Role Description We are looking for a P5 Principal Software Engineer, Applied AI Services to lead the architecture and evolution of our backend and AI systems across Shopper Journey Services and partner teams. In this cross‑cutting role, you will operate at the intersection of large‑scale backend systems and applied AI/ML systems. - Architect end‑to‑end applied AI services that connect offline data ingestion, AI/ML/LLM workflows, and online services and APIs. - Create reusable building blocks—such as libraries, templates, and reference implementations—for product teams to integrate AI into their services. - Lead conventional backend and platform excellence by architecting and guiding high‑scale microservices in a Kubernetes environment. - Drive AI/ML and LLM‑powered systems from prototype to production, including ingestion and transformation of training and inference data. - Partner with AI/ML, Agentic AI, and data platform teams to clarify ownership boundaries and interfaces. - Lead multi‑team technical initiatives that span SJS, AI/ML teams, HDP, and other backend groups. - Mentor senior engineers, run deep design reviews, and champion the use of AI as a force multiplier for engineering. This role has been categorized as a teleworker position. Teleworkers do not have a permanent corporate office workplace and instead work from a physical location of their choice, which must be identified to the Company. Employees may live anywhere in Mexico, with availability to travel to Mexico City. In addition to a competitive base salary and benefits, this position is also eligible for equity awards based on factors such as experience, performance, and location. Qualifications - 10+ years of software engineering experience with a strong track record of delivering and scaling complex, distributed backend systems. - Experience building large‑scale microservices and event‑driven architectures in cloud environments (AWS or equivalent). - Strong expertise in databases, caching, and data‑intensive services. - Experience with data pipelines and ML workflows (e.g., Databricks, Spark, Kafka, Airflow or equivalents). - Hands‑on experience building or scaling AI/ML or LLM‑powered systems in production. - Experience leading cross‑team technical initiatives as an IC. - Familiarity with personalization, recommendations, or user intent modeling domains. - Experience with modern API and integration layers, such as GraphQL. - Commitment to reliability, observability, and operational excellence. Benefits - Competitive base salary. - Benefits package. - Eligibility for equity awards based on experience, performance, and location. Company Description At Zillow, we’re reimagining how people move—through the real estate market and through their careers. As the most-visited real estate platform in the U.S., we help customers navigate buying, selling, financing, and renting with greater ease and confidence. - Zillow was named one of FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For® in 2025. - Included on the PEOPLE Companies That Care® 2025 list. - Committed to creating an innovative, inclusive, and engaging culture.