R&D Principal

Who is Trace3?

Trace3 is a leading Transformative IT Authority, providing unique technology solutions and consulting services to our clients. Equipped with elite engineering and dynamic innovation, we empower IT executives and their organizations to achieve competitive advantage through a process of Integrate, Automate, Innovate.

Our culture at Trace3 embodies the spirit of a startup with the advantage of a scalable business. Employees can grow their career and have fun while doing it!

Trace3 is headquartered in Irvine, California. We employ more than 1,200 people all over the United States. Our major field office locations include Denver, Indianapolis, Grand Rapids, Lexington, Los Angeles, Louisville, Texas, San Francisco.

Ready to discover the possibilities that live in technology?

Come Join Us!

Street-Smart - Thriving in Dynamic Times

We are flexible and resilient in a fast-changing environment. We continuously innovate and drive constructive change while keeping a focus on the “big picture.” We exercise sound business judgment in making high-quality decisions in a timely and cost-effective manner. We are highly creative and can dig deep within ourselves to find positive solutions to different problems.

Juice - The “Stuff” it takes to be a Needle Mover

We get things done and drive results. We lead without a title, empowering others through a can-do attitude. We look forward to the goal, mentally mapping out every checkpoint on the pathway to success, and visualizing what the final destination looks and feels like.

Teamwork - Humble, Hungry and Smart

We are humble individuals who understand how our job impacts the company's mission. We treat others with respect, admit mistakes, give credit where it’s due and demonstrate transparency. We “bring the weather” by exhibiting positive leadership and solution-focused thinking. We hug people in their trials, struggles, and failures – not just their success. We appreciate the individuality of the people around us.

JOB SUMMARY

The Trace3 Innovation team scouts and vets emerging technologies to keep Trace3 and its clients ahead of enterprise technology transformation. Building on that same intelligence advantage, Trace3 is extending Innovation's mission from product and solution incubation into services – identifying, prototyping, and incubating the next generation of Trace3 service capabilities.

The R&D Principal is a highly technical individual contributor responsible for building prototypes, proofs of concept, and minimum viable products that turn emerging technology signals into new Trace3 service offerings. Partnering closely with Business Unit (BU) and practice leaders, service delivery resources, and the Innovation team's market analyst, this role supports the full lifecycle of service incubation – from defining candidate service capabilities and building accelerators, to demonstrating value through client-facing proofs of concept, to codifying repeatable delivery methodology alongside field teams.

This is a hands-on, builder-oriented role that requires broad fluency across the enterprise technology landscape and the ability to rapidly ramp on new, unfamiliar tools and platforms. The R&D Principal acts as an early design partner to both internal delivery teams and select clients, gathering feedback that shapes how a service matures, scales, and eventually transitions into Trace3's standard services portfolio.

SUMMARY OF ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Partner with Business Unit (BU) and practice leaders, service delivery resources, and the Innovation team's market analyst to identify emerging technology signals that point to future demand for new Trace3 service capabilities.
• Translate emerging technology trends and market signals into candidate service concepts, defining the capability, target client value, and potential accelerators.
• Design and build proofs of concept, demos, and minimum viable products (MVPs) that validate technical feasibility and demonstrate value to prospective clients.
• Support the full incubation lifecycle of new services – from ideation and market analysis through MVP, incubation, and acceleration – applying structured, gated evaluation criteria at each stage.
• Build pre-sales enablement and marketing material, including demos, technical briefs, and solution collateral, to support go-to-market (GTM) readiness for incubating services.
• Partner with client-facing delivery resources to pilot new services with early design-partner clients, capturing feedback on value delivered and areas for improvement.
• Define and document repeatable standard operating procedures (SOPs), delivery methodologies, and technical playbooks that allow incubated services to transition cleanly to BU and delivery teams.
• Rapidly evaluate and develop hands-on competency in new and unfamiliar technologies, tools, and platforms as they emerge in the market.
• Apply AI-native and automation-first principles when designing prototypes and delivery frameworks, building for scale and repeatability from the outset.
• Collaborate with the Innovation team's research and market analysis functions to help prioritize incubation efforts based on expected future value, growth potential, and revenue impact.
• Track incubation pipeline status, outcomes, and client adoption metrics, and use that data to refine prioritization and evaluation methodology.
• Represent incubating services in internal and external enablement sessions, briefings, and workshops to socialize new service capabilities.
• Contribute to written content, such as technical briefs, blogs, and internal documentation, that communicates new service capabilities to internal stakeholders and clients.
• Exercise independent, hands-on technical judgment to determine whether a candidate technology or service concept is viable, defensible, and ready to progress to the next stage of incubation.
• Adapt technical messaging for BU leaders, delivery teams, and client stakeholders with varying levels of technical depth.
• Support other Innovation team initiatives and cross-functional programs as needed to advance Trace3's emerging technology and services strategy.

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field, or equivalent hands-on experience.
• 10+ years of hands-on technical experience building software, prototypes, or technical solutions, ideally spanning multiple technology domains.
• Demonstrated ability to rapidly learn, evaluate, and build with new and unfamiliar technologies, platforms, and tools with minimal ramp time.
• Broad, current knowledge of enterprise technology trends across one or more domains such as AI/ML and agentic automation, cloud and infrastructure, security, data, or platform and developer tooling.
• Proven experience building proofs of concept, MVPs, or early-stage products from ambiguous requirements.
• Practical experience with modern AI/agentic frameworks, APIs, and automation tooling, and the ability to apply them to real business problems.
• Experience translating technical capability into client-facing value; pre-sales support, technical demos, or solution consulting experience is a plus.
• Ability to partner effectively across business units and delivery teams, working cross-functionally without formal authority to drive incubation efforts forward.
• Experience documenting technical processes and writing SOPs or playbooks/accelerators that others can pick up and repeat.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts to both technical and business audiences.
• Comfortable with ambiguity and iterative experimentation, including treating intelligent failure as a source of learning and market intelligence.
• Highly organized and self-directed, able to manage multiple incubation work streams concurrently in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
• Prior experience in a consulting, systems integrator, or professional services environment preferred.
• Ability to travel as needed to support client engagements, demos, and internal workshops.

Actual salary will be based on a variety of factors, including location, experience, skill set, performance, licensure and certification, and business needs. The range for this position in other geographic locations may differ. Certain positions may also be eligible for variable incentive compensation, such as bonuses or commissions, that is not included in the base salary.

Estimated Pay Range

$205,000—$220,000 USD

The Perks

• Comprehensive medical, dental and vision plans for you and your dependents
• 401(k) Retirement Plan with Employer Match, 529 College Savings Plan, Health Savings Account, Life Insurance, and Long-Term Disability
• Competitive Compensation
• Training and development programs
• Major offices stocked with snacks and beverages
• Collaborative and cool culture
• Work-life balance and generous paid time off

Our Commitment

At the core of Trace3's DNA is our people. We are a diverse group of talented individuals who understand the importance of teamwork and demonstrating leadership, character, and passion in all that we do.

We’re committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where everyone feels respected, valued, and empowered to grow. We recognize that embracing diversity drives innovation, improves outcomes, fosters collaboration, boosts teammate satisfaction, and builds a more inclusive culture.

As an equal opportunity employer, Trace3 bases all employment decisions based on individual qualifications, merit, and business requirements. We do not engage in discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

Any demographic information provided is strictly voluntary, kept confidential in accordance with Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) regulations, and will not be used in employment decisions, including hiring, promotions, or mentorship programs. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all.

If you require a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process or participate in an interview, please email recruiting@trace3.com.

***To all recruitment agencies: Trace3 does not accept unsolicited agency resumes/CVs. Please do not forward resumes/CVs to our careers email addresses, Trace3 employees or any other company location. Trace3 is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes/CVs.