Distinguished Architect, Trading Platforms and Technology

LPL Financial; Fort Mill (SC); Hybrid; USD 198,000 - 330,000; Full time

Job summary

LPL Financial seeks a Distinguished Architect for Trading & Investment Management Technology. This senior role shapes target-state architecture for trading platforms spanning Broker Dealer, Advisory, and Models domains, balancing strategic influence with hands-on leadership.

You will drive cloud adoption, API-first design, and event-driven modernization while guiding architecture standards across high-volume systems.

Qualifications

• 8+ years designing enterprise-scale architectures, incl. microservices and event-driven systems.
• 5+ years in trading technology domains (equities, ETFs, options, wealth platforms).
• Experience with trading systems including OMS/EMS, FIX, and market data infrastructure.
• Experience leading cloud transformation initiatives (AWS) and modernizing legacy platforms.

Responsibilities

• Own architecture for enterprise-scale trading platforms and align with business priorities.
• Lead modernization: cloud adoption (AWS), API-first design, microservices, event-driven architectures.
• Define target-state architecture for Broker Dealer, Advisory, and Models domains.
• Establish and evolve enterprise architecture standards and reusable assets.
• Drive adoption of emerging technologies including AI/ML and real-time data platforms.
• Guide domain architects to ensure consistency across trading ecosystem.

Skills

Enterprise architecture

Trading technology

Executive communication

Hands-on technical leadership

Tools

AWS

OMS/EMS

FIX protocol

Real-time data infrastructure

Job description

Distinguished Architect — Trading & Investment Management Technology Where Ambition Meets Innovation Build a career that matches your initiative with innovation. At LPL Financial, technology is a core driver of growth—powering over $1.2 trillion in assets and supporting more than 32,000 advisors.

As a Distinguished Architect – Trading & Investment Management Technology , you will shape the future of trading platforms across Broker Dealer, Advisory, and Models capabilities – working at the forefront of cloud transformation, AI-enabled trading, and next-generation financial infrastructure. This is a rare opportunity to operate at enterprise scale while remaining deeply hands-on , driving meaningful impact for advisors and their clients.

Job Overview

The Distinguished Architect serves as a senior individual contributor responsible for defining and advancing the target-state architecture across LPL’s trading and investment management platforms. This role partners closely with executive leadership to align business strategy with modern, scalable, and secure technology solutions.

Blending strategic influence with technical depth, this leader guides architecture standards, modernization initiatives, and innovation efforts across high-volume, mission-critical trading systems. This role requires hands-on depth in designing low-latency, high-throughput trading systems, including real-time event streaming, order routing, and market data infrastructure at scale.

The role may sit hybrid out of any of our hubs including NYC (Midtown), Fort Mill SC, San Diego CA, or Austin TX.

Responsibilities

• Own architecture for enterprise-scale trading platforms supporting $1T in assets.Partner with business, product, and technology leadership to align architecture strategy with enterprise priorities and investments.
• Build at the intersetion of AI-driven trading, real-time data systems, and digital assets.
• Define target-state architecture for trading platforms across Broker Dealer, Advisory, and Models domains.
• Lead modernization initiatives including cloud adoption (AWS), API-first design, and transformation to microservices and event-driven architectures.
• Establish and evolve enterprise architecture standards, frameworks, and reusable assets that drive scalability, performance, and security.
• Influence enterprise standards, not just a single domain
• Drive adoption of emerging technologies including AI/ML, real-time data platforms, and blockchain-based capabilities.
• Guide and influence domain architects to ensure architectural consistency and quality across the trading ecosystem.
• Champion Architecture as Code (AaC) to enable scalable governance, compliance, and continuous delivery.
• Provide strategic guidance on build vs. buy decisions and industry best practices to executive stakeholders.

What are we looking for?

We’re looking for strong collaborators who deliver exceptional client experiences and thrive in fast-paced, team-oriented environments. Our ideal candidates pursue greatness , act with integrity , and are driven to help our clients succeed . We value those who embrace creativity, continuous improvement, and contribute to a culture where we win together and create and share joy in our work.

Requirements

• 8 or more years of experience designing enterprise-scale architectures, including microservices and event-driven systems.
• 5 or more years of experience in trading technology domains (e.g., equities, ETFs, options, or wealth platforms).
• Experience in trading systems including OMS/EMS platforms, FIX protocol, and market data infrastructure.
• Experience leading cloud transformation initiatives (AWS preferred) and modernizing legacy platforms.
• Experience in defining and executing long-term architecture strategies and roadmaps.

Core Competencies

• Strategic systems thinking with the ability to translate business goals into scalable technical solutions
• Strong executive communication and influence skills
• Hands-on technical leadership with a focus on innovation and modernization

Preferences

• Experience in financial services, wealth management, or broker-dealer environments
• Familiarity with AI/ML platforms or use cases within trading environments
• Exposure to blockchain or distributed ledger technologies and digital asset platforms

Pay Range: $197,966.00 – $329,909.00

Actual base salary varies based on factors, including but not limited to, relevant skill, prior experience, education, base salary of internal peers, demonstrated performance, and geographic location. Additionally, LPL Total Rewards package is highly competitive, designed to support your success at work, at home, and at play — such as 401K matching, health benefits, employee stock options, paid time off, volunteer time off, and more. Your recruiter will be happy to discuss all that LPL has to offer!

Company Overview: LPL Financial Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: LPLA) is among the fastest growing wealth management firms in the U.S. As a leader in the financial advisor-mediated marketplace(6) , LPL supports over 32,000 financial advisors and the wealth management practices of approximately 1,100 financial institutions, servicing and custodying approximately $2.3 trillion in brokerage and advisory assets on behalf of approximately 8 million Americans. The firm provides a wide range of advisor affiliation models, investment solutions, fintech tools and practice management services, ensuring that advisors and institutions have the flexibility to choose the business model, services, and technology resources they need to run thriving businesses. For further information about LPL, please visit www.lpl.com.

At LPL, independence means that advisors and institution leaders have the freedom they deserve to choose the business model, services, and technology resources that allow them to run a thriving business. They have the flexibility to do business their way. And they have the freedom to manage their client relationships, because they know their clients best. Simply put, we take care of our advisors and institutions, so they can take care of their clients.

For further information about LPL, please visit www.lpl.com.

Join the LPL team and help us make a difference by turning life’s aspirations into financial realities. Principals only. EOE.

Information on Interviews: LPL will only communicate with a job applicant directly from a @lplfinancial.com email address and will never conduct an interview online or in a chatroom forum. During an interview, LPL will not request any form of payment from the applicant, or information regarding an applicant’s bank or credit card. Should you have any questions regarding the application process, please contact LPL’s Human Resources Solutions Center at [phone].

EAC 5.19.26