Principal Software Engineer / Technical Lead – Independent Contractor
BriteBase · Hybrid · Independent Contractor
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About the role
Principal Software Engineer / Technical Lead – Independent Contractor
EngineeringHybrid · Independent ContractorWaterloo, Ontario, Canada
An independent contractor engagement for senior, hands-on technical leadership, structured around agreed objectives, deliverables, and milestones.
This opportunity is for an independent contractor, not a T4 contract employee.
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Company Description
BriteBase is an intelligent KYC, KYB, sanctions, and AML screening platform designed for growing financial services firms. The company combines deep practitioner expertise with purpose-built technology to deliver accurate, explainable screening outcomes and reduce unnecessary compliance workload.
BriteBase is focused on helping modern financial institutions operate more efficient, reliable, and defensible financial crime compliance programs as they scale.
Role Description
BriteBase is seeking an experienced Independent Contractor to work as Principal Software Engineer / Technical Lead for an outcome-based engagement.
The selected contractor will provide senior technical leadership across software architecture, backend engineering, security, reliability, and production readiness. The role will involve assessing the existing platform, identifying material technical risks and opportunities, designing pragmatic solutions, and directly implementing or leading the implementation of agreed improvements.
This is a hands-on role requiring strong engineering judgment, the ability to work effectively within an existing codebase, and experience translating complex business and regulatory requirements into robust technical solutions.
The engagement will be structured around agreed objectives, deliverables, and milestones rather than a traditional employee role. If there is strong mutual alignment, a longer-term opportunity may be considered.
Qualifications
Significant experience as a Principal Engineer, Staff Engineer, Technical Lead, or equivalent.
Strong backend software engineering and systems architecture experience.
Experience designing and operating secure, scalable production software.
Strong knowledge of APIs, databases, cloud infrastructure, testing, deployment practices, and software security.
Strong understanding of secure software development and production security practices.
Demonstrated experience assessing and improving existing software platforms.
Ability to write, review, and maintain high-quality production code.
Strong technical judgment and the ability to distinguish critical risks from routine technical debt.
Ability to work pragmatically in an early-stage environment, balancing architectural quality, delivery speed, and business priorities.
Experience in fintech, financial services, regtech, compliance technology, or other regulated environments is highly desirable.
Strong communication skills and the ability to explain technical decisions clearly to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related technical field, or equivalent professional experience.
