Principal Software Architect

Wiser Solutions; Remote; CAD 190,000 - 220,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading omnichannel retail intelligence provider is seeking a Principal Software Architect to connect strategic vision with hands-on execution. This role involves architectural leadership, cross-functional collaboration, and hands-on technical delivery. The ideal candidate has over 10 years of experience in software architecture, particularly in AWS and Kubernetes, demonstrating strong leadership and mentorship abilities. The position offers a competitive salary package, emphasizing innovation and technical transformation.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in software architecture.
• Experience leading technical transformation initiatives.
• Deep expertise in AWS and Kubernetes.

Responsibilities

• Design and deliver cloud-native solutions.
• Lead architectural reviews and design discussions.
• Mentor engineers and foster architectural thinking.

Skills

Architectural decision-making

Strong leadership

Communication skills

Problem-solving

Mentorship

Tools

AWS

Kubernetes

Terraform

TypeScript

Node.js

Python

Go

PostgreSQL

MongoDB

RabbitMQ

Job description

Wiser Solutions is the global leader in omnichannel retail intelligence, empowering over 750 global brands and retailers to gain a decisive advantage at every consumer decision point. Every day, Wiser collects and analyzes billions of online and in‑store data points with 98% accuracy, offering a single trusted source of insights into pricing dynamics, promotional effectiveness, competitive activity, and retail execution. Their portfolio of market‑proven solutions equips brands and retailers to proactively guide, not just follow, the consumer journey, ensuring optimal visibility, execution, and profitability across every retail touchpoint.

Job Description

Location of Job: Remote‑ Canada

As Principal Software Architect at Wiser Solutions, you will serve as a senior technology leader who connects strategic vision with hands‑on execution. This role is ideal for an architect who thrives in guiding large‑scale platform evolution, mentoring technical teams, and solving complex engineering problems with practical, modern solutions.

You will partner closely with engineers, managers, and executives to shape architecture, drive technical transformation, and ensure cost‑efficient, scalable, cloud‑native solutions across our platform.

This role is ideal for someone who:

Excels at making architectural decisions in ambiguous situations

Balances technical rigor with business pragmatism

Leads through expertise and influence rather than authority

Enjoys solving hard problems hands‑on

Invests in mentoring others while continually growing themselves

Architectural Leadership & Strategy

Partner with the Chief Architect to align vision and shape long‑term technology strategy

Review designs, epics, and proposals to ensure scalability, reliability, and maintainability

Lead and facilitate design reviews, guiding teams on microservices, DDD, hexagonal architecture, and event‑driven design

Drive technical transformation through hands‑on prototyping, emerging tech adoption, and architectural modernization

Design and deliver cloud‑native, Kubernetes‑based solutions with deep AWS expertise

Monitor and optimize cloud expenditure using FinOps practices

Lead initiatives for platform reliability, performance, and infrastructure cost management

Support multi‑cloud strategies and evaluate new cloud services where appropriate

Cross‑functional Collaboration

Partner with product, engineering, and leadership to balance technical excellence with business priorities

Communicate architectural decisions clearly to both technical and non‑technical audiences

Mentor engineers and foster strong architectural thinking across teams

Present architecture vision and progress to stakeholders with clarity and influence

Hands‑on Technical Delivery

Design and implement key platform components when needed

Create proofs‑of‑concept for evaluating and integrating new technologies

Stay proficient in multiple programming languages (TypeScript, Node.js, Python preferred; Go a strong bonus)

Contribute to on‑call rotations for critical production systems

Qualifications

Experience & Leadership

10+ years of progressive experience in software architecture, including several at a senior/principal level

Demonstrated ability to influence and shape architectural direction at organizational scale

Proven track record leading technical transformation initiatives

Strong leadership and mentoring skills with the ability to inspire without direct authority

Technical Expertise – Cloud & Infrastructure

Deep expertise in AWS and Kubernetes – essential for success in this role

Experience with multiple cloud vendors and multi‑cloud approaches

Strong DevOps/CI‑CD background, with hands‑on experience in Terraform

Familiarity with cloud cost optimization frameworks and FinOps practices

Technical Expertise – Architecture & Development

Expertise in modern architectural patterns: microservices, hexagonal, DDD, bounded contexts, and event‑driven approaches represented

Familiarity with enterprise architectural frameworks (e.g., TOGAF, Zachman) and practical application

Strong programming background (TypeScript, Node.js, or Python preferred; Go a strong bonus)

Experience building high‑scale distributed systems and services

Experience expressing system designs with C4 Modeling

Knowledge of relational, NoSQL, and search databases (PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, Elasticsearch) and messaging systems (RabbitMQ, Kafka, NATS)

Proficiency in continuous delivery, deployment pipelines, and automated testing practices

Exceptional communicator – able to simplify complexity for different audiences

Trusted mentor and role model with a “lead by example” approach

Adaptable and resilient in fast‑changing, ambiguous environments

Collaborative, detail‑oriented, and passionate about continuous learning

Preferred Qualifications

Experience with React and full‑stack development

Background in retail, e‑commerce, or consumer insights platforms

Experience with Event Storming, Modeling with event sourcing patterns

Exposure to ML/AI platform integration

Track record of successful technology vendor evaluations and integrations

Experience with agentic software delivery practices

Key Success Indicators

Architecture Quality: demonstrable improvements in scalability, maintainability, and performance

Cost Optimization: measurable gains in cloud efficiency and utilization

Team Development: stronger architectural decision‑making across engineering teams

Stakeholder Satisfaction: positive feedback on communication and solution feasibility

Technology Leadership: successful introduction of innovative technologies

Additional Information

On‑Call:

This role requires being part of a manager on‑call rotation. Manager on‑call duty corresponds to being available to respond to escalations from the front‑line on‑call engineer for additional support on resolving critical system issues.

Other Duties- Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

EEO STATEMENT - Wiser Solutions, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation of any kind. Wiser Solutions, Inc. is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and applicants, providing a work environment free of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. All employment decisions at Wiser Solutions, Inc. are based on business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, family or parental status, disability, genetics, age, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other status protected by the state, federal, or local law. Wiser Solutions, Inc. will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, or retaliation based on any of these characteristics.

Base pay is one part of our total compensation package. Pay is established on an individual basis after considering multiple factors such as relevant experience, education, and other qualifications. In addition, we take into account geographical differentials and make sure pay is equitable with our current staff. For this position, our hiring range for base annual pay is estimated to be CAD$190,000 to $220,000,at the time of this posting.

Performance‑based discretionary bonuses and variable pay plans are available for some positions.