Principal Application Engineer – Financial Systems

Navy Federal Credit Union; Vienna (VA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Navy Federal Credit Union is seeking a hands-on senior software engineer in Vienna, VA to design, build, and optimize enterprise applications that support our members and internal users.

The role emphasizes ownership of technical health, security posture, and platform reliability, with the ability to drive complex cross-functional issues to resolution and mentor junior staff in a dynamic fintech environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in computer science or related field.
• 7-10 years of experience in application or software development engineering.
• Subject matter expert with strong cross-functional collaboration.
• Experience with software development principles and Agile methodologies.
• Proficiency in SQL, Python, JavaScript, HTML/CSS and modern frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and optimize high-quality software applications across languages and frameworks.
• Collaborate with engineers and stakeholders to translate complex requirements into specs.
• Write clean, scalable code and conduct thorough reviews to enforce standards.
• Implement data structures and algorithms for performance and user experience.
• Lead medium to large projects and mentor junior staff, meeting milestones.

Skills

SQL

Python

JavaScript

HTML/CSS

Cloud

Education

Bachelor's degree in computer science

Tools

.NET

Oracle Fusion

Azure

Scripting/Automation

Job description

Overview

Navy Federal Credit Union currently does not provide sponsorship for this role. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for current or future sponsorship.

Design, develop, and optimize software applications that bridge technical teams and end-users, addressing business needs through innovative solutions and enhancing member or internal user experiences. Leverage the full development lifecycle, including design, coding, testing, and deployment, to improve system efficiency. Work independently to interpret and develop solutions to complex business challenges that have a significant impact on the function or branch. Specialized skill set and proficiency with procedures and techniques. Recognized as an expert in own area within the company.

Success in this role requires advanced technical proficiency, strong operational engineering capabilities, cloud infrastructure expertise, and demonstrated ownership of business-critical enterprise applications. The ideal candidate is a hands-on senior engineer who can operate with minimal supervision, drive complex cross-functional issues to resolution, and own the technical health, security posture, and service performance of a critical business platform.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and optimize high-quality software applications using various, complex programming languages and frameworks that meet business requirements, ensuring alignment with client needs and system performance


• Collaborate with engineers, stakeholders, and team members to gather and analyze complex business requirements and translate them into technical specifications, propose innovative solutions, and ensure timely completion of tasks


• Write complex, clean, scalable, and maintainable code adhering to industry best practices and organizational coding standards


• Implement data structures and algorithms efficiently, optimizing code for performance, scalability, and user experience


• Identify, troubleshoot, and resolve complex application functionality, performance, and bugs, working with the team to implement fixes and improvements


• Conduct complex and team code reviews, provide technical and developmental feedback to team members, and maintain high-quality code standards


• Lead medium to large projects, manage complex issues with senior management, and mentor junior staff; deliver high-quality results and meet milestones


• Assist in the development and enhancement of application and software development engineering policies, practices, and procedures, ensuring alignment with organizational policies and goals


• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with team members, subject matter experts, and leaders


• Lead incident response, root cause analysis, vulnerability remediation, access reviews, change management, release coordination, disaster recovery readiness, and continuous improvement efforts to ensure platform reliability, compliance, and availability


• Partner with business stakeholders, software vendors, infrastructure, network, security, and database teams to deliver enhancements, manage vendor escalations, resolve complex issues, and proactively address technical risks and dependencies


• Provide technical direction, establish operational standards, mentor team members, contribute to engineering best practices, and communicate technical impact, risk, remediation plans, and platform status to stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Bachelor\'s degree in computer science, Information Systems, a related field or the equivalent combination of education, training or experience


• 7-10 years of experience in application or software development engineering.


• Subject matter expert within business area/specialization with understanding of interrelationships of different disciplines


• Extensive experience with software development principles, methodologies (including Agile), database structures, web technologies, and technical applications/languages


• Advanced proficiency in programming languages and development tools such as SQL, Python, JavaScript, HTML/CSS, and modern frameworks, with a focus on building scalable solutions


• Advanced understanding of software development concepts, including version control systems, and expertise in current development methodologies and practices


• Expert problem-solving and analytical skills to identify, troubleshoot, and resolve complex technical issues, ensuring optimal system performance


• Advanced written and verbal communication skills to clearly explain complex technical concepts and collaborate with both technical and non-technical stakeholders


• Extensive experience with customer support tools, ticketing systems, and knowledge base platforms, contributing to efficient issue resolution and support management


• Advanced knowledge of data structures, algorithms, and their application in optimizing software performance and scalability


• Expertise in mentoring junior staff and collaborating with cross-functional teams to enhance development practices, ensuring continuous improvement and alignment with business goals


• Experience in FinTech areas such as digital payments, lending and credit, treasury and cash management, accounting and ERP FinTech, or capital markets technology, is preferred.


• Experience with low-code development platforms such as Pega Platform, Oracle Visual Builder, Oracle Integration Cloud (OIC) Process Automation, or Azure Data Factory.


• Experience with or knowledge of cloud platforms such as Oracle, Azure, or AWS.


• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, troubleshooting, written communication, and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to technical and non-technical stakeholders


• Experience supporting applications subject to regulatory, audit, security, financial reporting, or operational risk management requirements


• Strong technical proficiency with Oracle Fusion, SQL, .NET application ecosystems, scripting/automation, and enterprise application support practices


• Experience leading incident response, root cause analysis, vulnerability remediation, change management, release management, and production support activities for business-critical applications


• Experience managing vendor-supported enterprise applications, including support escalations, defect remediation, upgrade planning, and coordination across infrastructure, security, database, and business teams

Desired Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in application or software development engineering.

Additional Information

Hours:

• Monday - Friday, 8:00AM - 4:30PM

Location:

• 820 Follin Lane, Vienna, VA 22180

About Us

Navy Federal provides much more than a job. We provide a meaningful career experience, including a culture that is energized, engaged and committed; and fierce appreciation for our teams, who are rewarded with highly competitive pay and generous benefits and perks. Our approach to careers is simple yet powerful: Make our mission your passion.* FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For 2026* Yello and WayUp Top 100 Internship Programs 2025* Computerworld Best Places to Work in IT 2026* Most Loved Workplace - Americas Top Most Loved Workplaces 2025* 2025 PEOPLE Companies That Care* Newsweek Most Trustworthy Companies in America 2026* Military Times 2025 Best for Vets Employers* Forbes 2026 America\'s Best Large Employers* Forbes 2025 America\'s Best Employers for New Grads* Forbes 2025 America\'s Best Employers for Tech Workers* 2025 RippleMatch Campus Forward Award Winner for Overall Excellence* Military.com Top Military Spouse Employers 2025* 2026 Handshake Early Talent Award* Newsweek America\'s Greatest Workplaces for Culture, Belonging and Community 2026From Fortune Magazine. 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All rights reserved. Used under license. Fortune and Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For are registered trademarks of Fortune Media IP Limited and are used under license. Fortune Magazine, Fortune Media (USA) Corporation, and its affiliates are not affiliated with, and do not endorse products or services of, Navy Federal Credit Union.Equal Employment Opportunity: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, sex, color, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender identity or any other basis protected by applicable law.Accommodations: If you need accommodation or assistance for a qualifying condition to complete the online application (or during any stage of the hiring process), you can contact Navy Federal\'s Medical Accommodations team at [e-mail] or by calling 1-888-503-6013. This team cannot provide any information on job postings or application status.Disclaimers: Navy Federal reserves the right to fill this role at a higher/lower grade level based on business need. An assessment may be required to compete for this position. Job postings are subject to close early or extend out longer than the anticipated closing date at the hiring team\'s discretion based on qualified applicant volume. Navy Federal Credit Union assesses market data to establish salary ranges that enable us to remain competitive. You are paid within the salary range, based on your experience, location and market position. For additional details regarding compensation and benefits, review the Benefits page of the Navy Federal Career Site.Protect Yourself from Job Scams: Navy Federal Credit Union jobs are posted on our career site, jobs.navyfederal.org and reputable job boards (e.g., LinkedIn, Indeed). We do not post jobs on social media marketplaces, messaging apps or unverified websites. We will never ask candidates for payment, bank details or personal financial information during the hiring process.Bank Secrecy Act: Remains cognizant of and adheres to Navy Federal policies and procedures, and regulations pertaining to the Bank Secrecy Act.