Principal Engineer

About the role

The Points Guy is transforming from a media business into a consumer product company. For fifteen years we helped millions of people master points, miles, and travel through content. Now we are building the products that do it for them, including AI-native, consumer-facing experiences that act on a user's behalf. The engineering problems in front of us are about engagement, growth, and active users, not page views.

We are hiring a Principal Engineer to raise the bar for how this team builds. This is a hands-on role with zero management responsibility, by design. You will be the most experienced builder in the room, and your job is to up-level the engineers around you through proximity: in the code, in design reviews, in pairing sessions, in the standards you set by example. A mentor and a leader, not a manager.

What you'll do

• Own the hardest technical problems in our consumer product transformation end to end, from architecture through shipped code.
• Set technical direction for a ~30 person engineering org and pressure-test the big decisions before we commit to them.
• Raise the engineering bar every week: design reviews, pairing, code review standards, and the questions nobody else is asking.
• Make AI-assisted development the way we work, not a side experiment. You use agents and modern tooling daily and you show others what good looks like.
• Bring outside industry perspective to a team that has grown up inside one company, and change ways of working that have gone stale.
• Partner directly with the SVP of Engineering and the engineering managers as a technical thought partner, while staying an IC.

What We're Looking For

• Many years of experience building and shipping consumer products at scale, with the scars to prove it.
• Hands-on today. You write code every week and you would not take a role where you didn't.
• A track record of up-leveling teams around you: engineers who worked near you got noticeably better.
• Deep fluency in the modern web stack (we build on Next.js, React, and TypeScript) and strong instincts for product architecture.
• Genuine conviction about AI-native development, backed by daily practice rather than talking points.
• Comfort influencing without authority. You change how a team works through credibility, not org charts.

Compensation:

Total Cash Compensation Range: $135,000 – $260,000 per year

This role is also eligible for Equity, which is offered separately from the total cash compensation listed above. Actual compensation varies based on location, experience, and qualifications.

Additionally, the following benefits are provided by Red Ventures, subject to eligibility requirements.

• Health Insurance Coverage (medical, dental, and vision)
• Life Insurance
• Short and Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Holiday Pay
• 401(k) with match
• Employee Assistance Program
• Paid Parental Bonding Benefit Program
• Flexible Paid Time Off (PTO): We believe time to rest and recharge is essential.  That’s why we offer a generous and flexible PTO policy.  Full-time employees accrue 20 days of PTO for a full calendar year annually, with an increase to 25 days after five years of service.

Who We Are:

Red Ventures is a global portfolio of high-growth companies — spanning several U.S. businesses,a joint venture in the health services industry,and strategic investments in Europe. Their businesses include The Points Guy, Lonely Planet, Bankrate, the Allconnect Platform, RV Home Client Growth, RV Growth & Transformation, Sage Home Loans Corporation, and more. Across the portfolio, Red Ventures businesses deliver seamless digital experiences for consumers, help Fortune 100 clients solve large-scale digital growth challenges, and create world-class experiences and opportunities for employees. Learn more at redventures.com and follow @RedVentures on LinkedIn and Instagram.

At Red Ventures, we believe diverse, inclusive teams are better. To help you better understand our core values and beliefs, we encourage you to watch this brief YouTube video: Our Belief Statements. This will give you insight into the principles that guide our work and our commitment to fostering an inclusive environment.

Red Ventures is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant because of race, creed, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy or any other basis protected by law. Employment at Red Ventures is based solely on a person's merit and qualifications. 

We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to qualified individuals with disabilities. This includes providing reasonable accommodation where appropriate. Should you require a reasonable accommodation to apply or participate in the job application or interview process, please contact [email protected]. 

If you are based in California, we encourage you to read this important information for California residents linked here.

At Red Ventures, we believe in real human connection. That’s why we do not hire someone through text, social media, or email only. As part of the hiring process, you should expect live conversations with RV teammates before any offer is made. Also, keep an eye on the sender: we only use official @redventures.com email addresses at the portfolio level or business specific email addresses (e.g., @thepointsguy.com), not ones like “redventurescareer.com.” We will never ask candidates to send money, buy equipment, or share financial account info during your journey with us. You can always find our open roles on redventures.com— if you receive a message that seems suspicious, please use redventures.com to verify the opportunity.

For more, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission has published helpful articles to help individuals learn more about protecting themselves from recruiter scams. If you think you’ve been targeted, feel free to report it to your local authorities. Stay safe out there!