---
title: 'Principal Architect at Planful'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/principal-architect-planful-north-fs1bvpgmc8f8'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-06'
---

# Principal Architect at Planful

- **Company:** Planful
- **Location:** North, United States
- **Work type:** remote
- **Posted:** 2026-07-31
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-06
- **Apply:** https://planful.com/jobs/careers-list/?gh_jid=8661005002

## Job description

## About the Role

As a Principal Engineer, you will be responsible for the architectural design and end-to-end implementation of a high-performance OLAP query engine and semantic layer. The primary goal is to develop a custom JSON-based query language (DSL) and a translation engine that converts these requests into optimized SQL for columnar databases. This role requires a deep understanding of systems programming, compiler theory, and multi-dimensional data modeling to serve high-concurrency read loads in a microservices environment.

## What You'll Do

- Architectural Design & Query Execution
- Compiler & DSL development: Design a custom JSON-based OLAP query language. Define eBNF grammars and build a translation layer to convert functional formulas and DSL requests into an optimized execution plan.
- SQL generation & optimization: Implement and oversee the generation of highly optimized SQL tailored for columnar databases including ClickHouse, SingleStore, and DuckDB.
- Semantic layer management: Architect the representation of multi-dimensional data models within columnar structures, ensuring efficient data retrieval and aggregation.
- Custom function logic: Implement logic for custom functions, determining the optimal balance between SQL push-down and application-layer execution
- Caching & Performance Engineering
- Multi-dimensional caching: Envisage and implement a distributed caching strategy for multidimensional data, utilizing shared memory systems like Redis.
- Concurrency & scaling: Build and maintain high-performance microservices using Java (Micronaut or Spring Boot) with Project Loom (Virtual Threads) to handle massive concurrent read loads.
- Low-level optimization: Manage system-level performance including connection pooling, array pooling, and off-heap memory management.
- JVM tuning: Apply expert knowledge of Java Garbage Collectors (including ZGC and Shenandoah) to maintain low-latency response times.
- Engineering Excellence & AI Integration
- AI-augmented development: Leverage AI coding agents and tools to accelerate the software development lifecycle, from prototyping to debugging.
- Technical documentation: Maintain a disciplined approach to software development by documenting architectural decisions, design patterns, and technical specifications.
- Technical leadership: Act as the primary technical authority on query engine internals, providing guidance on complex systems-level challenges.

## What We're Looking For

- 15+ years in software engineering with a focus on backend systems and data infrastructure
- Strong theoretical and practical knowledge of compilers, ASTs, eBNF, and query planning
- In-depth understanding of SQL, query optimization, and the internal workings of columnar databases
- Expert proficiency in Java, specifically regarding multi-threading, asynchronous I/O, networking, and memory management
- Proven experience in designing distributed caching layers and managing state across microservices
- Ability to decompose complex data problems into scalable architectural components
- Clear verbal and written communication skills, with a strong tendency to document thoughts and architectural ideas
- A rigorous approach to software craftsmanship, including testing, telemetry, and performance benchmarking
- Minimum of 1 year of experience using AI coding agents to enhance development productivity
- Prior experience developing financial systems such as ERP, EPM, or General Ledger platforms is an added plus

## Why this Role

You will own the internals of the query engine at the heart of a next-generation financial planning platform — the layer where compiler theory, columnar database performance, and multi-dimensional semantics converge.

Pay Transparency Statement

At Planful our top priority is to support our employees and ensure each individual has access to equal growth opportunities. Pay decisions take into consideration the individual's skillset, experience, knowledge, qualifications for the role, and specific work location.

The OTE range for this role is $325,000 - $375,000 USD per year, depending on experience and location. As a part of this role, you are also eligible for equity, benefits and wellbeing resources.

## About Planful

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Planful is the pioneer of AI-powered financial performance management (FPM) cloud software that helps finance teams plan, close, report, and analyse with speed and accuracy.
- **Entity Type**: Private (backed by private equity firm Vector Capital)
- **Headquarters**: San Francisco, California, USA
- **Founded**: 2005 (originally as Host Analytics, rebranded to Planful in 2019)
- **Founders**: Not publicly available

## Core Business
- **Primary industry/industries**: Financial Performance Management (FPM) Software / Enterprise SaaS
- **Target customers**: B2B – mid‑market and enterprise organisations, finance and accounting teams, FP&A professionals, CFOs
- **Mission or purpose statement**: “To be the Undisputed Champion in Financial Performance Management. We help our customers achieve peak performance, driving prosperity for their shareholders, their employees, and the communities they impact.” [planful.com](https://planful.com/about-us/)

## Products & Services
Planful offers a unified cloud platform with several key modules:

- **Planful AI**: Embedded, finance‑native AI with three assistants – Planner (forecasting & what‑if scenarios), Analyst (insights & queries), and Help (guidance). [planful.com](https://planful.com/)
- **Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A)**: Automated budgeting, forecasting, and reporting with real‑time collaboration.
- **Financial Close and Consolidation**: Accelerates close cycles with automation, AI, and audit trails.
- **Financial Reporting and Analysis**: Dynamic dashboards, self‑service analysis, and drill‑down capabilities.
- **Workforce Planning**: Advanced modelling for headcount, compensation, and talent scenarios aligned to corporate goals.
- **Marketing Planning and Budgeting**: ROI tracking, campaign alignment, and seamless integration with financial plans.
- **Operational Planning**: Integrates operational business drivers into financial planning for cross‑functional alignment.

All modules are delivered as SaaS, with integrations to ERP/CRM/BI tools (NetSuite, Workday, Salesforce, Snowflake, Power BI, etc.). [planful.com/official-planful-company-information](https://planful.com/official-planful-company-information/)

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed (private, PE‑backed)
- **Key Metric**: Over 1,500 customers in more than 100 countries; 500+ employees. [planful.com/about-us](https://planful.com/about-us/)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Vector Capital (global private equity firm). Partner ecosystem includes 60+ partners. [planful.com](https://planful.com/)
- **Growth Signals**:
  - Named a Leader in Enterprise Performance Management by Dresner Advisory Services for the 10th consecutive year.
  - Won 2025 AI Breakthrough Award for Innovation in AI‑Based Analytics.
  - Recognised as a Great Place to Work in the US, Canada, UK, and India (4th consecutive year).
  - Included in Fortune Best Workplaces in Technology (2025). [planful.com/official-planful-company-information](https://planful.com/official-planful-company-information/)

## Competitive Advantages
- **Finance‑native AI**: Purpose‑built for financial workflows, not a generic AI wrapper – provides explainable, traceable, governed insights.
- **Unified platform**: Combines planning, close, consolidation, reporting, workforce, and marketing finance in a single environment, eliminating data silos.
- **Mature integration ecosystem**: Native connectors to major ERP/CRM/BI systems.
- **Deep domain expertise**: Over a decade of leadership in FPM with a large, loyal customer base.

## Strategic Focus
- **AI acceleration**: Embedding generative, predictive, and agentic AI across the entire platform to automate forecasting and decision‑making.
- **Global expansion**: Offices in North America, Europe, and Asia; serving customers in over 100 countries.
- **Customer success**: Continued investment in customer experience (rated 4.3/5 on G2) and community events like Perform25.
- **Security & compliance**: Maintaining SOC 1/2/3, HIPAA, ISO 27001, and EU AI Act readiness. [planful.com/official-planful-company-information](https://planful.com/official-planful-company-information/)

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: “The Planful Way” values – Progress, Intention, Teams, Customers, Action. Collaborative, inclusive, and flexible work environment.
- **Benefits** (from careers page):
  - Generous parental leave (including grandparent leave), family support, flexible work options.
  - Healthcare plans covering 100% for employees and 90% for dependents; fertility and family‑forming support.
  - Home‑office reimbursement, monthly cell phone/internet stipend.
  - 3–4 weeks PTO + birthday off, quarterly wellness days, ClassPass membership, Talkspace mental health support.
  - Learning & development: WorkRamp platform, training reimbursement, monthly manager training.
  - Catered lunches, team offsites, quarterly happy hours.
  - Equitable pay, equity across levels, annual merit reviews. [planful.com/jobs](https://planful.com/jobs/)
- **Work policy**: Hybrid/remote options available (flexible work options mentioned). Global hubs: San Francisco, Hyderabad, London, Toronto, Munich.
- **Engineering culture**: CTO Sanjay Vyas has doubled the engineering team since 2015 with a strong management team. Emphasis on scalable cloud architecture and AI innovation. [planful.com/about-us](https://planful.com/about-us/)

## Sources
1. [Planful – Official Company Information](https://planful.com/official-planful-company-information/)
2. [Planful – About Us](https://planful.com/about-us/)
3. [Planful – Homepage](https://planful.com/)
4. [Planful – Careers/Jobs](https://planful.com/jobs/)
5. [Planful – Life at Planful](https://planful.com/life-at-planful/)

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