Principal Software Architect

StellarMettle is seeking a hands‑on Principal Software Architect to lead the design, modernization, and evolution of enterprise software platforms. This individual will play a key role in defining scalable cloud architectures, driving backend engineering best practices, and modernizing legacy systems into cloud‑native microservices‑based environments.

This is a highly technical role requiring a strong engineering mindset, with approximately 60% of time spent contributing directly to architecture, design, proof‑of‑concepts, code reviews, and technical implementation. The ideal candidate is equally comfortable discussing high‑level architecture strategy and diving into production code when needed.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Design and implement scalable cloud‑native architectures within AWS.
• Lead modernization initiatives, transforming monolithic applications into distributed microservices‑based systems.
• Develop reference architectures, proof‑of‑concepts, and production‑ready solutions.
• Establish API standards and best practices across RESTful and event‑driven architectures.
• Design and implement asynchronous, event‑driven systems leveraging messaging and orchestration patterns.
• Lead architecture reviews, technical deep dives, and engineering design sessions.
• Partner closely with engineering leadership, DevOps, and product teams to ensure scalable and maintainable solutions.
• Drive adoption of modern software engineering practices, automation, and AI‑assisted development workflows.
• Create architecture documentation, technical standards, and decision records to support long‑term platform scalability.
• Mentor engineering teams and influence technical direction across multiple initiatives.

QUALIFICATIONS

• 10+ years of software engineering experience with significant backend development expertise.
• Strong programming experience in Java and/or Python.
• Extensive experience designing and building microservices‑based architectures.
• Deep expertise with AWS cloud services and cloud‑native application design.
• Experience building and consuming RESTful APIs and distributed systems.
• Strong understanding of system design, scalability, performance optimization, and troubleshooting.
• Experience modernizing legacy applications into cloud‑native platforms.
• Strong knowledge of security best practices, authentication, authorization, and enterprise application architecture.
• Proven ability to lead technical initiatives while remaining hands‑on with engineering teams.
• Experience with AI‑assisted software development tools such as Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, or similar agentic AI development platforms.

NOTE: The main technology exposure qualified candidates should have is Backend Development related to Java/Python, microservices, AWS, and AI Agentic tool experience.