Principal Systems Engineer (Transportation/Tolling)

TransCore (TRN), a subsidiary of ST Engineering, is seeking a Principal Systems Engineer to join our team in Orlando, Florida.
About The Role
TransCore is seeking a Principal Systems Engineer to play a key hands-on and technical leadership role in the design, development, and support of mission-critical electronic toll collection (ETC) and roadway transaction processing systems. This position is ideal for a senior engineer who thrives in high-volume, real-time, transaction-driven environments and enjoys designing solutions and mentoring teams while remaining involved in the code.
You will work on software that processes millions of tolling transactions , integrates with roadside and back-office systems, and supports 24/7 operations across transportation agencies. This role is critical to maintaining existing tolling platforms while shaping the next generation of scalable, high-performance solutions.
Job Summary
The Principal Systems Engineer is responsible for the architecture, development, enhancement, and operational support of tolling systems that ingest, process, and persist large volumes of tolling and payment transactions into relational databases. The role requires close collaboration with DBAs, system administrators, software engineers, QA teams, and product stakeholders, and includes support of legacy roadside hardware platforms as well as modern back-office and cloud-ready solutions.
This position demands deep technical expertise, strong architectural judgment, and the ability to lead by example in performance-critical, highly available environments.
Required Qualifications

5+ years of professional experience with systems architecture and design including both hardware and software solutions
3+ years of database development experience, including T-SQL/SQL, preferably with Microsoft SQL Server
Proven experience designing and implementing complex, multi-part systems including troubleshooting and optimization
Proven experience leading or mentoring software engineers in an Agile environment
Demonstrated success deploying, supporting, and maintaining large-scale, high-availability systems
Strong background working in Linux and Windows environments
Ability to adapt quickly to changing priorities while maintaining high reliability and quality
Preferred Experience (Highly Valued)

Experience in electronic toll collection (ETC), transportation systems, payments, or transaction processing platforms
Familiarity with roadside equipment (RSE), lane controllers, or hardware-software integration
Knowledge of ITS standards, proprietary protocols, or custom binary communication schemas
Exposure to 24/7 operational systems, on-call support, and production incident response
Essential Duties And Responsibilities

Design, implement, and enhance high-performance tolling and transaction processing systems
Be able to convert customer requirements into system solutions that acknowledge technical, schedule and cost constraints
Provide technical leadership and guidance to a focused engineering team, leading by example through hands-on development
Align technical proposals with company direction by working closely with the product team
Clearly communicate recommendations to technical and business stakeholders
Collaborate closely with developers, DBAs, system administrators, and operations teams on design, enhancements, and troubleshooting
Diagnose complex system issues, identify root causes, and implement durable solutions
Monitor system performance and reliability post-deployment and proactively address risks
Maintain detailed technical documentation and provide clear written and verbal status updates
Support production systems, including after-hours or weekend support for critical incidents or deployments
Education

Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Software Engineering, or a related field from an accredited four-year institution. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
Physical Demands / Work Environment
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit for extended periods of time and frequently use a computer, keyboard, and mouse. Occasional travel and fieldwork may be required. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

The Company complies with federal and state disability laws and provides reasonable accommodation for employees with disabilities.