Application Guide

How to Apply for Chief Principal Software Engineer- Cloud

at Oshkosh Corporation

🏢 About Oshkosh Corporation

Oshkosh Corporation is a leading industrial technology company that designs and manufactures specialty vehicles and equipment for defense, fire, emergency, and commercial markets. Their focus on innovation and safety makes them a unique employer where your work directly contributes to community resilience and global security.

About This Role

As Chief Principal Software Engineer for Cloud, you will architect and build the Azure-based connected vehicle platform that powers Oshkosh's next-generation industrial IoT solutions. Your decisions will impact scalability, reliability, and performance across backend, data, and mobile systems, enabling safer and more efficient operations for critical applications.

💡 A Day in the Life

Your day starts with a stand-up with the cloud team, reviewing sprint progress and unblocking engineers. You then dive into architecture design for a new telemetry pipeline, write a prototype in C# for a new Azure Function, and later mentor a junior engineer on event-driven patterns. After lunch, you collaborate with embedded teams to align API contracts and wrap up by reviewing pull requests and updating architecture documentation.

🎯 Who Oshkosh Corporation Is Looking For

  • A seasoned cloud architect with 8+ years of experience in backend development, particularly in C# and .NET Core, who has led the design of large-scale Azure cloud platforms.
  • Deep expertise in Azure services like Functions, Event Grid, Event Hub, and Service Bus, with a proven track record of implementing event-driven architectures.
  • Hands-on experience with cloud data stores (ADX, CosmosDB, Redis) and a strong understanding of time-series data modeling for IoT scenarios.
  • A technical leader who mentors engineers, establishes coding standards, and collaborates effectively with embedded teams and product owners to remove blockers.

📝 Tips for Applying to Oshkosh Corporation

1

Tailor your resume to highlight specific Azure services you've used (e.g., Event Hub, ADX) and quantify impact on scalability or reliability.

2

Include a brief cover letter or summary that connects your experience with connected vehicle or IoT platforms, even if from a different industry.

3

Showcase any experience with .NET Core microservices and event-driven systems; mention specific projects where you defined architecture standards.

4

Prepare a portfolio or GitHub link demonstrating cloud-native solutions you've architected, especially those involving real-time data processing.

5

Research Oshkosh's connected vehicle initiatives (e.g., JLG telematics) and mention how your skills align with their specific use cases.

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

['Emphasize your experience leading Azure cloud architecture for scalable, secure, and reliable systems, particularly for IoT or connected devices.', 'Highlight your hands-on coding skills in C# and .NET Core, and your ability to mentor teams on best practices.', 'Describe a specific example where you improved system performance or cost efficiency through architectural decisions.', "Convey your passion for building platforms that enhance safety and operational efficiency, aligning with Oshkosh's mission."]

Generate Cover Letter →

🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • Explore Oshkosh's product lines (e.g., JLG, Pierce, Oshkosh Defense) to understand their connected vehicle technologies and telematics offerings.
  • Read about Oshkosh's commitment to innovation and sustainability, such as their electric vehicle initiatives or smart city projects.
  • Review recent news or press releases about Oshkosh's digital transformation or cloud migration efforts to show informed interest.
  • Check Oshkosh's engineering blog or tech talks (if available) to understand their culture and technical challenges.

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Design an event-driven architecture for a connected vehicle platform using Azure services; discuss trade-offs between Event Hub and Service Bus.
2 How would you ensure high availability and disaster recovery for a cloud-native application handling real-time telemetry data?
3 Describe a time you established coding standards or architecture patterns that improved team productivity and code quality.
4 Explain your approach to selecting data stores (e.g., ADX vs. CosmosDB) for time-series data from thousands of vehicles.
5 How do you balance technical debt with feature delivery when working with embedded engineers and product owners?
Practice Interview Questions →

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Avoid generic cloud experience without specific Azure services; this role demands deep Azure knowledge.
  • Don't focus solely on management or architecture without highlighting hands-on coding; they need a leader who codes.
  • Avoid vague statements about scalability; provide concrete metrics (e.g., 'designed system handling 1M messages/sec').

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Oshkosh Corporation!