Remote Principal Software Architect

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

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Remote work stipend

Health insurance

Unlimited PTO

Learning budget

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Principal Software Architect to lead the architectural vision for our core platforms in a remote-first engineering organization. You will drive scalability, security, and reliability across distributed systems while mentoring teams and shaping technical strategy.

You will guide technology choices, design cloud-native microservices, enforce best practices, and collaborate with product and engineering leadership to align roadmaps with business goals in a globally

Qualifications

• Master’s or PhD in CS or related field, or equivalent experience.
• 12+ years in software engineering, with at least 5 years in an architect role.
• Large-scale distributed systems and microservices experience.
• Cloud platforms (AWS/Azure/GCP) and Infrastructure as Code expertise.
• Strong security, performance, and database knowledge.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and strategic thinking.

Responsibilities

• Define and evangelize the software architecture and strategy for the company.
• Design scalable, resilient, cloud-based solutions using microservices.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship across projects.
• Evaluate new technologies to enhance development efficiency and product capabilities.
• Collaborate with product management and engineering leadership to align roadmaps with business goals.
• Develop and maintain architectural documentation and standards.

Skills

Cloud architecture

Microservices

Distributed systems

Leadership

Security

Technical mentorship

Education

Master’s or PhD in CS

Tools

AWS

Azure

GCP

Kubernetes

Terraform

Job description

About the Role

Our client is seeking a visionary Principal Software Architect to join their fully remote engineering organization. This senior role is responsible for defining the technical vision and architectural blueprint for the company's core platforms, ensuring scalability, reliability, and security. You will play a critical role in guiding engineering teams, making key technology decisions, and driving architectural best practices across the organization. This is a unique opportunity for an experienced architect who excels in a remote-first environment and is passionate about building robust, future-proof systems from the ground up, contributing significantly to the evolution of their technology stack.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and evangelize the overall software architecture and technical strategy for the company.
• Design scalable, resilient, and secure cloud-based solutions utilizing microservices and modern architectural patterns.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to engineering teams across multiple projects.
• Evaluate and recommend new technologies and frameworks to enhance development efficiency and product capabilities.
• Collaborate with product management and engineering leadership to align technical roadmap with business objectives.
• Develop and maintain architectural documentation and standards.

Requirements

• Master’s or Ph.D. in Computer Science or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• 12+ years of experience in software engineering, with at least 5 years in a dedicated architect role.
• Extensive experience designing and implementing large-scale distributed systems and microservices architectures.
• Deep expertise in cloud computing platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and infrastructure as code.
• Strong understanding of security best practices, performance optimization, and database technologies.
• Exceptional communication, leadership, and strategic thinking skills.

Benefits

• Highly competitive salary and stock options.
• Generous remote work stipend for home office setup and ongoing expenses.
• Comprehensive global health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Unlimited paid time off and flexible working hours to support work-life balance.
• Continuous learning opportunities and budget for conferences and training.