Principal Software Developer

Аbout GlobalFoundries

GlobalFoundries is a world-leading contract manufacturer for the global semiconductor industry with facilities in Dresden, Singapore, New York and Vermont (USA). Our products are used in various technical applications, e.g. mobile communications, consumer electronics, automotive and more. GlobalFoundries employs around 13,000 people worldwide, including 300 in Sofia. 

Our Sofia based team will enhance GF’s scale and capabilities, while strengthening competitiveness of its specialized application solutions to further position the company for growth and value creation. 

Our Design and Technology Enablement teams are working on the development of a broad portfolio of semiconductor technologies ranging from 350 nm down to 12nm including FD-SOI, RF, High-Voltage, and automotive applications.

Summary of the Role

We are looking for an experienced Principal Software Developer to lead small-to-medium scope project delivery within our Platform Engineering team. You will design and build software that automates GlobalFoundries PDK generation and semiconductor manufacturing processes - working with minimal guidance, creating requirements and being accountable for technical quality. You will train and guide junior engineers, enforce software architecture best practices and leverage AI-augmented workflows to accelerate delivery across multiple process technologies. 

Essential Responsibilities

• Lead project execution of Features and User Stories: decompose Features into well-defined User Stories and Tasks with clear acceptance criteria; ensure traceability from Epics down to work items. 

• Be accountable (A in RACI) for Tasks, User Stories, and Bugs delivered by the team — ensure deliverables meet quality, compliance, and Definition of Done standards. 

• Architect and develop PDK automation software in Python, Tcl, and shell scripting following clean architecture patterns (Onion Architecture, Functional Core / Imperative Shell); ensure domain models accurately represent semiconductor process constructs. 

• Design and maintain DSLs, parsers, and grammars for rule-based systems (e.g., SVRF, PERC) — build and evolve domain-specific languages, ASTs, and transformation pipelines that encode semiconductor design rules into executable automation. 

• Drive test-driven development across the team: establish test strategies (unit, integration, smoke), maintain CI/CD pipeline quality gates, and enforce PR review policies (2 approvals, linked work items, rebased merges). 

• Own Issue resolution and Spikes — lead timeboxed investigations to reduce technical uncertainty and inform architectural decisions; solve novel and non-recurring problems. 

• Create and refine requirements — author User Stories with acceptance criteria following Definition of Ready. Participate in backlog refinement with the Product Owner and Manager. 

• Train and guide JL4–JL5 engineers on technical skills, architecture principles, domain modeling, and workflow adherence; conduct code reviews with coaching intent. 

• Manage flow of work and leverage Azure DevOps dashboards for data-driven decisions; identify bottlenecks and drive process improvements within the team. 

What We Expect from You

• Technical leadership - lead project team execution - set direction, coordinate deliverables, unblock the team

• Minimal guidance - conduct project-based work without significant managerial input on individual tasks 

• Mentorship - actively develop junior engineers through pairing, reviews, and knowledge transfer - not just delegation 

• Continuous improvement - question the status quo; propose and implement workflow, tooling, or architecture improvements backed by data

• Domain mastery - build deep understanding of semiconductor PDK structures, design rules and manufacturing processes - and encode that knowledge into software

Required Qualifications

• Education: B.S. or M.S. in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related technical field 

• Experience: B.S. + 4–5 years, or M.S. + 2–4 years, or Ph.D. + 1–2 years of relevant software development experience 

• Technical skills:  Strong Python (including Pydantic, pytest, pandas, fastapi), Tcl or Bash/shell scripting, Git, trunk-based development, and CI/CD pipelines 

• Architecture: Demonstrated experience designing software with clean separation of concerns (layered architecture, domain-driven design) 

• Testing: Proven track record in test-driven development with ability to design comprehensive test strategies 

• Delivery: Hands-on experience with Azure DevOps or equivalent agile platform (work items, boards, pipelines) 

• Independence: Ability to lead small teams or project streams with minimal guidance 

• Mindset: Ownership mentality, bias for action, data-driven decision-making 

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in the semiconductor industry: PDK development, EDA tool flows (Calibre, SVRF, PEX), design rule checking (DRC/LVS), or process technology enablement 

• Experience designing or maintaining domain-specific languages, parsers, or grammars — building ASTs, transformation pipelines, or rule compilers (e.g., using lark, sly, or similar parser frameworks) 

• Demonstrated experience with LLMs and agentic development — configuring AI coding assistants, building Copilot agent skills, prompt engineering, or vibe-coding workflows (.github/instructions.md) 

• Experience with domain modeling for complex technical domains (semiconductor process data, rule-based systems, manufacturing workflows) 

• Familiarity with Onion Architecture, Functional Core / Imperative Shell, or similar clean architecture approaches 

• Track record of mentoring or training junior engineers in a technical team setting 

• Contributions to Lean/DevOps improvement initiatives (cycle time reduction, workflow standardization) 

We Offer

• Attractive compensation package with competitive salary, performance related bonus plan and a global recognition program.

• Employee Stock Purchase Plan (including 20% match and 50 seed shares for first time participants, non-executive).

• Individual, technical or management career path opportunities supported by enhanced learning and development programs.

• Healthy and teambuilding work environment with various perks:

  • Additional medical service, including dental and, coverage of employees’ children

  • Food vouchers and canteen discounts

  • Monthly budget for Flex benefit

  • Top-rated office location with recreation Spa facilities

  • Discounts for Spa & Wellness Programs at NV Tower

  • Regular Team Events and Celebrations

• Focus on employee work-life balance:

  • Hybrid working model and flexible working time

  • 21 to 25 days paid vacation depending on years with the company

GlobalFoundries is an equal opportunity employer, cultivating a diverse and inclusive workforce. We believe having a multicultural workplace enhances productivity, efficiency, and innovation whilst our employees feel truly respected, valued and heard.

Information about our benefits you can find here: https://gf.com/careers/opportunities-in-europe/