Principal Software Architect

Citizens; Johnston (RI); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Citizens seeks a Principal Architect to lead enterprise-scale architectural efforts, guiding governance and strategic technology directions across business and technical platforms. You will collaborate with leaders across product, software engineering, and cybersecurity to design scalable, secure solutions aligned with enterprise standards.

The role involves presenting architecture strategies and driving adoption of emerging technologies, with a focus on performance, resilience, and regulatory

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in a related field.
• 10+ years of experience in software development, engineering, or solution architecture.
• Hands-on experience delivering end-to-end software solutions for complex, multi-tier applications.
• Strong understanding of enterprise architecture concepts, patterns, and best practices.
• Experience with systems analysis, process analysis, and solution design.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills for technical audiences.
• Experience with relational and non-relational database technologies, including RDBMS and NoSQL.
• Experience designing and building highly available, resilient customer-facing applications.
• Experience building cloud-native applications and distributed systems.
• Experience designing, developing, and integrating APIs.
• Experience modernizing monolithic applications into microservices-based architectures.
• Experience identifying automation opportunities and improving performance and efficiency.
• Experience implementing large-scale technology transformations, platform modernization, or migrations.
• Expertise in at least two areas: Infrastructure, Cybersecurity, DevOps, Application Development, Database Technologies, Cloud Platforms.

Responsibilities

• Participate in architecture, design, and code reviews to ensure solutions meet standards and security requirements.
• Design and develop reusable frameworks, services, interfaces, and platforms for scalability and consistency.
• Collaborate with engineering teams to define technical direction and drive alignment.
• Influence solution design to achieve measurable business outcomes.
• Provide post-implementation support, including troubleshooting and stakeholder enablement.
• Conduct research and technical analysis to evaluate technologies and recommend solutions.
• Perform long-term technology trend analysis and recommend investments.
• Analyze system performance and metrics to identify improvements.
• Drive innovation through evaluation and adoption of new technologies.
• Ensure cybersecurity principles and controls are incorporated into designs.

Skills

Architectural leadership

Cloud platforms

DevOps

APIs design

Security best practices

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Performance optimization

Architecture governance

Mentoring

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Technology, or related field

Tools

RDBMS

NoSQL

Cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP)

Job description

Position Summary

As a Principal Architect, you will play a key role in bringing innovative ideas to life and driving the adoption of emerging technologies across the enterprise. This role provides architectural leadership, governance, and oversight at both the business platform and technical platform levels. You will partner with cross functional teams, including business leaders, product managers, software engineers, cybersecurity professionals, and senior executives to design scalable, secure, and high performing solutions that align with enterprise standards and strategic objectives.

Principal Software Architect

As a Principal Architect, you will play a key role in bringing innovative ideas to life and driving the adoption of emerging technologies across the enterprise. This role provides architectural leadership, governance, and oversight at both the business platform and technical platform levels. You will partner with cross functional teams, including business leaders, product managers, software engineers, cybersecurity professionals, and senior executives to design scalable, secure, and high performing solutions that align with enterprise standards and strategic objectives. The Principal Architect will present architecture strategies, designs, and recommendations to Architecture Review Boards, technology leadership, and business stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

• Participate in architecture, design, and code reviews to ensure solutions align with enterprise standards, security requirements, and best practices.
• Design and develop reusable frameworks, services, interfaces, and platforms that support scalability and consistency across the enterprise.
• Collaborate with engineering teams and technology leaders to define technical direction and drive architectural alignment.
• Influence solution design and implementation to achieve measurable business outcomes.
• Provide post implementation support, including troubleshooting, coaching, and stakeholder enablement.
• Conduct research and technical analysis to evaluate technologies and recommend solutions.
• Perform long term technology trend analysis and provide recommendations for future investments.
• Analyze system performance, operational metrics, and control reports to identify improvement opportunities.
• Drive innovation through the evaluation, adoption, and implementation of new technologies.
• Ensure cybersecurity principles and controls are incorporated into all solution designs.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Technology, or a related field.
• 10+ years of experience in software development, engineering, or solution architecture.
• Hands on experience delivering end to end software solutions for complex, multi tier applications.
• Strong understanding of enterprise architecture concepts, patterns, and best practices.
• Experience with systems analysis, process analysis, and solution design.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate technical concepts to non technical audiences.
• Experience working with relational and non relational database technologies, including RDBMS and NoSQL platforms.
• Experience designing and building highly available, resilient, customer facing applications.
• Experience building cloud native applications and distributed systems.
• Experience designing, developing, and integrating APIs.
• Experience modernizing monolithic applications into microservices based architectures.
• Experience identifying automation opportunities and improving application performance and operational efficiency.
• Experience implementing large scale technology transformations, platform modernization initiatives, or strategic technology migrations.
• Expertise in at least two of the following areas:
• Infrastructure
• Cybersecurity
• DevOps
• Application Development
• Database Technologies
• Cloud Platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP)

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in the financial services or banking industry.
• Understanding of consumer banking, commercial banking, or custodial banking environments.
• Experience working with sensitive financial data and regulated environments.
• Strong business analysis, stakeholder management, and presentation skills.
• Experience incorporating cybersecurity principles into application and platform architecture.
• Knowledge of multiple programming languages and frameworks, such as:
• Java
• JavaScript
• Python
• Golang
• Ruby
• C/C++
• Angular
• React
• Vue.js
• Understanding of UI/UX principles and application design best practices.

Education

• Required: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Technology, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Pay Transparency

• The salary range for this position is $150,000 to $190,000 per year, plus an opportunity to earn additional incentive earnings. Actual pay is based on various factors including, but not limited to, the budget, work location, and relevant skills and experience.

Benefits

Comprehensive benefits include medical, dental, and vision coverage, retirement plans, parental leave, flexible work arrangements, education reimbursement, wellness programs, and generous paid time off exceeding local requirements.

Citizens Benefits Overview

For an overview of our benefits, visit our Careers site - https://jobs.citizensbank.com/benefits.

Some job boards have started using jobseeker-reported data to estimate salary ranges for roles. If you apply and qualify for this role, a recruiter will discuss accurate pay guidance.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Citizens, its parent, subsidiaries, and related companies (Citizens) provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all colleagues and applicants for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, citizenship, physical or mental disability, perceived disability or history or record of a disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity or expression, genetic information, genetic characteristic, marital or domestic partner status, victim of domestic violence, family status/parenthood, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, pregnancy/childbirth/lactation, colleague’s or a dependent’s reproductive health decision making, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or any other category protected by federal, state and/or local laws. At Citizens, we are committed to fostering an inclusive culture that enables all colleagues to bring their best selves to work every day and everyone is expected to be treated with respect and professionalism. Employment decisions are based solely on merit, qualifications, performance and capability.

Why Work for Us

At Citizens, you'll find a customer-centric culture built around helping our customers and giving back to our local communities. When you join our team, you are part of a supportive and collaborative workforce, with access to training and tools to accelerate your potential and maximize your career growth