Position Purpose:

The Principal Software Engineer for Store Systems & Operations is a senior technical leader responsible for architecting, developing, and optimizing end-to-end software and hardware solutions that directly enable Home Depot’s most critical in-store initiatives. This role is central to ensuring aisles and bays are consistently stocked and that cart-based image capture systems operate with maximum reliability to support real-time inventory accuracy and operational excellence.

You will drive the technical vision and execution for systems that power task assignment and pack-down workflows for Merchandising Execution Team (MET) associates and Store Operations, ensuring seamless collaboration and efficiency across teams. A key focus will be on resolving reliability challenges in image capture by integrating advanced machine learning models, robust device management, and resilient software architectures. You will work hands-on with ML, Device, and Software teams to design, implement, and continuously improve solutions that leverage AI/ML for image analysis, automate tasking, and optimize store processes.

This position requires deep expertise in hardware and network integration, enabling reliable data flow between in-store devices and cloud platforms (with a strong emphasis on Google Cloud Platform). You will define and uphold service level objectives, lead performance tuning, and ensure security and scalability of all store systems. As a technical mentor, you will foster a culture of innovation, reliability, and cross-team knowledge sharing, while also engaging with third-party vendors and the open-source community to accelerate solution delivery and maintain industry best practices.

Your leadership will directly impact the efficiency of store operations, the accuracy of inventory management, and the overall customer experience by ensuring that technology solutions are robust, scalable, and aligned with Home Depot’s business goals.

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 and there is frequent opportunity 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 progressive software engineering experience, including significant responsibility for architecting and delivering large-scale, distributed systems in a retail or operational environment.Demonstrated expertise in designing and integrating hardware and network solutions, with hands-on experience connecting in-store devices to cloud platforms and ensuring reliable data flow.Mastery of a modern scripting language (preferably Python), with a proven track record of building robust, production-grade applications.Mastery of at least one modern web application framework (such as Node.js, Spring MVC, or Ruby on Rails), and experience developing scalable, maintainable backend services.Advanced proficiency in both SQL and NoSQL databases, including query optimization, effective data modeling, and troubleshooting complex data issues.Proficient in front-end technologies (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, AngularJS, ReactJS, JQuery), with the ability to collaborate on end-to-end solutions.Deep experience working in Linux/Unix environments and with CI/CD toolchains to enable rapid, reliable deployments.Proficient in cloud computing platforms, with a strong preference for Google Cloud Platform (GCP) certification and Google Architect credentials; experience automating cloud infrastructure and leveraging cloud-native services.Practical experience applying AI/ML concepts to operational systems, including integrating machine learning models for image analysis and reliability improvements.Proven ability to design and implement production systems for high availability, disaster recovery, performance, efficiency, and security in a mission-critical environment.Proficient in modern microservice architectures, RESTful web services, and defensive coding practices for high-reliability systems.Demonstrated success with hardware integrations, network troubleshooting, and performance tuning in environments with complex device ecosystems.Strong communication and cross-team collaboration skills, with experience working closely with ML, Device, Software, Merchandising, and Store Operations teams to deliver integrated solutions.Experience mentoring junior engineers, fostering a culture of innovation, reliability, and continuous improvement.Familiarity with the 12-factor methodology and the ability to guide teams in adopting best practices for cloud-native application development.Experience engaging with third-party vendors and the open-source community to accelerate solution delivery and maintain industry best practices.

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.