Principal Software Engineer/Developer

Paylocity; Washington, Northern (District of Columbia, KY); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Paylocity is seeking a Principal Software Engineer/Developer to define and drive enterprise-wide architecture strategies across cloud, modernization, and secure distributed systems. The role operates at a senior leadership level, guiding technology direction and aligning with federal/regulatory requirements.

You will lead complex Azure-based solutions, mentor teams, perform hands-on coding, and promote security-by-design while collaborating with executives and customers.

Qualifications

• US Citizenship required.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, IT, or related field (Master’s preferred).
• 12–15 years of progressive experience in solutions architecture, cloud engineering and platform design and enterprise application development and modernization.
• 5+ years of experience in cloud architecture, application modernization, cloud development, and migrations.
• 7+ years of experience in full stack and .NET application development, including modern technologies like Angular, JavaScript, Node.js, React, Vue, etc.
• 3+ years designing and implementing solutions in Microsoft Azure environments

Responsibilities

• Define and lead enterprise architecture strategy across cloud, applications, and infrastructure.
• Develop multi-year technology roadmaps aligned with organizational and client objectives.
• Establish architecture standards, reference models, and governance frameworks.
• Advise executives on emerging technologies, risks, and investment priorities.
• Architect and oversee complex Microsoft Azure solutions, including hybrid and multi-cloud environments.
• Lead enterprise cloud adoption, migration, and modernization strategies.
• Design and deploy cloud solutions on Microsoft Azure leveraging AKS, App Services, Functions, networking, security, and AI capabilities.
• Serve as hands-on technical leader by contributing to design and development using the .NET framework.
• Perform hands-on coding, code reviews, prototyping, and implementation activities.
• Develop and maintain IaC using Terraform and Azure Bicep for automated deployments.
• Ensure optimization for performance, scalability, resilience, and cost efficiency.
• Lead large-scale application modernization initiatives.
• Establish best practices for microservices, API-first, and event-driven architectures.
• Guide development teams in full-stack and cloud-native development.
• Ensure security-by-design principles.
• Oversee alignment with federal frameworks (e.g., NIST, Zero Trust).
• Partner with cybersecurity teams.
• Lead cross-functional teams.
• Drive DevSecOps and automation.
• Serve as trusted advisor to customers.
• Redesign data structures to support scalable data architectures.
• Plan and execute data mapping across systems, ensuring integrity and traceability.
• Develop end-to-end solution designs aligning business requirements with system capabilities.
• Leverage AI tools to enhance design, productivity and decision making.
• Demonstrate hands-on experience implementing AI-driven solutions.
• Communicate effectively across technical teams, leadership, and external customers.
• Translate complex concepts into business-friendly language.
• Present solution options with pros/cons, risks, and trade-offs.
• Develop reasonable level-of-effort estimates and timelines.
• Demonstrated experience leading enterprise-scale transformation initiatives.

Skills

Enterprise architecture

Cloud strategy

Azure

DevSecOps

Security-by-design

Full-stack dev

NET framework

AI integration

Data architecture

API-first design

Kubernetes

Terraform

Azure Bicep

Security automation

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Master’s degree (preferred)

Tools

Azure Kubernetes Service

Azure App Services

Azure Functions

Terraform

Azure Bicep

AKS

NIST frameworks

Job description

Description

The Principal Software Engineer/Developer is a highly experienced technical leader and recognized authority responsible for defining and driving enterprise-wide architecture strategies across cloud, application modernization, and secure distributed systems. This role operates at a senior leadership level, influencing technology direction, advising executive stakeholders, and ensuring alignment between enterprise architecture, business objectives, and federal or regulated requirements. The Software Engineer/Developer leads highly complex initiatives involving cloud transformation, Azure-based solutions, systems integration, and secure application development, while mentoring technical teams and establishing architectural standards across the organization.

Requirements

• Define and lead enterprise architecture strategy across cloud, applications, and infrastructure?
• Develop multi-year technology roadmaps aligned with organizational and client objectives?
• Establish architecture standards, reference models, and governance frameworks?
• Advise?executive leadership on emerging technologies, risks, and investment priorities?
• Architect and oversee complex Microsoft Azure solutions, including hybrid and multi-cloud environments?
• Lead enterprise cloud adoption, migration, and modernization strategies?
• Design and deploy cloud solutions on Microsoft Azure leveraging tools and services including Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), Azure App Services, Azure Functions (Serverless), networking, security, and advanced Data & AI capabilities to build secure, high-performance, scalable, and resilient enterprise applications
• Serve as a hands-on technical leader by actively contributing to application design and development efforts using the Microsoft .NET framework and related technologies.
• Perform hands-on coding, code reviews, prototyping, and technical implementation activities to ensure architectural standards and solution quality are achieved.
• Develop and maintain Infrastructure as Code (IaC) solutions using Terraform and Azure Bicep to support automated, repeatable, and compliant cloud deployments.
• Ensure optimization for performance, scalability, resilience, and cost efficiency?
• Lead large-scale application modernization initiatives?
• Establish best practices for microservices, API-first, and event-driven architectures?
• Guide development teams in full-stack and cloud-native development?
• Ensure security-by-design principles?
• Oversee alignment with federal frameworks (e.g., NIST, Zero Trust)?
• Partner with cybersecurity teams?
• Lead cross-functional teams?
• Drive DevSecOps and automation?
• Serve as trusted advisor?
• Redesign data structures to support modern, scalable, and efficient data architectures?
• Plan and execute comprehensive data mapping activities across systems, ensuring data integrity, traceability, and alignment with enterprise standards?
• Develop end-to-end solution designs that align business requirements with system capabilities, ensuring seamless integration and data flow?
• Leverage AI tools and technologies to enhance architectural design, productivity, and decision-making?
• Demonstrate hands-on experience implementing AI-driven solutions that improve business processes, efficiency, and insights?
• Communicate effectively across all levels of the organization, including technical teams, senior leadership, executives, and external customers?
• Serve as the primary technical interface to customers, ensuring clear, consistent, and professional communication of solutions and outcomes?
• Translate complex technical concepts, architectures, and trade-offs into concise, business-friendly language?
• Present solution options with clear pros/cons, risks, and trade-offs to support informed decision-making?
• Develop and communicate reasonable level-of-effort estimates, timelines, and solution assumptions?
• Demonstrated experience leading enterprise-scale transformation initiatives
• Experience in federal, regulated, or large-scale enterprise environments strongly preferred
• Preferred certifications in Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect Expert and Microsoft Azure Developer Associate
• Optional/preferred certifications include CISSP, CCSP, CISM, TOGAF, or equivalent architecture, cloud, or security-related credentials. Candidates are not required to possess security certifications to be considered for this role.
• Hands-on experience with Infrastructure as Code (IaC) solutions, including Terraform and Azure Bicep deployment frameworks for provisioning, automating, and managing cloud infrastructure

Qualifications

• US Citizenship Required
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Technology, or related field (Master’s preferred)
• 12–15 years of progressive experience in solutions architecture, cloud engineering and platform design and enterprise application development and modernization
• 5+ years of experience in cloud architecture, application modernization, cloud development, and migrations
• 7+ years of experience in full stack and .NET application development, including modern technologies like Angular, JavaScript, Node.js, React, Vue, etc.
• 3+ years designing and implementing solutions in Microsoft Azure environments