Principal Software Architect

Placements24; Pretoria; Hybrid; ZAR 1,800,000 - 3,200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

High salary & comprehensive benefits

Bonus potential

Challenging projects in Pretoria

Continuous learning & growth

Innovative culture

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a highly experienced Principal Software Architect to shape the technology landscape in Pretoria. This senior leadership role requires deep expertise in complex systems, scalable software, and mentoring engineers to deliver high-quality solutions.

You will define standards, guide product strategy with stakeholders, drive modernization, and evaluate new technologies across cloud platforms and containers to support a critical digital transformation.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive software development experience.
• At least 5 years in a software architect role.
• Proven expertise in designing microservices, cloud-native architectures, and distributed systems.
• Deep understanding of architectural styles, design patterns, and their trade-offs.
• Proficiency with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP) and containerization technologies (Docker, Kubernetes).
• Excellent leadership, communication, and strategic thinking skills.

Responsibilities

• Design scalable, resilient enterprise software architectures.
• Define technology standards, patterns, and best practices across the engineering organization.
• Collaborate with product management, engineering teams, and stakeholders to align technical strategy with business objectives.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to software engineers and development teams.
• Evaluate and recommend new technologies, frameworks, and tools to enhance the development process and product capabilities.
• Conduct architectural reviews, identify technical debt, and propose modernization strategies.
• Ensure adherence to architectural principles throughout the SDLC.

Skills

Leadership

Architecture design

Microservices

Cloud-native

Distributed systems

Strategic thinking

Mentoring

Communication

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science or Engineering

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

AWS

Azure

GCP

Job description

About the Role

Our client is seeking a highly experienced and visionary Principal Software Architect to shape the future of their technology landscape in Pretoria . This senior leadership role demands a deep understanding of complex systems, cutting-edge technologies, and the ability to translate strategic business goals into robust, scalable, and maintainable software architectures. You will guide development teams, define technical standards, and mentor engineers, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, innovative solutions. This is an exceptional opportunity to make a significant impact on a critical digital transformation initiative, working within a forward-thinking organization.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and oversee the implementation of scalable, resilient, and secure software architectures for enterprise-level applications.
• Define technology standards, patterns, and best practices across the engineering organization.
• Collaborate closely with product management, engineering teams, and stakeholders to align technical strategy with business objectives.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to software engineers and development teams.
• Evaluate and recommend new technologies, frameworks, and tools to enhance the development process and product capabilities.
• Conduct architectural reviews, identify technical debt, and propose strategies for remediation and modernization.
• Ensure adherence to architectural principles and guidelines throughout the software development lifecycle.

Requirements

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in software development, with at least 5 years in a software architect role.
• Proven expertise in designing microservices, cloud-native applications, and distributed systems.
• Deep understanding of various architectural styles, design patterns, and their trade-offs.
• Proficiency with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP) and containerization technologies (Docker, Kubernetes).
• Excellent leadership, communication, and strategic thinking skills.

Benefits

• Exceptional salary and comprehensive benefits package.
• Significant bonus potential and long-term incentive plans.
• Opportunity to work on challenging and impactful projects in Pretoria .
• Continuous learning opportunities and support for professional growth.
• A culture of innovation and technical excellence.