Principal Architect

CVS Health•Washington, DC

8d•$144,200 - $288,400

About The Position

CVS Health is seeking a hands-on, T-shaped architect and engineer to help develop technology solutions that support business strategy and drive business value, with a particular focus on applied AI. The role translates conceptual ideas into product and architecture delivery and helps guide the organization’s future technology direction. The Principal Architect defines future-state architectures and strategic visions across AI, APIs, data stores, cloud infrastructure and services, and microservices. The role develops roadmaps, standards, frameworks, best-practice materials, and starter-code reference implementations that support reuse, reduce cost and risk, and accelerate delivery. It evaluates market trends and buy-versus-build options, and works with business and technology partners to improve applications and systems using modern architecture and technologies. The position provides architecture and design guidance and mentorship to engineers, architects, and other stakeholders; supports high-level estimation; and ensures non-functional requirements such as performance, availability, failover, scalability, and security are addressed. The successful candidate brings substantial architecture leadership and broad technical knowledge, with depth in areas such as AI/ML, cloud, data platforms, hybrid solutions, and systems operating at scale.

Requirements

15 or more years of relevant work experience, including 8 or more years in architecture.
10 or more years of experience building large-scale business applications using modern technologies and architecture.
10 or more years of experience designing complex integrations focused on performance engineering and loose coupling using APIs, microservices, and event-driven architecture.
8 or more years of experience and proficiency with modern languages, frameworks, and technologies.
6 or more years of experience facilitating implementation of north-star architectures by delivery teams through mentoring, proof-of-concept work, starter code, and other collaborative activities.
Expert-level understanding of architectural methodologies and best practices, business climate, and/or regulations that affect architecture decisions.
Recognized technical leadership, full-stack technology knowledge, and expertise in one or more technical subjects.
Experience understanding how architectural approaches affect strategic business decisions.
Substantial experience with requirements analysis, estimation, systems and application design, and testing.
Experience defining architecture using the C4 model or an equivalent, with a focus on system context, container, and component diagrams.
Expert understanding of architectural methodologies and developing standards, architectural governance, design patterns, and best practices.
A diverse technical background with depth in areas such as AI/ML/Agentic AI, cloud, data platforms, hybrid solutions, and operating at scale.
Excellent collaboration, influencing, negotiation, coaching, and coalition-building skills.
Bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field.

Nice To Haves

Experience developing architecture using agile methodology or SAFe practices.
Experience in AI architecture and practical application of AI technologies.
Experience with the concepts and practical application of Generative AI, Agentic AI, and Ambient Agents.
A self-starter who is naturally inquisitive.

Responsibilities

Enable technology solutions that meet business strategy and drive business value.
Define and collaborate on roadmaps, architectures, standards, best-practice documents, and starter-code reference implementations to accelerate technology delivery, including applied AI.
Evaluate market trends, make buy-versus-build decisions, and assess costs and impacts on targeted business outcomes.
Define future-state architecture that supports strategies for AI, APIs, data stores, cloud infrastructure and services, and microservices.
Collaborate with and advise technology and business partners to optimize applications and systems using modern architecture and technologies, especially AI.
Develop and maintain a strategic vision for CVS Health platform capabilities based on business drivers and technology trends.
Create enterprise frameworks that promote reuse, reduce cost, manage risk, and increase speed to market.
Build and maintain relationships with technology and business partners to establish trust and influence business outcomes and decisions.
Guide and mentor engineers and stakeholders on architecture and application design.
Ensure non-functional requirements, including performance, availability, failover, scalability, and security, are articulated and met by delivered software.
Participate in high-level estimation.
Mentor and coach junior architects and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.