Role Summary
We are seeking a highly experienced
Principal Software Engineer to provide technical leadership and hands-on execution across complex, cloud-native software initiatives. This role combines deep engineering expertise with mentorship, architecture influence, and strong collaboration across global teams. The ideal candidate is passionate about
engineering excellence,
AI-assisted development, and
building high-quality, scalable products using modern development practices.
Key Responsibilities:Technical Leadership & Hands-On Development- Act as a hands-on technical leader, designing, developing, and reviewing high-quality, production-ready software.
- Lead development using Java as the primary language, following clean code, TDD, and spec-driven development principles.
- Drive adoption of AI-assisted development capabilities (e.g., Copilot-style tools, intelligent automation) to improve developer productivity and code quality.
- Influence and review application and solution architecture for scalability, security, performance, and maintainability.
- Partner with architects and senior engineers to define and enforce engineering standards and best practices.
Cloud & Platform Engineering- Design, build, and deploy applications on Microsoft Azure, leveraging cloud-native services.
- Contribute to cloud architecture decisions with a strong understanding of:
- Azure compute, networking, storage, and security
- Cloud-based databases (SQL & NoSQL) and performance considerations
- Support and continuously improve DevOps pipelines, CI/CD practices, and infrastructure automation.
- Enable resilient, observable, and cost-efficient systems in the cloud.
Quality, DevOps & Automation- Champion Test-Driven Development (TDD) and automated testing at all levels (unit, integration, system).
- Enable and evolve test automation frameworks and practices across teams.
- Closely collaborate with DevOps and SRE partners to:
- Improve release reliability and deployment frequency
- Reduce operational risk and technical debt
- Strengthen monitoring, alerting, and production readiness
Engineering Excellence & Team Enablement- Mentor and groom engineers to elevate technical skills, design thinking, and ownership mindset.
- Provide guidance through code reviews, design discussions, and technical deep dives.
- Foster a culture of high engineering standards, accountability, and continuous improvement.
- Act as a trusted technical advisor to product, QA, and platform teams.
Collaboration & Communication- Work closely with cross-functional stakeholders including Product, Architecture, QA, and Operations.
- Communicate complex technical concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
- Collaborate effectively with globally distributed teams across North America, EMEA, and India, accommodating time-zone overlaps when required.
- Proactively identify risks and propose pragmatic solutions.
Required QualificationsTechnical Skills- 10+ years of professional software engineering experience, with a strong hands-on track record.
- Deep expertise in Java and modern application frameworks.
- Strong experience with Azure cloud services and cloud-native application development.
- Solid understanding and practical application of:
- Test-Driven Development (TDD)
- Spec-driven / contract-first development
- CI/CD and DevOps practices
- Working knowledge of cloud databases, data modeling, and performance tuning.
Professional Skills- Proven ability to lead by influence rather than authority.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Strong problem-solving, design, and decision-making abilities.
- Comfortable operating in fast-paced, evolving environments.
Preferred / Added Weightage- Microsoft Azure Architect Certification (strongly preferred).
- Experience integrating or enabling AI-assisted engineering tools within development workflows.
- Exposure to large-scale modernization, cloud migration, or distributed systems.
- Experience working in regulated or enterprise-grade environments.
What Success Looks Like in This Role- Engineering teams consistently deliver high-quality, secure, and scalable products.
- Robust DevOps and automation practices reduce friction and improve time-to-market.
- Engineers grow in capability, confidence, and ownership.
- Architecture decisions balance innovation, stability, and long-term maintainability.
- Global collaboration is effective, respectful, and outcome-driven.
Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. without the need for employment-based visa sponsorship now or in the future. Northern Trust will not sponsor applicants for U.S. work visa status for this opportunity (no sponsorship is available for H-1B, L-1, TN, O-1, E-3, H-1B1, F-1, J-1, OPT, CPT or any other employment-based visa)
Salary Range:
$137,400 - 233,600 USD
Salary range is a good faith estimate of base pay. Northern Trust provides a comprehensive benefits package including retirement benefits (401k and pension), health and welfare benefits (medical, dental, vision, spending accounts and disability), paid time off, parental and caregiver leave, life & accident insurance, and other voluntary and well-being benefits. Northern Trust also provides a discretionary bonus program that may include an equity component.
