Principal Engineer - Application Architecture

Principal Engineer of Application ArchitectureFidelity Labs is adding a principal-level Engineer to our Boston Seaport headquarters at Commonwealth Pier.Are you interested in joining a dynamic, innovation-focused, and high impact team? Do you enjoy building new products and services in a collaborative, fast-paced environment? Join Fidelity Labs, our in-house new business incubator, as a Principal Engineer of application Architecture for an early-stage SaaS platform targeting the Charitable sector. In this role, you will own the technical vision and architectural direction for a modern, cloud-native platform—while also serving as a key technical resource to the engineering team.The engineering team delivers next-generation software application enhancements and new products for a changing world. Working at the cutting edge, we design and develop software for platforms, applications and diagnostics—all with the most advanced technologies, tools, software engineering methodologies and the collaboration of internal and external partners.The RoleAs a Principal Engineer, you will own the end-to-end technical architecture for Foundation Services—a modern SaaS platform built on Angular, Java Spring Boot, and AWS. You will report to the Director of Architecture and serve as a senior technical resource across the engineering team, contributing architectural decisions, setting standards, and providing deep subject-matter expertise across the full software and infrastructure stack. You will also collaborate closely with engineering, contributing code and collaborating on matters of API standards, coding best practices, DevOps strategy, and technical excellence.Responsibilities include:Lead architecture design and decision-making across frontend (Angular), backend (Java Spring Boot), cloud infrastructure (AWS), and data tiers (YugabyteDB), producing well-reasoned Architecture Decision Records (ADRs)Define and evolve the platform's system architecture—including Experience APIs, Domain APIs, authorization models, workflow engines, and cloud resiliency strategies—aligned with enterprise standards and the well-architected frameworkEstablish and enforce engineering standards for API design, Spring Boot patterns, code quality, and security, ensuring consistent, maintainable implementations across squadsCollaborate with Product, UX, and Engineering leadership to translate complex business requirements into scalable, secure, and maintainable technical solutionsCollaborate with Engineering to provide subject-matter expertise on Spring Boot, RESTful API standards, coding best practices, and DevOps tooling and pipelinesPartner with enterprise architecture teams to ensure alignment with Fidelity's broader technology strategy, security requirements, and compliance postureEvaluate new technologies and conduct technical spikes to inform platform evolution and upcoming architectural decisionsMentor and guide engineers across the team, fostering a culture of technical rigor, continuous improvement, and ownershipThe Expertise and Skills You Bring10+ years of professional software engineering experience, with at least 4 years in a principal architect or senior technical leadership roleDeep expertise in Java Spring Boot, RESTful API design, and enterprise application architecture patternsStrong frontend architecture knowledge, including Angular, component design, and modular application structuresProven experience designing cloud-native solutions on AWS, including multi-region resiliency, infrastructure strategy, and the AWS well-architected frameworkHands-on experience with relational and distributed database systems; familiarity with active/active database strategies (e.g., YugabyteDB or similar)Experience producing Architecture Decision Records (ADRs) and driving technical decisions collaboratively with cross-functional stakeholdersSolid understanding of DevOps practices, CI/CD pipelines, and infrastructure-as-code conceptsExcellent communication skills with the ability to convey complex architectural concepts to both technical and non-technical audiencesHigh degree of ownership and autonomy; able to drive long-horizon technical strategy with minimal directionExperience with workflow engine design or BPM platforms, like Temporal, Camunda, or similar is a plusFamiliarity with Fidelity enterprise tooling, including the Fidelity Developer Toolkit or related SDKs is a plusPrior work in a startup or incubator environment, defining architecture from the ground up is beneficialExperience with authorization patterns, fine-grained access control, and enterprise security standards in a SaaS context is a plusBackground in fintech or financial services platforms, particularly charitable giving or wealth management domains is a plusThe TeamWe are Fidelity Labs, Fidelity Investments' in-house fintech incubator with a mission to build new businesses to drive growth for Fidelity. We seek to shape the future of our industry by building new products and services to improve the lives of the diverse set of customers, businesses, and financial institutions we serve.Fidelity Labs is a dynamic workplace that combines the best parts of startup life—building from scratch, adapting quickly, and moon-shot ambition—with the scale and stability of an industry leader. We provide a safe space for startup teams to explore new business ideas, quickly test them with customers, and scale the most promising concepts within an existing business unit, or as a new venture.This opportunity is brought to you by Fidelity Labs. Learn more at labs.fidelity.com.Fidelity's Onsite Working Model Fidelity is transitioning to a full-time onsite working model through a phased rollout across regions and roles. Currently, some roles and locations require 100% onsite presence, while others require less. Onsite expectations are likely to evolve as the rollout continues. This transition does not apply to fully remote roles.The base salary range for this position is $107,000-216,000 USD per year.Placement in the range will vary based on job responsibilities and scope, geographic location, candidate's relevant experience, and other factors.Base salary is only part of the total compensation package. Depending on the position and eligibility requirements, the offer package may also include bonus or other variable compensation.We offer a wide range of benefits to meet your evolving needs and help you live your best life at work and at home. These benefits include comprehensive health care coverage and emotional well-being support, market-leading retirement, generous paid time off and parental leave, charitable giving employee match program, and educational assistance including student loan repayment, tuition reimbursement, and learning resources to develop your career. Note, the application window closes when the position is filled or unposted.