Position Purpose:

The Principal Software Engineer—AI Warehouse Systems will spearhead the design and development of advanced artificial intelligence solutions within Home Depot’s Warehouse Management and Execution Systems (WMS/WES). By leveraging deep expertise in applied AI, machine learning, and algorithmic optimization, they will drive the creation of next-generation, intelligent warehouse processes that enhance efficiency, adaptability, and operational excellence across supply chain environments.

This role leads the integration of AI-driven predictive analytics, real-time decision-making engines, and intelligent automation into both cloud-native and on-premises platforms. Drawing on hands-on experience with conveyor software, PLC communications, robotics, and edge computing, they will architect resilient systems that connect physical devices—such as sensors, actuators, and industrial robots—with enterprise-grade software.

The Principal Software Engineer will navigate complex data landscapes and industrial protocols, orchestrating seamless interoperability between legacy hardware, modern microservices, and AI models. As a technical thought leader, they champion scalable, reusable code and uphold rigorous standards for code quality, system reliability, and technical documentation. They will facilitate collaboration across software, data science, electrical, and warehouse operations teams, translating complex AI requirements for diverse audiences and managing system risks, data integration constraints, and evolving business objectives.

This position ensures robust configuration of AI components, hyper-efficiency of algorithms, continuous system learning and performance optimization, resilience testing, and operational monitoring. With high expectations for system availability, data security, and disaster recovery, the Principal Software Engineer mentors junior talent, instilling best practices in AI, data engineering, and modern development frameworks to guarantee innovation, reliability, and scalability throughout Home Depot’s automated warehouse solutions.

Key Responsibilities:

70% Delivery & ExecutionCollaborates and pairs with other product team members (UX, engineering, and product management) to create secure, reliable, scalable software solutionsDocuments, reviews, and ensures that all quality and change control standards are metWrites custom code or scripts to automate infrastructure, monitoring services, and test casesWrites custom code or scripts to do "destructive testing" to ensure adequate resiliency in productionCreates meaningful dashboards, logging, alerting, and responses to ensure that issues are captured and addressed proactivelyContributes to enterprise-wide tools to drive destructive testing, automation, or engineering empowermentIdentifies product enhancements (client-facing or technical) to create a better experience for the end usersIdentifies unsecured code areas and implements fixes as they are discovered with or without toolingIdentifies, implements, and shares technical solutions that can be used across the organizationCreates and architects foundational code elements that can be reused many times by a productCreates meaningful architecture diagrams and other documentation needed for security reviews or other interested partiesDefines Service Level Objectives for product to constantly measure their reliability in production and help prioritize backlog work20% Support & Enablement:Fields questions from other product teams or support teamsMonitors tools and participates in conversations to encourage collaboration across product teamsProvides application support for software running in productionProactively monitors production Service Level Objectives for productsWorks with vendors and the open-source community to help identify and implement feature enhancements in software productsWorks with other product teams to create API specifications and contracts for shared dataProactively reviews the performance and capacity of all aspects of production: code, infrastructure, data, and message processingTriages high-priority issues and outages as they arise10% Learning:Participates in and leads learning activities around modern software design and development core practices (communities of practice)Learns, through reading, tutorials, and videos, new technologies and best practices being used within other technology organizationsAttends conferences and learns how to apply new technologies where appropriate

Direct Manager/Direct Reports:

Typically reports to the Software Engineer Manager or Sr. Manager, Technology Director, or Sr. Director.

Travel Requirements:

Typically requires overnight travel less than 10% of the time.

Physical Requirements:

Most of the time is spent sitting in a comfortable position, with frequent opportunities to move about. On rare occasions, there may be a need to move or lift light articles.

Working Conditions:

Located in a comfortable indoor area. Any unpleasant conditions would be infrequent and not objectionable.

Minimum Qualifications:

Must be eighteen years of age or older.Must be legally permitted to work in the United States.Mastery of an object-oriented programming language (preferably Java)Must be legally permitted to work in the United States

Preferred Qualifications:

6-8 years of relevant software engineering experience, including substantive work in AI/ML, data science, or algorithmic systems within warehousing, logistics, or supply chain contextsHas experience creating single and multi-agent AI systems, orchestrating the multi-agent systems to solve complex tasks, and integrating these systems into external data sourcesMastery of Python and experience with advanced machine learning frameworks (such as TensorFlow, PyTorch, or scikit-learn)Advanced proficiency in designing and deploying AI/ML models for real-time warehouse optimization, predictive maintenance, and process automationMastery of modern web application frameworks (Ruby on Rails, Spring MVC, Node.js) and microservice-based architecturesMastery of writing optimized SQL queries and proficiency with NoSQL databases, including data modeling and query performance optimization for large-scale operational datasetsDeep proficiency in cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud) and automation patterns, including integration of AI/ML solutions with cloud-native servicesStrong experience in edge computing and IoT protocols to support AI algorithms interfacing directly with warehouse devices and roboticsExpertise with CI/CD toolchains for continuous integration and automated deployment of ML models and warehouse applicationsProven experience implementing secure, high-availability, and disaster-recovery patterns in production systemsDemonstrated success applying destructive and resilience testing methodologies for AI-enabled warehouse systemsAdvanced understanding of defensive coding and secure design principles for mission-critical environmentsProficient in front-end frameworks (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, AngularJS, ReactJS, JQuery), with the ability to visualize AI insights for operators and non-technical stakeholdersExtensive experience integrating RESTful web services and real-time event-driven architectures within warehouse environmentsDemonstrated leadership in cross-disciplinary teams and mentoring, frequently translating advanced AI concepts to both technical and non-technical audiencesExperience with 12-factor methodology and related architectural patterns to ensure modular, scalable, and resilient deployment of AI applicationsKnowledge of the latest research and trends in warehouse AI: reinforcement learning, simulation-based optimization, computer vision (CV), and autonomous systems

Minimum Education:

The knowledge, skills, and abilities typically acquired through the completion of a bachelor's degree program or equivalent degree in a field of study related to the job.

Preferred Education:

No additional education

Minimum Years of Work Experience:

6

Preferred Years of Work Experience:

No additional years of experience

Minimum Leadership Experience:

None

Preferred Leadership Experience:

None

Certifications:

None

Competencies:

Action Oriented: Taking on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of urgency, high energy and enthusiasmBusiness Insight: Applying knowledge of business and the marketplace to advance the organization's goalsCollaborates: Building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectivesCommunicates Effectively: Developing and delivering multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiencesCultivates Innovation: Creating new and better ways for the organization to be successfulDrives Results: Consistently achieving results, even under tough circumstancesGlobal Perspective: Taking a broad view when approaching issues; using a global lensInterpersonal Savvy: Relating openly and comfortably with diverse groups of peopleManages Ambiguity: Operating effectively, even when things are not certain or the way forward is not clearManages Complexity: Making sense of complex, high quantity, and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problemsNimble Learning: Actively learning through experimentation when tackling new problems, using both successes and failures as learning fodderOptimizes Work Processes: Knowing the most effective and efficient processes to get things done, with a focus on continuous improvementSelf-Development: Actively seeking new ways to grow and be challenged using both formal and informal development channelsSituational Adaptability: Adapting approach and demeanor in real time to match the shifting demands of different situations

Benefits offered include health care benefits, 401K, ESPP, paid time off, and success sharing bonus.  For a full list of the various benefits The Home Depot offers, visit https://careers.homedepot.com/our-benefits.