Distinguished Architect, Software Development

Role Description

CVS Health is seeking a Distinguished Architect, Software Development to serve as the senior technical leader for the modernization of enterprise claims processing platforms and the architecture of a next-generation claims processor enablement ecosystem. This ecosystem will unify intelligent workflow tools, operational platforms, a modernized claims adjudication user interface, and supporting services into a cohesive solution that transforms how claims processors interact with adjudication systems across all lines of business.

Some components within this ecosystem are owned by different engineering teams. This role will serve as the architectural authority across organizational boundaries, ensuring a unified, scalable, and integrated experience regardless of ownership.

As the technical visionary for this initiative, you will define the architectural roadmap, evaluate and recommend the target technology stack—balancing engineering needs with enterprise direction—and guide a large engineering organization through a multi-year transformation from legacy mainframe systems to modern, cloud-enabled, API-driven architectures while maintaining operational stability for mission-critical processing.

This is a highly autonomous individual contributor role reporting directly to technology leadership. You will operate at the intersection of deep technical expertise, enterprise strategy, and business impact.

Key Responsibilities

• Technical Vision & Architecture
  • Define and own the end-to-end technical architecture for the claims processor / claims automation platform ecosystem, including workflow tools, user interfaces, and supporting services.
  • Evaluate, recommend, and defend the target-state technology stack, balancing engineering needs, enterprise standards, vendor maturity, talent availability, and total cost of ownership.
  • Establish the target architecture for modernization across legacy claims, payment, resolution, and reporting systems.
  • Design integration patterns, APIs, and service models that decouple legacy platforms while maintaining operational continuity.
  • Develop and maintain a comprehensive architectural blueprint that outlines how ecosystem components interact and evolve over time.
• Modernization Leadership
  • Lead the technical execution of a multi-year mainframe modernization strategy.
  • Define application modernization approaches (retain, refactor, re-platform, reimagine, replace) across a complex portfolio.
  • Architect the transition from legacy systems to hybrid and cloud-native solutions.
  • Design integration layers that enable seamless interoperability across systems owned by different teams.
  • Establish data strategies including cloud enablement, data offloading, and optimization to reduce reliance on legacy computer resources.
• Engineering Excellence & Mentorship
  • Establish and enforce engineering standards, design patterns, and best practices across a large engineering organization.
  • Mentor and coach senior engineers, principals, and architects to elevate overall technical capability.
  • Drive adoption of modern engineering practices including CI/CD, automated testing, observability, and AI-assisted development.
  • Promote a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, and knowledge sharing.
  • Ensure architectural decisions are documented and institutionalized to reduce reliance on tribal knowledge.
• Strategic Partnership & Influence
  • Serve as a trusted advisor to technology leadership, translating technical strategies into business outcomes.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams including product, design, and business stakeholders.
  • Influence technical direction across multiple organizations without direct authority.
  • Represent the organization in enterprise architecture discussions and strategic planning forums.
  • Partner with emerging technology teams to incorporate intelligent automation and AI-driven capabilities into operational workflows.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of progressive experience in software engineering, architecture, or platform engineering.
• 5+ years of experience designing and implementing cloud-native architectures (AWS, Azure, or GCP).
• Strong experience designing enterprise-scale distributed systems and APIs.
• Proven ability to evaluate and select technology stacks for large-scale platforms.
• Demonstrated experience defining and executing multi-year modernization or transformation initiatives.
• Deep expertise in hybrid architecture patterns bridging legacy and modern platforms.
• Experience influencing and leading large engineering organizations through technical leadership (not positional authority).
• Strong experience with high-volume transaction processing systems or enterprise platforms.
• Exceptional communication skills with the ability to engage executive stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with or modernizing large-scale legacy platforms, including mainframe environments (COBOL, CICS, DB2, or equivalent).
• Experience in healthcare payer systems, claims processing, or financial transaction platforms.
• Experience integrating AI/ML or automation into operational workflows.
• Familiarity with regulatory and compliance environments (HIPAA, SOX, CMS, etc.).
• Experience with mainframe modernization tooling and strategies.
• Experience building or leading platform engineering or developer experience initiatives.
• Experience unifying multi-application ecosystems under a common architecture.
• Contributions to industry thought leadership, open source, or technical publications.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Engineering, or a related field or equivalent experience (19+ years of relevant experience in lieu of degree).

Pay Range

The typical pay range for this role is: $175,100.00 - $334,750.00. This pay range represents the base hourly rate or base annual full-time salary for all positions in the job grade within which this position falls. The actual base salary offer will depend on a variety of factors including experience, education, geography and other relevant factors. This position is eligible for a CVS Health bonus, commission or short-term incentive program in addition to the base pay range listed above. This position also includes an award target in the company’s equity award program.

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits package designed to support the physical, emotional, and financial well-being of colleagues and their families.
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• Paid time off.
• Retirement savings options.
• Wellness programs and other resources, based on eligibility.