Principal, SW Eng

About this role

About Northern Trust

As a global leader in innovative wealth management, asset servicing, asset management and banking services, Northern Trust (Nasdaq: NTRS) is proud to guide the world’s most successful individuals, families, corporations and institutions.

Since 1889, we have aligned our efforts with our three guiding Principles That Endure: Service, Expertise, and Integrity. Together, they reflect the three cornerstones of business conduct which we strive to instill in our employees, whom we call partners, and to provide to our clients and the communities we serve worldwide.

With more than 135 years of financial experience and over 24,000 partners, we serve the world’s most sophisticated clients using leading technology and exceptional service.

Role Summary  

We are   seeking   a highly experienced   Principal Software Engineer   to provide technical leadership and   hands ‑ on   execution across complex,   cloud ‑ native   software initiatives. This role combines deep engineering   expertise   with mentorship,   architecture   influence, and strong collaboration across global teams. The ideal candidate is passionate about   engineering excellence ,   AI ‑ assisted   development , and   building   high ‑ quality , scalable products   using modern development practices.  

Key Responsibilities:   

Technical Leadership &   Hands ‑ On   Development  

• Act as a   hands ‑ on   technical leader , designing, developing, and reviewing   high ‑ quality ,   production ‑ ready   software.  

• Lead development using   Java   as the primary language, following   clean code ,   TDD , and   spec ‑ driven   development   principles.  

• Drive adoption of   AI ‑ assisted   development capabilities   (e.g.,   Copilot ‑ style   tools, intelligent automation) to improve developer productivity and code quality.  

• Influence and review   application and solution architecture   for scalability, security, performance, and maintainability.  

• Partner with architects and senior engineers to define and enforce   engineering standards and best practices .  

Cloud & Platform Engineering  

• Design, build, and deploy applications on   Microsoft Azure ,   leveraging   cloud ‑ native   services.  

• Lead   cloud architecture decisions with a strong understanding of:   

• Azure   compute , networking, storage, and security  

• Cloud ‑ based   databases (SQL & NoSQL) and performance considerations  

• Support and continuously improve   DevOps pipelines , CI/CD practices, and infrastructure automation.  

• Enable resilient, observable, and   cost ‑ efficient   systems in the cloud.  

Quality, DevOps & Automation  

• Champion   Test ‑ Driven   Development (TDD)   and automated testing at all levels (unit, integration, system).  

• Enable and evolve   test automation frameworks   and practices across teams.  

• Closely collaborate with DevOps and SRE partners to:   

• Improve release reliability and deployment frequency  

• Reduce operational risk and technical debt  

• Strengthen monitoring, alerting, and production readiness  

Engineering Excellence & Team Enablement  

• Mentor and groom engineers   to elevate technical skills, design thinking, and ownership mindset.  

• Provide guidance through code reviews, design discussions, and technical deep dives.  

• Foster a culture of   high engineering standards , accountability, and continuous improvement.  

• Act as a trusted technical advisor to product, QA, and platform teams.  

Collaboration & Communication  

• Work closely with   cross ‑ functional   stakeholders   including Product, Architecture, QA, and Operations.  

• Communicate complex technical concepts clearly to both technical and   non ‑ technical   audiences.  

• Collaborate effectively with   globally distributed teams   across   North America, EMEA, and India , accommodating   time ‑ zone   overlaps when   required .  

• Proactively   identify   risks and propose pragmatic solutions.  

Required Qualifications  

Technical Skills  

• 10+ years of professional software engineering experience, with a strong   hands ‑ on   track record .  

• Deep   expertise   in   Java   and modern application frameworks.  

• Strong experience with   Azure cloud services   and   cloud ‑ native   application development.  

• Solid understanding and practical application of:   

• Test ‑ Driven   Development (TDD)  

• Spec ‑ driven   /   contract ‑ first   development  

• CI/CD and DevOps practices  

• Working knowledge of   cloud databases , data modeling, and performance tuning.  

Professional Skills  

• Proven ability to lead by influence rather than authority.  

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.  

• Strong   problem ‑ solving , design, and   decision ‑ making   abilities.  

• Comfortable operating in   fast ‑ paced , evolving environments.  

Preferred   / Added Weightage  

• Microsoft Azure Architect Certification   (strongly preferred).  

• Experience integrating or enabling   AI ‑ assisted   engineering tools   within development workflows.  

• Exposure to   large ‑ scale   modernization, cloud migration, or distributed systems.  

• Experience working in regulated or   enterprise ‑ grade   environments.  

• Experience   working in Capital Markets / Asset Serv icing   space will be beneficial    

What Success Looks Like in This Role  

• Engineering teams consistently deliver   high ‑ quality , secure, and scalable products .  

• Robust DevOps and automation practices reduce friction and improve   time ‑ to ‑ market .  

• Engineers grow in capability, confidence, and ownership.  

• Architecture decisions balance innovation, stability, and   long ‑ term   maintainability.  

• Global collaboration is effective, respectful, and   outcome ‑ driven .  

Salary Range: $137,400 - 233,600 USD Salary range is a good faith estimate of base pay. Northern Trust provides a comprehensive benefits package including retirement benefits (401k and pension), heal

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