Description
Tempe, Arizona (On-site)
Principal Staff Software Engineer (AI-Native) | Founding Engineer | Build Faster Than Traditional Teams
CornerStone TTS is partnering with a high-growth organization building AI-driven platforms from the ground up. This team is intentionally designed to operate differently from traditional engineering environments, with a focus on speed, ownership, and modern tooling.
This is a hands-on, founding-level opportunity for someone who has already changed how they build software because of AI and wants to operate at a higher level of impact.
This is not a management-only role. This is for engineers who build and lead from the front.
What you will do
Write and ship code daily using AI tools as a core part of your workflow
Define how AI is integrated into engineering processes across the full development lifecycle
Build and evolve cloud-native systems in a Microsoft Azure environment
Make fast technical decisions with incomplete information and iterate quickly
Help bring structure to a fast-growing engineering environment, including technical debt management and process maturity
Act as a key bridge between engineering in Tempe and business operations across multiple locations
Operate within a small, high-output team focused on speed and execution
What we are looking for
10+ years of engineering experience with at least 5 years leading or managing software teams
Active, daily use of AI tools such as Cursor, Copilot, Claude, or similar
Strong background in enterprise architecture, cloud platforms, and scalable systems
Hands-on Microsoft Azure experience in production environments
Experience in regulated industries such as healthcare, fintech, or government
Familiarity with SOC2, HIPAA, or similar compliance frameworks
Executive-level communication skills with the ability to interface with leadership and stakeholders
Proven ability to operate in fast-moving, ambiguous environments and drive outcomes
Preference for building and creating over maintaining legacy systems
This is not the right fit if
You are primarily focused on people management rather than coding
You prefer highly structured environments with defined processes
You are not actively using AI to accelerate development
You prefer maintaining existing systems over building and evolving new ones
Additional context
This role bridges engineering with operational teams across multiple locations
The environment has scaled quickly and requires someone comfortable bringing clarity and structure without slowing momentum
AI adoption is a core pillar, and cultural alignment around modern development practices is critical
Additional details
Founding-level impact with significant ownership and influence on technical direction
If you are already building faster because of AI and want to work in an environment that prioritizes speed, ownership, and execution, this is worth a conversation.