Principal Software Engineer

Socket.dev; Toronto; On-site; CAD 138,000 - 221,000; Full time

Job summary

Mastercard is seeking a Principal Software Engineer to shape architecture and platform strategy within its Security Solutions Organization. The role partners across Product, Engineering, Data Science, Security, and Platform teams to turn business opportunities into practical architecture concepts, reusable patterns, and prototypes.

Hands-on prototyping accelerates decisions and validates concepts. Established in payments, security, and trust platforms, the role emphasizes agentic AI-driven

Qualifications

• Extensive experience designing, building, and supporting production software.
• Strong background as software architect, principal engineer, or senior technical lead.
• Deep knowledge of modern architecture, APIs, distributed systems, cloud-native platforms, and security.
• Hands-on experience building prototypes, proofs of concept, or reference implementations.

Responsibilities

• Define solution architectures, reusable patterns, and shared components across SSO initiatives.
• Translate product and business needs into engineering concepts and architecture options.
• Evaluate trade-offs across scalability, security, interoperability, and maintainability.
• Build prototypes and proofs of concept to validate architecture assumptions.

Skills

Software architecture

Leadership

Prototyping

Cloud-native

AI tools

Tools

AWS

Kubernetes

APIs

Job description

Our Purpose

Mastercard powers economies and empowers people in 200+ countries and territories worldwide. Together with our customers, we’re helping build a sustainable economy where everyone can prosper. We support a wide range of digital payments choices, making transactions secure, simple, smart and accessible. Our technology and innovation, partnerships and networks combine to deliver a unique set of products and services that help people, businesses and governments realize their greatest potential.

Title and Summary

Principal Software Engineer Overview: The Principal Engineer shapes technical architecture, solution patterns, and engineering approaches for strategic initiatives within Mastercard’s Security Solutions Organization (SSO). Sitting within Solutions Engineering, the role partners across Product, Engineering, Data Science, Security, and Platform teams to turn business opportunities into practical architecture concepts, reusable patterns, and prototypes. The role is primarily strategic but includes hands‑on prototyping to validate concepts and accelerate decisions. It supports a range of emerging capabilities with a strong emphasis on reusability and cross-product platform thinking. Agentic Trust Data, Platforms & Non Network Intelligence is a key focus area, and this role will help define the architecture patterns and reusable foundations that enable Mastercard’s agentic and AI‑driven solutions to scale.

About the Role

Architecture & Platform Strategy

• Define solution architectures, reusable patterns, and shared components across SSO initiatives.
• Translate product and business needs into clear engineering concepts and architecture options.
• Evaluate trade-offs across scalability, security, interoperability, and maintainability.
• Identify connective architecture and reusable capabilities across products and platforms.

Product Development Lifecycle Enablement

• Apply strong PDLC experience to move initiatives from concept through validation to production readiness.
• Partner with Product and Engineering teams to clarify technical requirements, dependencies, and risks.
• Ensure architecture decisions account for real‑world delivery, supportability, and platform evolution.

Prototyping & Emerging Technology

• Build prototypes and proofs of concept to validate architecture assumptions and demonstrate feasibility.
• Use AI‑assisted coding to accelerate exploration and development.
• Explore emerging technologies, with particular attention to agentic commerce, AI agents, non‑network intelligence, modern APIs, and cloud‑native platforms.
• Distinguish prototype work from production‑grade implementation while informing product and engineering direction.

Communication & Influence

• Create clear architecture diagrams, technical narratives, and decision materials for varied audiences.
• Present concepts and recommendations to engineers, product leaders, and senior stakeholders.
• Drive cross‑functional alignment and serve as a trusted technical advisor.

All About You

• Extensive experience designing, building, and supporting production software.
• Strong background as a software architect, principal engineer, or senior technical lead.
• Deep knowledge of modern architecture, APIs, distributed systems, cloud‑native platforms, and security.
• Strong PDLC experience across discovery, architecture, delivery, and production readiness.
• Hands‑on experience building prototypes, proofs of concept, or reference implementations.
• Comfortable using AI‑assisted coding tools to accelerate development and validation.
• Skilled at translating complex needs into practical technical approaches.
• Strong communicator across engineering, product, business, and executive audiences.
• Able to influence technical direction across teams without direct authority.
• Experience in payments, commerce, fraud, identity, cybersecurity, or trust platforms preferred.
• Experience with agentic commerce, AI agents, or generative AI is a strong plus.

Mastercard is a merit‑based, inclusive, equal opportunity employer that considers applicants without regard to gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, disabled or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We hire the most qualified candidate for the role.

In the US or Canada, if you require accommodations or assistance to complete the online application process or during the recruitment process, please contact [e-mail] and identify the type of accommodation or assistance you are requesting. Do not include any medical or health information in this email. The Reasonable Accommodations team will respond to your email promptly.

Corporate Security Responsibility

• Abide by Mastercard’s security policies and practices;
• Ensure the confidentiality and integrity of the information being accessed;
• Report any suspected information security violation or breach, and
• Complete all periodic mandatory security trainings in accordance with Mastercard’s guidelines.

In line with Mastercard’s total compensation philosophy and assuming that the job will be performed in Canada, the successful candidate will be offered a competitive pay based on location, experience and other qualifications for the role and may be eligible to participate in a discretionary annual incentive program. This posting reflects one or more current openings on our team.

Pay Ranges

Toronto, Canada: $138,000 - $221,000 CAD

Vancouver, Canada: $138,000 - $221,000 CAD