Principal Architect – PBM Modernization & AI Engineering

The Cigna Group; Dallas (TX); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

The Cigna Group is seeking a Principal Architect to lead PBM modernization and AI engineering initiatives in a senior capacity. You will guide architecture strategy, partner with product and engineering teams, and drive cloud-native, API-first solutions across the PBM stack.

You will shape data architecture, leverage Generative AI, and promote secure, scalable, and compliant engineering practices while mentoring teams through complex transformations.

Qualifications

• Senior architecture leader with 8+ years of software engineering and architecture experience.
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• Experience modernizing PBM or healthcare tech domains preferred.
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• Proven ability to influence senior leaders and drive large-scale modernization.
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• Bachelor degree in Computer Science or related field.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and implementation of architecture solutions for PBM modernization.
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• Transform legacy apps into cloud-native, API-first, and event-driven platforms.
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• Establish architecture standards and engineering best practices.
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• Provide hands-on technical leadership through reviews, PoCs, and critical initiatives.
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• Partner with teams to modernize platforms using React, Java, Go, Node.js, Kubernetes.
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• Define data architecture and data engineering strategies.
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• Drive DevSecOps, platform engineering, and AI-assisted development.
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• Embed Generative AI and intelligent automation in PBM products.
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• Define patterns for AI-enabled workflow automation and knowledge management.
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• Leverage AI-powered tooling to accelerate modernization and quality.
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• Design AI-enabled software engineering capabilities, including SDLC agents.
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• Ensure solutions are secure, scalable, compliant, and governed.
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• Mentor architects and engineers to foster technical excellence.
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Skills

Architecture leadership

Cloud-native design

API-first

Event-driven architecture

Generative AI integration

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor degree in Computer Science or related fields

Tools

React

Java

Go

Node.js

Kubernetes

Cloud-native services

Job description

Principal Architect - PBM Modernization & AI Engineering

The Principal Architect - PBM Modernization & AI Engineering is a senior architecture leader responsible for designing and delivering modern technology solutions that accelerate the transformation of the Pharmacy Benefit Management (PBM) ecosystem.

As a key member of the PBM modernization program, this individual will partner closely with product, engineering, data, and business teams to modernize legacy platforms and enable scalable, cloud-native, API-first, and event-driven architectures. The Principal Architect will bring deep technical expertise developed through a progression from software engineering into architecture leadership and will serve as a trusted advisor on application architecture, engineering excellence, technology modernization, and AI adoption.

The successful candidate will possess extensive experience designing, building, and modernizing enterprise platforms utilizing modern technology stacks, including React, Java, Go, Node.js, cloud-native services, and modern data architectures. This role requires expertise across application architecture, data engineering, integration strategies, distributed systems, and software delivery practices, with the ability to guide engineering teams through complex transformation initiatives.

Artificial Intelligence will be a critical component of this role. The Principal Architect will help define and implement architectures that leverage Generative AI, Agentic AI, and intelligent automation to streamline business processes, improve operational efficiency, enhance customer experiences, and unlock new business capabilities. This leader will champion practical AI adoption across the software development lifecycle while ensuring solutions remain scalable, secure, compliant, and aligned with enterprise standards.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design and implementation of architecture solutions supporting strategic PBM modernization initiatives.
• Drive the transformation of legacy applications into modular, cloud-native, API-first, and event-driven platforms.
• Establish architecture standards, reference patterns, and engineering best practices that improve scalability, resiliency, maintainability, and speed to market.
• Provide hands-on technical leadership through architecture reviews, solution design, proof-of-concept development, and critical engineering initiatives.
• Partner with engineering teams to modernize application platforms using React, Java, Go, Node.js, Kubernetes, cloud-native services, and modern integration patterns.
• Define and implement data architecture, data modeling, and data engineering strategies that support operational, analytical, and AI-driven business capabilities.
• Drive adoption of DevSecOps, platform engineering, architecture automation, and AI-assisted software development practices.
• Identify and implement opportunities to embed Generative AI, Agentic AI, and intelligent automation capabilities within PBM products and business workflows.
• Define architectural patterns that support AI-enabled workflow automation, intelligent decision support, knowledge management, and operational excellence.
• Leverage AI-powered engineering platforms and development copilots, including Claude Code, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, and emerging technologies, to accelerate modernization efforts, improve developer productivity, enhance software quality, and reduce delivery timelines.
• Design and implement AI-enabled software engineering capabilities, including SDLC agents, reusable skills, prompt frameworks, and specification-driven development practices that automate architecture, coding, testing, documentation, and modernization workflows.
• Ensure all solutions are secure, scalable, observable, compliant, and aligned with enterprise architecture principles and governance standards.
• Mentor architects and engineers while fostering a culture of technical excellence, innovation, continuous learning, and modernization.

Preferred Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in software engineering, solution architecture, and technology leadership.
• Demonstrated progression from hands-on software engineering roles into architecture leadership positions.
• Deep expertise designing and building cloud-native applications utilizing Java, Go, Node.js, React, APIs, microservices, and event-driven architectures.
• Strong background in data architecture, data modeling, data engineering, and modern data platforms.
• Experience implementing Generative AI, Agentic AI, large language model (LLM)-based solutions, and intelligent automation capabilities in enterprise environments.
• Experience within healthcare, pharmacy benefit management (PBM), payer, or pharmacy technology domains preferred.
• Proven ability to influence senior technology and business leaders while driving large-scale modernization initiatives.
• Strong communication, collaboration, and stakeholder management skills with the ability to translate complex technical concepts into business value.
• Bachelor degree in Computer Science or related fields.

Why This Role Matters

The Principal Architect serves as a key technical leader in the PBM modernization journey, translating strategic architecture vision into practical, scalable solutions. This role will help reduce technical debt, accelerate innovation, enable AI-driven transformation, and establish the technology foundation for the next generation of PBM platforms and digital capabilities. Through a combination of architectural leadership, engineering excellence, and AI innovation, this individual will play a critical role in shaping the future of the PBM technology landscape.

This version elevates the role to a more executive-level, strategic Principal Architect position while maintaining the hands-on modernization and AI engineering expectations.

If you will be working at home occasionally or permanently, the internet connection must be obtained through a cable broadband or fiber optic internet service provider with speeds of at least 10Mbps download/5Mbps upload.

About The Cigna Group

Doing something meaningful starts with a simple decision, a commitment to changing lives. At The Cigna Group, we’re dedicated to improving the health and vitality of those we serve. Through our divisions Cigna Healthcare and Evernorth Health Services, we are committed to enhancing the lives of our clients, customers and patients. Join us in driving growth and improving lives.

Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, age, disability, sex, childbirth (including pregnancy) or related medical conditions including but not limited to lactation, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, religion, national origin, ancestry, marital or familial status, genetic information, status with regard to public assistance, citizenship status or any other characteristic protected by applicable equal employment opportunity laws.

If you need a reasonable accommodation to complete the online application process, please email [e-mail] for assistance. Please note that this email inbox is dedicated to accommodation requests only and cannot provide application updates or accept resumes.

The Cigna Group has a tobacco-free policy and reserves the right not to hire tobacco/nicotine users in states where that is legally permissible. Candidates in such states who use tobacco/nicotine will not be considered for employment unless they enter a qualifying smoking cessation program prior to the start of their employment. These states include: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Vermont, and Washington State.

Qualified applicants with criminal histories will be considered for employment in a manner consistent with all federal, state and local ordinances.