Principal Architect

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Job Summary:
We are seeking a Principal / Lead Solution Architect to lead the end-to-end technical design and architecture of a large-scale Debit Card Platform Modernization initiative at a top-tier financial institution. This role will be responsible for designing the full technology ecosystem from the ground up — including environments, infrastructure, integration layers, and application components — and translating that architecture into clear, executable designs for development and IT delivery teams.

• Architecture & Design Leadership
  • Lead the end-to-end solution architecture for a debit card modernization platform, including:
  • Application architecture
  • Integration patterns
  • Infrastructure and environment design
  • Data and messaging architecture
  • Security and resiliency patterns
• Design and document
  • Development, QA, UAT, Performance, and Production environments
  • On-prem VM-based environments with future cloud migration in mind
  • Hybrid and containerized architectures using Open Shift
• Define platform standards, patterns, and reference architectures

• Translate high-level architecture into:
  • Detailed technical designs
  • Build standards
  • Implementation guides
  • Reference implementations
• Partner closely with:
  • Development teams
  • Infrastructure teams
  • Dev Ops
  • Security
  • Enterprise Architecture
• Provide technical oversight during build and implementation.

• Serve as a technical authority for Java/Spring Boot services.
• Review and contribute to code when needed.
• Support:
  • Service design
  • API standards
  • Microservices patterns
  • Performance optimization
• Lead architecture and code reviews.

• Design and govern use of:
  • Kafka for event streaming and messaging
  • MS SQL Server for transactional and operational data
  • API and middleware layers
  • Batch and real-time integrations
• Define data flow, fault tolerance, and recovery strategies.

• Work with infrastructure and Dev Ops teams to design:
  • CI/CD pipelines
  • Environment provisioning
  • Monitoring and alerting
  • Logging and observability
• Ensure platform meets enterprise requirements for:
  • Availability
  • Scalability
  • Security
  • Compliance
  • Disaster Recovery

• Act as the primary technical advisor to program leadership.
• Present architectural approaches to senior stakeholders.
• Support vendor and partner technical evaluations.
• Mentor technical team members.

• 10+ years of experience in enterprise application development and/or solution architecture.
• 5+ years in a senior/principal architect or technical lead role.
• Experience working in large, matrixed enterprise environments.
• Strong hands-on experience with:
  • Java
  • Spring Boot / Spring Cloud
  • Microservices architectures
• Experience designing platforms using:
  • Open Shift / Kubernetes
  • Apache Kafka
  • Microsoft SQL Server
  • Virtualized on-prem environments (VMware or similar)
• Experience with hybrid and cloud migration strategies.
• Strong understanding of:
  • REST APIs
  • Event-driven architectures
  • Service mesh concepts
  • Security patterns (OAuth, mTLS, IAM, etc.)
• Experience working in banking, payments, or card processing environments.
• Familiarity with:
  • Debit/credit card platforms
  • Transaction processing systems
  • High-availability financial systems
  • Regulatory and compliance requirements
• Proven ability to:
  • Lead architecture across multiple teams
  • Influence without direct authority
  • Communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical leaders

• Experience with major card processors (Visa, Mastercard, Fiserv, FIS, TSYS, etc.)
• Experience modernizing legacy mainframe or monolithic card platforms.
• Cloud experience (AWS, Azure, or GCP).
• Experience implementing Zero Trust or advanced security frameworks.

Heitmeyer Consulting is an equal opportunity employer, and we encourage all qualified candidates to apply. Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to minority status, gender, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law