Principal Software Development Engineer

MasterCard; Arlington (VA); On-site; USD 195,000 - 323,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Insurance (medical, dental, vision)

401k with company match

Paid time off

Job summary

Mastercard is seeking a Principal Software Development Engineer to lead major cross-department projects, define roadmaps, and drive secure software delivery. You will mentor teams and partner with business to quantify ROI, risks, and benefits while shaping technical direction and standards.

The role emphasizes PoCs, technology strategy, and governance across the SDLC to ensure high-quality deployments and compliance within a financial services environment.

Qualifications

• Proven leadership across cross-functional teams.
• Strong understanding of software engineering concepts and methodologies.
• Experience delivering secure financial services solutions.
• Ability to influence without direct authority.
• Vendor management and RFI/RFP experience is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Define and lead major cross-department initiatives with ROI and risks identified.
• Develop roadmaps aligned with department strategy and long-term vision.
• Coach and mentor team members and enable knowledge sharing.
• Ensure quality assurance, compliance, and SDLC governance.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Strategic thinking

Problem solving

Vendor management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in information systems, IT, CS or Engineering

Tools

AWS

Databricks

Snowflake

Job description

Our Purpose Mastercard powers economies and empowers people in 200+ countries and territories worldwide. Together with our customers, we’re helping build a sustainable economy where everyone can prosper. We support a wide range of digital payments choices, making transactions secure, simple, smart and accessible. Our technology and innovation, partnerships and networks combine to deliver a unique set of products and services that help people, businesses and governments realize their greatest potential.

Title and Summary

Principal Software Development Engineer

Job Overview

Leads major projects and creates the development and delivery of quality software solutions in a timely and cost-effective manner. Research alternative technical solutions for changing business needs. Responsible for assuring the daily activities of the team meet the requirements of SLA’s.

About the Role

• Successfully lead definition, development, and delivery of major cross-department initiatives with broad scope and long-term business implications. Collaborate with business and technical partners to identify and scope the opportunities, quantify costs, outline potential value and ROI, identify risks, benefits, and constraints. Partner with business to identify innovative solutions and drive strategic decisions. Develop business case in alignment with the MasterCard objectives. Lead scenario planning process and creation, validation and review of estimates, costs, and benefits. Actively look for opportunities for Innovation and creative problem solving. Make presentations to the Senior Management, Business Owners and other Stakeholders and help them in decision making process.
• Perform Proofs of Concepts (PoCs) to assess and identify the technologies per the needs of the organization. Provide recommendation to Senior Management on selection of technologies and strategic technical direction for the department. Lead creation of roadmaps that align with the department strategy and long-term business vision and objectives. Coach and mentor team members, enable knowledge sharing via brownbag sessions on new and upcoming technologies, methodologies, and application appropriate frameworks.
• Lead implementation of processes and supporting tools per the evolving needs of the organization. Identifying process gaps, provide estimates for business solutions, define the initial scope/requirements of the project, and manage the scope during the lifecycle of the project. Plan overall project scope as well as define scope for each phase and iteration to meet business needs/time-to-market needs.
• Define and Lead Quality Assurance and Quality Control processes in the department. Ensure compliance to quality methodology and development of quality metrics by the team. Create guidelines, processes, and standards to ensure high overall quality of product and incident free deployment.
• Instruct and guide the team to ensure that appropriate processes and documentation is in use by the team. Ensure compliance to the defined standards. Actively look for opportunities to modify and enhance standards per the needs of the department. Develop documentation templates, lead and enforce development of artifacts throughout the solution development lifecycle.
• Ensure compliance of Audit Requirements by proactively educating team on Compliance Requirements and Integrating Compliance Requirements in SDLC. Represent team during Compliance Audits.

All About You

• Extensive background in delivering secure solutions in Financial Services Sector is preferred.
• Expertise with Software Engineering Concepts and Methodologies.
• Proven track record in selection and implementation of methodologies with focus on Lean methodology, delivery of High Efficiency Solutions leading to productivity gains is required.
• Demonstrate MC Core Competencies.
• Experience in vendor relationship management, vendor selection, RFI/RFP process, SOW is highly desired.
• Proven ability to embody MC Leadership Principles.
• Proven capacity to lead and influence matrix based project team members and work as a member of a diverse and geographically distributed team.
• Experience in operations environment is highly desirable.
• Bachelor’s degree in information systems, Information Technology, Computer Science or Engineering or equivalent experience.

Skills/ Abilities

• Must be politically savvy, high-energy, detail-oriented, proactive, and able to function under pressure in an independent environment. Possess the ability to have a high degree of initiative and self-motivation to drive results.
• Demonstrate ability to organize, manage, plan, and control several concurrent initiatives with conflicting needs.
• Candidate must possess a superior coding background with Java/Spring or Python. Additional required technical requirements are AWS, Databricks/Snowflake.
• Experience using AI to assist in shaping/design applications as well as understand associated risks applicable to using AI.
• Must display strong communication skills -- both verbal and written – and leadership and relationship skills with ability to influence others without having direct authority.
• Proven ability to sell solutions, persuade cross-functional group, garner support for solutions and bring group to a consensus and strong ability in collection and formulation of data, development of Metrics and dashboard reporting.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Mastercard is a merit-based, inclusive, equal opportunity employer that considers applicants without regard to gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, disabled or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We hire the most qualified candidate for the role.

Corporate Security Responsibility

All activities involving access to Mastercard assets, information, and networks comes with an inherent risk to the organization and, therefore, it is expected that every person working for, or on behalf of, Mastercard is responsible for information security and must:

• Abide by Mastercard's security policies and practices;
• Ensure the confidentiality and integrity of the information being accessed;
• Report any suspected information security violation or breach, and
• Complete all periodic mandatory security trainings in accordance with Mastercard's guidelines.

Compensation

In line with Mastercard's total compensation philosophy and assuming that the job will be performed in the US, the successful candidate will be offered a competitive base salary and may be eligible for an annual bonus or commissions depending on the role. The base salary offered may vary depending on multiple factors, including but not limited to location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

Benefits – Full time and Selected Part-time

• insurance (including medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, disability, life insurance)
• flexible spending account and health savings account
• paid leaves (including 16 weeks of new parent leave and up to 20 days of bereavement leave)
• 80 hours of Paid Sick and Safe Time, 25 days of vacation time and 5 personal days, pro-rated based on date of hire
• 10 annual paid U.S. observed holidays
• 401k with a best-in-class company match
• deferred compensation for eligible roles
• fitness reimbursement or on-site fitness facilities
• eligibility for tuition reimbursement
• and many more.

Benefits – Interns

• 56 hours of Paid Sick and Safe Time
• jury duty leave
• on-site fitness facilities in some locations

Pay Ranges

Arlington, Virginia: $195,000 - $323,000 USD O'Fallon, Missouri: $170,000 - $281,000 USD

Marketing

Everyone wants easier ways to pay; we invent them. Checkout lines are slow; we speed them along. Merchants want more sales; we give them data and insights. People need financial access; we connect them. Corporate purchasing is complicated; we make it simple. Commuters are busy; we speed them on their way. Governments need greater efficiencies; we help create them. Small businesses are virtual; we give them access to a world of buyers. Retailers want to fight fraud; we provide the tools.