Source description
About the role
Principal C++ Software Engineer
Apply Now
- Job: 37188-MKAI
- Team: Product Development
- Location: US-MA-Natick
- Salary Range: USD 160,800 - 257,300
Job Summary
We are seeking a Principal Software Engineer to work on the core programming language and runtime systems that form the foundation of MATLAB. In this role, you will help design, implement, and evolve the language semantics, execution capabilities, and runtime infrastructure used by millions of engineers and scientists worldwide.
This is a hands‑on, technical role focused on building and modernizing foundational systems—improving language consistency, advancing performance and correctness, and refactoring long‑lived subsystems to support new capabilities, composable execution, and AI‑assisted development workflows.
Responsibilities
- Design and implement enhancements to programming language features, execution semantics, and core runtime behavior, with attention to performance and correctness.
- Lead and contribute to large‑scale refactoring efforts, improving modularity, clarity, and testability of mature systems while preserving external behavior and compatibility.
- Evolve internal APIs and abstractions that enable other teams to build language features, tooling, and integrations safely and efficiently.
- Diagnose and resolve complex cross‑cutting issues related to execution behavior and interactions between subsystems.
- Participate in design reviews and architecture discussions, helping shape the long‑term technical direction of the language and runtime.
- Mentor other engineers through code reviews, technical discussions, and shared ownership of foundational systems.
Minimum Qualifications
- A bachelor's degree and 10 years of professional work experience (or equivalent experience) is required.
- Expertise with C++
Additional Qualifications
- Strong understanding of software design principles and maintainable architecture in large systems.
- Experience with AI-driven development workflow and automation.
- Ability to independently drive complex technical work from problem definition through implementation and delivery.
- Experience working effectively in large, long‑lived codebases with many users and dependencies, including large‑scale refactoring efforts.
- Experience developing performance‑critical systems.
- Familiarity with developer‑facing tools such as debuggers, static analysis, or language tooling.

Why MathWorks?
It's the chance to collaborate with bright, passionate people. It's the opportunity to accelerate the pace of discovery, innovation, and learning in engineering and science. And it’s a commitment to doing the right thing—for each individual, our customers, and the local community. We cultivate an enjoyable, participatory, and rational environment that champions individual growth, encourages initiative, values collaboration, shares success, and rewards excellence.
MathWorks develops MATLAB and Simulink, the leading technical computing software used by engineers and scientists. The company employs more than 6,500 people in 16 countries, with headquarters in Natick, Massachusetts, USA. MathWorks is privately held and has been profitable every year since its founding in 1984.
YOU + MathWorks = Unlimited Possibilities

Join Our Talent Network
Receive personalized job opportunities, stories, and company updates.
Contact us if you need reasonable accommodation because of a disability in order to apply for a position.
MathWorks is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, genetic information, and other legally protected characteristics. View the EEOC Know Your Rights poster.
MathWorks participates in E-Verify. View the E-Verify posters here.
Twitter Widget Iframe
More at MathWorks
Related open roles
Software Engineer Embedded Deep Learning
Bangalore
Senior Software Engineer- 5G/6G Cellular network modelling
Hyderabad
Software Engineer - Code Generation Infrastructure (India)
India
Compiler Engineer LLVM
United States
Senior Model-Based Design Engineer
United States
Senior Observability Engineer
United States