Fast Facts

BetterLesson is seeking a Principal Engineer to lead the Ruby on Rails platform that powers their District Resource Optimization products, focusing on architecture, performance, and data integrity.

Responsibilities: Serve as the technical lead, ensure system scalability and performance, drive product delivery, mentor team members, and engage in strategic planning.

Skills: Deep experience with Ruby on Rails, systems thinking, and proficiency in handling complex data ingestion processes.

Qualifications: Strong background in software development, particularly in Ruby on Rails, with a focus on data-driven insights and problem-solving.

Location: Remote, within the US.

Compensation: Not provided by employer. Typical compensation ranges for this position are between $130,000 - $180,000.

Principal Engineer - Ruby on Rails Platform Lead

Department: Engineering

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Remote

Reporting To: Chief Technology Officer

Description

Integrating technology with teaching for an empowered tomorrow. 

The BetterLesson Engineering team is composed of highly skilled software engineers that work to realize the company's mission of providing a best-in-class professional learning experience for educators. 

The Opportunity BetterLesson is seeking a Principal Engineer to own the platform driving our District Resource Optimization products. This Ruby on Rails platform is the engine behind critical decisions for school districts, ingesting and analyzing massive datasets - from staffing plans and student schedules to course requests and outcomes. By combining intelligent data aggregation with proprietary AI models, we empower district leaders to optimize resources, maximize student outcomes, and improve post-secondary readiness.

The Role We need a high-velocity "player-coach" who can make an immediate impact. In your first few months, you will dive directly into product delivery support, gaining rapid, hands-on exposure to our system's architecture and data pipelines. This deep dive will position you to partner with leadership on strategic initiatives, including streamlining delivery workflows, architecting new features, and integrating next-generation AI models.

What You Will Do

• Own the Architecture: Serve as the technical lead for a complex, data-rich Rails platform, ensuring scalability, performance, and data integrity.
• Drive Delivery: Bring a "high clock speed" approach to problem-solving, quickly diagnosing bottlenecks and shipping code that keeps product delivery moving.
• Lead by Example: Balance your time between hands-on software design/development and high-level strategic planning.
• Mentor & Multiply: Act as a technical force multiplier, elevating the team through code reviews, architectural guidance, and peer mentoring.

Who You Are

• A Rails Veteran: You possess deep, "muscle memory" fluency in Ruby on Rails and can navigate complex codebases with speed and precision.
• A Systems Thinker: You look beyond the immediate bug to see the broader architectural implications, balancing short-term fixes with long-term stability.
• Data-Fluent: You are comfortable working with heavy data ingestion, complex normalization challenges (CSVs, SIS integrations), and data-driven insights.
• Action-Oriented: You thrive in environments where you can roll up your sleeves, figure things out quickly, and deliver value without needing extensive training or hand-holding.

We Can Offer You:

• The opportunity to work with an awesome team to solve important problems.
• A competitive salary.
• Health and other employee benefits.
• Equity in the business you are helping to build.
• A flexible schedule and vacation policy.
• The opportunity to spend everyday working to improve outcomes for teachers and students.