Developer Principal

ECMC Group is a nonprofit corporation focused on helping students succeed. Headquartered in Minneapolis, ECMC Group and its family of companies provide financial tools and services, as well as funding for innovative programs to help students achieve their academic and professional goals.Job SummaryThe Developer Principal provides enterprise‑level technical leadership for application development across complex systems and initiatives. This role designs and advances secure, scalable and high‑quality software solutions while influencing architecture, development standards and delivery practices. The position applies deep technical expertise and independent judgment to solve highly complex problems and partners closely with architects and engineering leaders to align solutions with business strategy, long‑term objectives and regulatory requirements. The role provides technical leadership across teams, guides complex initiatives and mentors developers without formal supervisory responsibility.Essential Duties and Responsibilities:Designs and implements large, complex applications, systems and processes that align with architectural standards and enterprise strategyPartners with business stakeholders and analysts to define requirements, evaluate solution options and estimate effort for complex initiatives and enhancementsApplies independent judgment to analyze ambiguous problems and determine appropriate methods, techniques and evaluation criteriaProvides technical leadership across large initiatives and serves as a primary technical point of contact within application development for assigned effortsCollaborates with architecture teams to ensure solutions align with portfolio direction, development standards and security requirementsInfluences development best practices and standards and reinforces quality through code reviews, technical guidance and mentoringPlans and coordinates complex implementations, ensuring quality of functional design, technical execution and operational readinessProvides subject matter expertise across multiple technical domains and guides resolution of complex or high‑impact issuesSupports engineering leadership by providing financial or data input related to project estimates, capital expenditures or cost considerations as requestedReviews and maintains technical documentation including runbooks, operational guides and system documentationPerforms other duties and responsibilities as assignedRequired Qualifications:Bachelor’s degree in computer science, software engineering, or related field, or equivalent professional experience8+ years of professional software development experience with deep expertise in Java, including modern frameworks such as Spring / Spring BootProven experience designing and delivering large‑scale, secure and highly available Java applications in enterprise environmentsStrong understanding of software architecture, design patterns and system integration, including REST‑based and event‑driven architecturesExtensive hands‑on experience with AWS services, such as EC2, RDS, S3, IAM, Lambda, API Gateway, SQS, or equivalent cloud‑native servicesAdvanced experience with relational databases and SQL, including data modeling, performance tuning and transactional integrityDemonstrated ability to provide technical leadership, mentor senior developers and guide architectural decisions without formal authorityStrong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to translate complex technical concepts for both technical and non‑technical stakeholdersDemonstrated experience using AI‑assisted development tools (e.g., code generation, test creation, documentation) with sound judgment, including validating output quality and adhering to security and data‑handling standards Preferred Qualifications:Experience designing and implementing large-scale, distributed systems in a cloud-native environment (AWS preferred).Strong background in cloud architecture and services, including compute, storage, messaging and monitoring (e.g., AWS EC2, ECS/EKS, Lambda, SQS/SNS, CloudWatch).Demonstrated experience with secure coding practices, application security and building solutions in regulated or compliance-driven environments.Experience modernizing legacy applications, including cloud migration, refactoring, or decomposition into services.Proven ability to provide technical leadership, mentor senior and mid-level developers and influence architectural decisions across teams.The pay range for this position is $180,000-$200,000. Actual compensation may vary based on factors such as relevant experience, peer and market benchmarks, and geographic location.This position is classified as hybrid Monday - Wednesday and requires attendance in Minneapolis, MN.To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.ECMC Group is committed to ensuring our diverse, inclusive, and equitable culture is built on a strong sense of belonging, where everyone feels seen, heard, and encouraged to show up as their authentic self.ECMC Group also provides a comprehensive benefits package: Health & wellness benefits: Medical, dental, and vision insurance plan options, with a generous employer subsidy. Company paid life & disability insurance, pre-tax flexible spending accounts and robust wellness programs.Financial benefits: Generous 401(k) plan with a company match up to 6% and additional discretionary contribution potential, holiday time off, paid time off accrual starting at 20 days/year and commuter subsidy.Education benefits: Tuition reimbursement up to $10,500/year for approved programs and student loan payment reimbursement up to $4,800/year. Up to $5,250 of qualifying education benefits can be reimbursed pre-tax.SummaryLocation: Minneapolis, MN - HybridType: Full time