Job Title: Principal Software Engineer

Company Name: Corel

Job Url: https://workforcenow.adp.com/mascsr/default/mdf/recruitment/recruitment.html?cid=b9a9f7b6-469e-4e6f-958e-15568b55a6c2&jobId=576176

Job Description: Principal Software Engineer
Regular Full-Time
US
Yesterday
Requisition ID: 2584

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Salary Range:
$135,000.00 To $175,000.00 Annually
Principal Software Engineer – (Encryption Specialist)

Corel has an immediate vacancy for this role.

Push the boundaries of tech. In your sweatpants.

We’re looking for an experienced Principal Software Engineer to help us change the way the world works, with WinZip: encryption, email and cloud security, and productivity apps to fuel your daily workflows. The Principal Software Engineer serves as a senior technical leader responsible for the architecture, design, and implementation of high-performance Windows-based systems written in C and C++. This role provides deep expertise in cryptography, FIPS compliance, archive file formats, and advanced Windows internals. The position combines strategic architectural leadership with hands-on development of security-critical components.

Impact and Contribution

The Principal Software Engineer plays a pivotal role in shaping core system architecture while remaining deeply engaged in implementation. This position carries significant ownership of technical decisions and directly influences the design and security posture of mission-critical systems.

The top creative and technical minds could work anywhere. So why are so many of them choosing Corel? Here are three reasons: 

This is the moment. It’s an exciting time at Corel, with strong leadership, a refreshed brand, and a whole new approach to changing the way the world works. We’re at the forefront of a movement, and we want you to ride this wave with us.
We want you to be you. Too often, companies tell you about their culture and then expect you to fit it. Our culture is built from the people who work here. We want you to feel safe to be who you are, take risks, and show us what you’ve got.
It’s your world. We know you have a life. We want to be part of it, but not all of it. At Corel, we’re serious about empowering people to work when, how, and where they want. Couch? Sweatpants? Cool with us. We believe that happy employees mean happy customers. That’s why we hire amazing people and get out of their way.
Role Scope and Responsibilities

The Principal Software Engineer leads the development of core system components, ensuring performance, reliability, and security across all layers of the platform. Responsibilities include:

Architecting and implementing foundational components in C and C++ with a focus on maintainability.
Designing secure systems with rigorous attention to cryptographic correctness, performance optimization, and defense-in-depth principles.
Leading FIPS 140 compliance initiatives, including modernization and adoption of new standards, technical documentation, and codebase updates.
Implementing and maintaining encryption capabilities using industry-standard algorithms and secure coding best practices.
Guiding the team toward new ways to use encryption to increase user adoption and retention. Including researching and adoption of post-quantum technologies.
Designing and supporting archive file formats, including compression, decompression, encryption layers, and metadata handling across formats such as ZIP and related standards.
Driving architectural decisions for Windows-based applications and system-level components.
Conducting in-depth code reviews and establishing secure coding standards across the engineering team.
Diagnosing and resolving complex low-level issues involving performance, memory management, multithreading, and system integration.
The ability to get a public trust security clearance and pass a background check.
Technical Expertise

This role reflects advanced mastery in the following areas:

Extensive professional experience developing portable software in C and C++.
Strong background in cryptographic implementation and secure coding practices.
Hands-on experience with FIPS 140 compliance requirements.
Deep understanding of encryption and hashing algorithms such as SHA-2/3, and compression algorithms including AES, RSA, LZMA, PPMd, and BZip.
Practical experience implementing or maintaining archive file formats such as ZIP, RAR, 7z, and TAR.
Advanced knowledge of Windows software architecture, including:
Windows Crypto and CNG APIs
User-mode and kernel-mode concepts
Multithreading and concurrency models
Memory management techniques
Windows security architecture
The role also encompasses expertise in debugging complex, low-level system behavior and producing high-quality architectural documentation.

Additional Capabilities

Success in this role is further strengthened by:

Familiarity with Windows system services, drivers, and low-level operating system interactions.
Knowledge of secure software development lifecycle (SSDLC) methodologies.
Experience optimizing performance-sensitive and security-critical systems.
Strong communication skills and the ability to influence technical direction across teams.
What are you waiting for? Apply now! We can’t wait to meet you.

(FYI, we’re lucky to have a lot of interest and we so appreciate your application, though please note that we’ll only contact you if you’ve been selected for an interview.) 

About Corel

Corel is a beloved and trusted industry titan fueled by make-everything-easier flexibility. With a 40+ year legacy of innovation, we understand where you've been, and we're uniquely equipped to get you where you want to be. Our comprehensive collection of creative, collaborative, and productivity solutions propel your teams on their journey. From meeting your deadlines to realizing your dreams, Corel empowers all you do.

Our products enable millions of connected knowledge workers around the world to do great work faster. Our success is driven by an unwavering commitment to deliver a broad portfolio of innovative applications – including Parallels®, CorelDRAW®, MindManager®, and WinZip® – to inspire users and help them achieve their goals.  

It is our policy and practice to offer equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees without regard to race, color, age, religion, national origin, sex, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, veteran status, genetics, or any other protected characteristic.   

Corel is committed to an inclusive, barrier-free recruitment and selection process and work environment. If you are contacted for a job opportunity, please advise us of any accommodation that are required. Appropriate accommodation will be provided upon request as required by Federal and Provincial regulations and Company Policy. Any information received relating to accommodation will be treated as confidential. 

As part of our evaluation process, we utilize an AI tool to assess candidates.

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