our technology roadmap directly supports the next generation of automated customer care.
INCLUSIVE BY DESIGN
At Zalando, our vision is to be inclusive by design. And this vision starts with our hiring - we do not discriminate on the basis of gender identity, sexual orientation, personal expression, ethnicity, religious belief, or disability status. You are welcome to leave out your picture, age, or marital status from your application. We only assess candidates on their qualifications and merit.
We want to provide you with a great candidate experience. Feel free to inform us of any accommodations you may need, so we can best support you throughout the hiring process.
do.BETTER - our diversity & inclusion strategy: https://corporate.zalando.com/en/our-impact/dobetter-our-diversity-and-inclusion-strategy
Our employee resource groups: https://corporate.zalando.com/en/our-impact/our-employee-resource-groups
WHAT WE’D LOVE YOU TO DO (AND LOVE DOING)
System Architecture for AI: Own and drive the technical design for large-scale projects that integrate Python-based AI/ML microservices into our production environment.
Applied Science Collaboration: Partner with Applied Scientists to move experimental models into reliable, high-performing production services at Zalando scale.
Strategic Automation: Design and execute technical improvements for intelligent query routing and automated response workflows that impact the long-term (2-3 year) strategic vision.
Engineering Excellence & MLOps: Act as a guardian of Operational Excellence, conducting architecture and production readiness reviews to ensure AI systems are observable and scalable.
Technical Leadership & Mentoring: Lead other Engineers across the department, enabling them to deliver complex features and proactively supporting their growth.
Innovation & Standards: Proactively contribute to setting engineering standards for AI productionization (MLOps) and influence our internal Tech Radar.
WE'D LOVE TO MEET YOU IF…
Python & Engineering Expertise: You are a recognized expert in Python with a deep understanding of software design, data modeling, and distributed systems.
AI/ML Productionization at Scale: You have a proven track record of deploying AI models into production and managing the technical debt associated with high-volume AI applications.
Complex Problem Solving: You can decompose highly ambiguous AI requirements into clear technical designs that balance business value with technical constraints.
Department-Level Impact: You have experience leading cross-team projects and managing dependencies across multiple delivery teams.
Communication & Alignment: You can explain complex AI technical concepts to non-specialists and Senior Management to drive decision-making.
Community & Talent: You are an active member of the engineering community and act as a Talent Champion for hiring and developing senior talent.
OUR OFFER
Zalando provides a range of benefits, here’s an overview of what you can expect. Ask your Talent Acquisition Partner to learn more about what we offer.
Employee shares program
40% off fashion and beauty products sold and shipped by Zalando, 30% off Zalando Lounge, discounts from external partners
2 paid volunteering days a year
Hybrid working model with 60% remote per week, actual practice is up to each team to best support their collaboration
Work from abroad for up to 30 working days a year
27 days of vacation a year to start
Relocation assistance available (subject to prior agreement)
Family services, including counseling and support
Health and wellbeing options (including Gympass)
Mental health support and coaching are available
Skills Required
- Expert-level Python programming and software design
- Proven experience deploying AI/ML models into production at scale
- Experience with MLOps and productionization best practices
- Architecting and operating distributed microservice systems
- Track record of cross-team technical leadership and driving department-level projects
- Ability to translate ambiguous AI requirements into clear technical designs
- Strong communication skills for aligning with product and senior management
- Mentoring, hiring, and talent development experience
Zalando Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Zalando and has not been reviewed or approved by Zalando.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Paid time off includes a sizable annual allowance that can grow with tenure, plus additional paid days for volunteering. This breadth is highlighted as supportive of work–life balance.
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Wellbeing & Lifestyle Benefits — Mental health support, round‑the‑clock counseling for employees and households, and broad fitness/wellness access are emphasized as robust. Substantial product discounts and partner offers add meaningful lifestyle value.
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Parental & Family Support — Structured support around parental leave—such as buddy programs, re‑onboarding, and paid child sick days—helps ease family responsibilities. Flexible and part‑time leadership options further accommodate parents.
Zalando Insights
What We Do
Welcome to Zalando. Here’s some key info about us: Our position and vision: - We’re Europe’s leading online platform for fashion and lifestyle - Founded in Berlin in 2008, we bring head-to-toe fashion to more than 50 million active customers in 25 markets; offering clothes, footwear, accessories, and beauty - Our vision is to become The Starting Point For Fashion. Our offering: - Our assortment of international brands ranges from world-famous names to local labels - Our platform is a one-stop fashion destination for inspiration, innovation, and interaction - As Europe’s most fashionable tech company, we work hard to find digital solutions for every aspect of the fashion journey: for our customers, partners, and friends of our brand. - Our logistics network with 12 centrally located fulfillment centers allows us to efficiently serve our customers throughout Europe, supported by warehouses in Italy, France, Poland, and Sweden with a focus on local customer needs. Our beliefs: - Our ambition is to combine our passion for self-expression through fashion with our unwavering commitments to sustainability and D&I - We believe that our integration of fashion, operations, and online technology gives us the capability to deliver a compelling value proposition to both our customers and fashion brand partners.
