Stanbridge University · 7 hours ago
Principal Web Engineer (Architecture & Platform-(SaaS)
Irvine, CA
Full-time
Hybrid
Lead/Staff
8+ years expStanbridge University is seeking a Principal Web Engineer to take charge of the architectural direction and technical integrity of its core web platform. This role involves hands-on engineering, architectural decision-making, and the adoption of modern AI-assisted engineering practices to enhance delivery speed and maintain high standards of quality.
Higher Education
No H1B
Responsibilities
Own the architectural direction of the university’s core web platform, ensuring intentional evolution over time
Lead architectural decision-making for high-impact initiatives; document decisions using Architectural Decision Records (ADRs), diagrams, and clear implementation guidance
Define and evolve platform strategy across modularity, API contracts, data access patterns, background processing, queues, caching, and state management
Identify architectural risks related to scalability, performance, maintainability, and security; propose pragmatic, executable solutions with clear tradeoffs
Establish and reinforce consistent engineering patterns to prevent technical drift and unnecessary complexity
Design, build, and maintain production features and platform capabilities using Laravel (PHP 8.x) and Vue 3 (Composition API), with TypeScript where appropriate
Own complex, cross-cutting, or high-risk technical implementations; unblock delivery when architectural complexity becomes a bottleneck
Build and maintain reusable UI components using semantic HTML and responsive CSS/Sass; uphold WCAG 2.2 AA accessibility standards
Integrate with internal and third-party enterprise systems via REST/JSON APIs with robust error handling and resilience
Configure and optimize modern build tooling (e.g., Vite, Node.js, npm/pnpm) for performance, maintainability, and developer experience
Serve as a high-signal reviewer for complex and architectural pull requests
Define and evolve coding standards, pull request expectations, conventions, and quality gates (testing, linting, review requirements)
Identify recurring quality issues and address root causes through refactoring strategies, standards, and enablement
Mentor and elevate other engineers through technical guidance, pairing, and targeted feedback (without formal people-management responsibilities)
Drive adoption of high-leverage AI-assisted development practices to measurably improve delivery speed while preserving quality and operational safety
Evaluate, pilot, and standardize AI tooling and workflows across implementation, code review, testing, debugging, and documentation
Establish repeatable AI-first engineering playbooks, including prompt patterns, repository context practices, PR checklists, and enhanced definitions of done
Partner with QA and DevOps/SRE to integrate AI-enabled practices into CI/CD pipelines and the broader SDLC
Demonstrate measurable productivity gains (e.g., faster PR cycle times, reduced rework, fewer QA kickbacks) while maintaining security and maintainability standards
Establish guardrails ensuring AI-assisted output remains secure, correct, and aligned with architectural standards
Ensure responsible use of AI tools in accordance with university policies and data-handling requirements
Apply secure-by-default practices aligned with OWASP, including input validation, authorization, secrets management, and dependency risk mitigation
Uphold responsible data practices consistent with FERPA and university policy, including least-privilege access and safe logging practices
Partner with QA and DevOps/SRE to ensure work is release-ready, with clear acceptance criteria, appropriate test coverage, and safe rollout plans
Collaborate on CI/CD improvements, environment parity, deployment safety, and automation that reduces release risk
Support incident response and production troubleshooting as needed; contribute to preventative fixes and improved observability
Improve operational signal quality through logging, monitoring, and error tracking tools (e.g., Sentry or equivalent)
Review and harden externally developed or partner-delivered code prior to integration
Establish repeatable integration practices, including clear contracts, review checklists, test expectations, and architectural alignment
Surface quality or delivery risks early with clear, actionable recommendations
Maintain clear technical documentation, including ADRs, runbooks, READMEs, and contribution guidelines
Identify, prioritize, and address technical debt with explicit linkage to delivery speed, stability, security, and maintainability
Participate in root-cause analysis and follow-through for recurring technical issues
Support hiring efforts through technical interviews, code or portfolio review, and structured interview feedback for senior engineering candidates
Qualification
Required
Minimum of 8 years of experience delivering and maintaining production web applications in a SaaS, agile development environment, including demonstrated architectural ownership
Strong hands-on experience with PHP and Laravel (PHP 8.x required) and modern JavaScript frameworks; Vue.js (Vue 3) strongly preferred
Proven ability to make and communicate high-quality technical decisions balancing delivery speed and long-term maintainability
Proficiency with Git/GitHub workflows, pull requests, and leading effective code reviews
Solid experience with relational databases (MySQL/MariaDB), including schema design, migrations, and query optimization
Experience designing and integrating REST/JSON APIs
Working knowledge of web accessibility standards (WCAG 2.2 AA) and secure coding practices (OWASP)
Demonstrated experience using modern AI-assisted development tools to improve productivity while maintaining quality
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including technical documentation and cross-functional collaboration
Preferred
Experience evolving complex or long-lived platforms, including stabilization, refactoring, performance tuning, and reliability improvements
Familiarity with CI/CD systems (e.g., GitHub Actions), automated testing frameworks (PHPUnit/Pest, Playwright/Cypress), and quality gates
Experience working with DevOps/SRE teams and cloud-hosted, containerized environments (Docker-based workflows)
Prior experience in higher education, EdTech, or other regulated environments; FERPA familiarity is a plus
Experience integrating outsourced or partner-developed codebases at scale
Experience evaluating and standardizing new developer tooling, including AI tooling, with measurable delivery impact
Benefits
Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
Retirement Plan (401k)
Exciting university events
Seasonal motivational health and wellness challenges
Work/Life Balance initiatives
Onsite wellness program / Staff Chiropractor
Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)
Paid Time Off (Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays)
Family Leave (Maternity, Paternity)
Company
Stanbridge University
Stanbridge University is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC).
201-500 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Growth StageLeadership Team
Yasith Weerasuriya
President and CEO
Recent News
2026-01-14
2025-12-16
Stanbridge University
2025-05-17
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