Principal Software Architect: AI-Driven Systems Leader

Lumen; Austin (TX); Remote; USD 167,000 - 223,000; Full time

Job summary

Lumen is seeking a Principal Software Architect to lead architecture across DJAS, focusing on AI-augmented, scalable systems for our digital journey portfolio. This remote-friendly role emphasizes breadth over domain specialization and requires strong design discipline.

You will mentor engineers, drive solution designs, and ensure architecture aligns with performance, security, and observability goals across multi-system environments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in CS, engineering, or related field with substantial software architecture experience.
• Master's degree with significant software architecture leadership experience is preferred.
• AI-first practitioner actively uses AI tools as a routine part of architecture work.
• Demonstrated examples of how AI accelerated or improved work.
• Classically trained software architecture background with formal practices.

Responsibilities

• Apply architecture principles to DJAS design work: microservices, event-driven patterns, distributed systems, API-first design, DDD.
• Lead architecture design sessions and reviews; surface tradeoffs and address NFRs from the start.
• Define governance: what is good enough to ship vs more work; codify standards.
• Evaluate modern patterns and methodologies beyond current norms.
• Apply AI-augmented engineering practices: LLMs, agentic workflows, safe integration.

Skills

Software architecture

Distributed systems

API design

Domain-driven design

Non-functional requirements

Observability

AI-first engineering

Security architecture

Mentoring

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/Engineering

Master's degree in related field

Tools

AWS

Azure

GCP

Job description

Lumen is seeking a Principal Software Architect to lead architecture across DJAS, focusing on AI-augmented, scalable systems for our digital journey portfolio. This remote-friendly role emphasizes breadth over domain specialization and requires strong design discipline.

You will mentor engineers, drive solution designs, and ensure architecture aligns with performance, security, and observability goals across multi-system environments.