Principal Software Engineer

Report to: Senior Director of Engineering

About ELSA:

ELSA is a global leader in AI-powered English communication training, dedicated to transforming how people learn and speak English with confidence. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in San Francisco, we operate across the U.S., Vietnam, Portugal, Indonesia, Brazil and Japan.

Powered by proprietary speech-recognition technology and generative AI, ELSA delivers real-time, hyper-personalized feedback to help learners improve pronunciation, fluency, and overall communication effectiveness. With over 50 million learners and 1 billion hours of anonymized speech data, ELSA's depth of language training intelligence is unmatched in the industry.

Our B2B flagship platforms ELSA Enterprise and ELSA Schools empower organizations and educational institutions to elevate communication capabilities and unlock personal and professional opportunities for their people. We design engaging, bite-sized learning experiences that adapt to each learner's goals and context, ensuring measurable improvement and lasting confidence.

Our vision is to become the global standard for real-time English communication training, enabling 1.5 billion language learners worldwide to speak clearly, be understood, and share their stories with the world.

Backed by world-class investors including Google's Gradient Ventures, Monk's Hill Ventures, and SOSV, ELSA has been recognized among the top global AI innovators:

• Forbes Top 4 Companies Using AI to Transform the World
• Research Sniper Top 5 Best AI Apps
• ASU+GSV EdTech 150
• CB Insights Top 100 AI Companies

Join us in shaping the future of language learning and empowering millions to unlock opportunity through confident communication.

About the role:

As a Principal Software Engineer, you will play a critical role in designing, developing, and deploying innovative software solutions that support the success of our business. You will be a technical leader, mentor, and collaborator, inspiring your team and sharing your expertise with technical leaders across the organization. Your contributions will influence the architecture of our development teams and shape the future of the industry.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design and implement scalable, innovative software solutions that enhance the customer experience across multiple teams
• Provide technical leadership and guidance to development teams, influencing both problem-solving approaches and solution implementation
• Identify and champion technical issues and potential innovations to senior leadership
• Foster a culture of simplicity in architecture and code, balancing legacy system improvements with new development
• Collaborate with leaders across the company to align technical initiatives with organizational values
• Mentor and develop other engineers, contributing to the growth of the next generation of technical leaders
• Actively seek out diverse perspectives and feedback to continuously improve your work and the direction of the teams

Qualifications:

• Extensive experience in software engineering with a proven track record of delivering complex, scalable solutions
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to inspire and motivate technical teams
• Deep understanding of software architecture, design patterns, and best practices
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences
• Demonstrated ability to balance hands-on development with high-level strategic thinking
• Track record of driving innovation and implementing new technologies
• Upper-intermediate proficiency in English
• Demonstrated ability to use AI tools for productivity and workflows.

Why ELSA

• Competitive compensation package + Stock options
• Hybrid working model: 9:00 AM 6:00 PM, Monday to Friday, with one remote Friday every week
• Paid time off: 12 days of annual leave, plus 1 birthday leave and 1 Christmas leave
• Premium health insurance and annual health check-up to keep you in top shape
• Full coverage of social insurance
• Free ELSA Premium membership to help you sharpen your English skills
• International, collaborative, and high-energy work culture
• Be part of a well-funded, fast-growing Silicon Valley startup, where innovation and agility are at the core of what we do
• Work at the storefront of AI applied to language learning.