Principal Software Developer

Royal Bank of Canada; Toronto; On-site; CAD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial institution in Toronto is seeking a Principal Engineer to provide technical leadership and grow a team of backend engineers. The ideal candidate will possess extensive experience in backend development using Java or Python, and micro-services architecture. Responsibilities include defining technical requirements, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and fostering a culture of craftsmanship and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Expert-level backend development skills, particularly with Java/Python.
• Experience in building micro-services on cloud platforms.
• Solid understanding of CI/CD processes.

Responsibilities

• Lead and grow a team of backend engineers.
• Define technical requirements with product managers.
• Collaborate with security and compliance teams.

Skills

Expert-level backend development experience with Java/Python

Building micro‑services and cloud‑native applications

Container orchestration (Docker, Kubernetes, OpenShift)

CI/CD and infrastructure‑as‑code knowledge

Familiarity with identity and access management

Experience with SQL and NoSQL databases

Navigating enterprise governance and compliance

Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Job description

Job Description

What is the opportunity? As a Principal Engineer within RBC Borealis Lumina team, you will act as a senior technical leader, guiding a high‑performing team of backend engineers and shaping the technical strategy for next‑generation solutions across multiple innovation initiatives. You will provide hands‑on architecture and engineering leadership, influence enterprise‑level decision‑making, and ensure delivery of secure, scalable, and compliant backend solutions integrated into RBC’s platforms.

What will you do?

Technical Leadership & Mentorship

Lead and grow a team of backend engineers with deep Java expertise and strong delivery capabilities.

Champion engineering excellence by fostering a culture of craftsmanship, ownership, and continuous improvement.

Conduct regular performance coaching, technical reviews, and learning sessions.

Balance near‑term execution with long‑term strategic capability building and talent development.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Work closely with product managers to define technical requirements that align with business priorities.

Partner with delivery leads and scrum masters to plan sprints, manage backlogs, and deliver on roadmaps.

Collaborate with security, compliance, privacy, and legal to ensure adherence to RBC policies and standards.

Liaise with DevOps, Cloud, and SRE teams to optimise platform capabilities and developer experience.

What do you need to succeed? Must have:

• Expert-level backend development experience with Java/Python (Spring Boot, FastAPI, REST APIs, multithreading, messaging).
• Proven experience building micro‑services and cloud‑native applications on platforms like AWS, GCP, or Azure.
• Solid knowledge of container orchestration (Docker, Kubernetes, OpenShift).
• Advanced understanding of CI/CD, infrastructure‑as‑code, and GitOps workflows.
• Familiarity with modern identity and access management (e.g., OAuth2, JWT, mTLS, etc.).
• Experience with SQL and NoSQL databases, data modelling, and caching strategies.
• Strong experience navigating enterprise governance, compliance, and regulatory frameworks.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to influence technical and non‑technical stakeholders.

Additional Job Details

Address: RBC WATERPARK PLACE, 88 QUEENS QUAY W : TORONTO

City: Toronto

Country: Canada

Work hours / week: 37.5

Employment Type: Full time

Platform: TECHNOLOGY AND OPERATIONS

Job Type: Regular

Pay Type: Salaried

Posted Date: 2025-09-15

Application Deadline: 11:59 PM on the day prior to the application deadline date above.

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