Principal Engineer, Platform Systems

ADT; Center Square (PA); Hybrid; USD 146,000 - 218,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare benefits

401(k) plan

Paid time off

Disability coverage

Wellbeing benefits

Job summary

ADT is seeking a Principal Engineer to lead platform-system architecture, providing hands-on guidance across cloud, mobile, web, and device integrations. You will design architectures, produce ADRs, and drive cross-team alignment while delivering proofs-of-concept and reference implementations.

You will mentor engineers, facilitate architecture reviews, and ensure scalable, secure, and cost-effective solutions. Occasional travel and hybrid/remote work options apply.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of professional software engineering experience, including large-scale systems across teams.
• Hands-on technical lead or architect for cross-team initiatives, with design leadership and direct contribution.
• Experience building cloud-native, distributed systems (microservices, APIs, messaging, data stores).
• Experience producing architectural artifacts (design docs, ADRs, diagrams) used by engineers.

Responsibilities

• Lead architecture for strategic initiatives across cloud services, mobile, web, device/firmware, and partner integrations.
• Develop architectural artifacts and reference architectures for reuse across teams.
• Facilitate architecture reviews and align technical direction across engineering groups.
• Create proofs-of-concept and reference implementations to accelerate delivery.
• Mentor engineers on design quality and architectural practices.
• Communicate complex architectures clearly via RFCs/ADRs, diagrams, and documentation.

Skills

Technical leadership

Architectural design

Cloud architectures

Cross-team collaboration

ADR/architecture docs

Proof-of-concepts

APIs

Distributed systems

Mentoring

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science/Engineering

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

AWS

GCP

Java/Spring

Job description

Locations and Workstyle:

Blue Bell, PA: Primarily remote; candidates should be within commuting distance of the Blue Bell office and able to work onsite as needed. Option to come onsite more frequently if desired.
Irving, TX and Boca Raton, FL: Hybrid schedule - onsite a minimum of four days per week, with one remote day. Five days onsite may be required based on business needs.

About the Role

The Principal Engineer, Platform Systems is a hands-on technical leader on the Product Engineering Architecture team. This role provides design leadership, cross-team technical alignment, and direct implementation support across cloud services, mobile, web, device/firmware, and partner integrations.

The Principal Engineer leads system design for strategic and cross-team programs; produces architectural artifacts and decision records; facilitates architecture reviews; and builds proof-of-concepts and reference implementations in the codebase.

This is not a review-only role. The position takes architectural work currently absorbed informally by senior engineers, shortens the runway on new initiatives, and strengthens continuity for a function that must scale beyond a single architect.

What You’ll Do

• Lead architecture for strategic initiatives and cross-team programs across cloud services, mobile, web, device/firmware, and partner integrations.


• Develop architectural artifacts including system designs, standards, decision records (ADRs), and reference architectures that teams can reuse.


• Facilitate architecture reviews and technical alignment across engineering teams; drive clarity on tradeoffs, risks, and decisions.


• Investigate, design, prototype, and evaluate technical feasibility of new approaches; deliver proof-of-concepts and reference implementations.


• Contribute directly to implementation of strategic initiatives when architectural expertise is required to reduce risk or accelerate delivery.


• Partner with engineering leads, product, and program partners to catch cross-team requirements and integration risks early, at intake rather than late in delivery.


• Promote reuse, consistency, and maintainability across the platform; identify and reduce architectural technical debt where it blocks delivery or scalability.


• Reduce architectural workload currently carried by senior engineers on delivery teams by owning design leadership and follow-through on assigned initiatives.


• Mentor engineers on design quality, architectural practice, and technical decision-making; provide constructive feedback in design and code reviews.


• Communicate complex technical information effectively to the right audience through written RFCs/ADRs, diagrams, verbal facilitation, and code as explanation.


• Operate effectively in ambiguous problem spaces; define clarity and lead through influence in a matrixed organization.


• Perform additional duties as assigned.

What You’ll Need

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent experience.


• 10+ years of professional software engineering experience, including significant experience designing systems used across multiple teams or products.


• Proven experience as a hands-on technical lead or architect for cross-team or platform initiatives, including both design leadership and direct contribution.


• Demonstrated expertise building and operating cloud-native and distributed systems, including microservices, APIs, messaging systems, and data stores.


• Experience producing architectural artifacts, including design documents, ADRs, and diagrams, that other engineers successfully execute against.


• Deep experience designing distributed systems and integration architectures, including APIs, event-driven patterns, and partner/platform integrations.


• Hands-on engineering credibility with expertise in at least one production stack (typically backend/cloud services) and the ability to deliver proof-of-concepts outside that stack when needed.


• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with demonstrated care for conveying the right information to the right audience.


• Ability to lead through influence rather than authority and partner effectively with engineering leads and cross-functional stakeholders.


• Sound technical judgment across both functional and non-functional requirements, including scalability, reliability, security, operability, and cost.


• Comfortable challenging designs constructively and facilitating disagreement toward clear decisions.


• Effective mentor and coach for engineers on design and architecture practices.


• Thrives in a fast-paced environment with multiple concurrent initiatives and shifting priorities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong experience with Java and the Spring ecosystem for backend and cloud services.


• Additional language experience welcome for cross-stack proof-of-concept work, including TypeScript/JavaScript, Kotlin/Swift familiarity, Python, or C/C++ exposure.


• Experience with AWS and/or GCP.


• Experience with containerization technologies such as Docker and Kubernetes, along with modern CI/CD practices.


• Experience in IoT, security, consumer device platforms, or partner integration ecosystems.


• Familiarity with mobile/backend integration patterns and multi-surface product architectures spanning applications, cloud services, devices, and partner systems.


• Prior experience in a small architecture function partnering closely with delivery teams rather than operating as a pure governance or review board function.


• Exposure to firmware or device constraints, or a willingness to ramp quickly when initiatives span device and cloud environments.

Travel

Occasional travel required, less than 25%.

Compensation & Benefits:

The salary range for this role is $145,600.00 - $218,400.00 and is based on experience and qualifications.

Certain roles are eligible for annual bonus and may include equity. These awards are allocated based on company and individual performance.

We offer employees access to healthcare benefits, a 401(k) plan and company match, short-term and long-term disability coverage, life insurance, wellbeing benefits and paid time off among others. Employees accrue up to 120 hours in their first year. Your accrual rate increases after your first year. We also offer 6 paid holidays.