Principal Software Engineer

Mastercard • New York, NY

3d • Hybrid

About The Position

Mastercard is seeking a Principal Software Engineer to lead complex, cross-department initiatives and drive the design, development, and delivery of high-quality, scalable software solutions. In this role, you will operate across teams and domains, setting technical direction, influencing architectural decisions, and solving complex problems with broad organizational impact. You will balance deep hands-on engineering with strategic leadership, mentorship, and close collaboration with business and technical partners to deliver innovative, secure, and cost-effective solutions aligned with Mastercard’s long-term objectives. This is a hybrid position based in New York City, NY, requiring three days per week onsite.

Requirements

• Demonstrated progression from Software Engineer to senior technical leadership roles, with a strong foundation in hands-on software development.
• Hands-on experience designing, building, and evolving large-scale, distributed, cloud-native systems using modern programming languages (e.g., Java, .NET/C#, Python).
• Strong expertise in microservices, APIs, and event-driven architectures, with a focus on scalability, resiliency, and security.
• Proven experience designing and operating solutions on major cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP), including production-grade system design.
• Deep understanding of CI/CD pipelines, DevOps practices, and operational excellence for highly available production systems.
• Solid foundation in data and storage technologies, including relational and non-relational databases, with an emphasis on performance, reliability, and scalability.
• Extensive experience delivering enterprise-grade, secure software solutions, preferably within regulated or financial services environments.
• Proven ability to lead and influence technical direction across teams without direct authority.
• Strong experience evaluating, selecting, and implementing technologies, frameworks, and engineering methodologies.
• Demonstrated success driving productivity, efficiency, and quality through process improvement and innovation.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to translate complex technical concepts for diverse audiences.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Technology, or equivalent practical experience.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with PCF, Oracle, Redis, Splunk, Netscout, Dynatrace, and related enterprise tools.
• Experience working with vendors, including RFI/RFP processes and SOW management, is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead the definition, design, and delivery of large-scale, cross-functional initiatives with long-term business impact.
• Partner with business and technical stakeholders to identify opportunities, define scope, assess risks, and quantify value, costs, and ROI.
• Drive architectural and technology decisions aligned with Mastercard’s strategy, security standards, and scalability needs.
• Develop and present business cases, technical proposals, and recommendations to senior leadership to support strategic decision-making.
• Lead scenario planning, estimation, and validation of costs, benefits, and delivery timelines.
• Perform and guide Proofs of Concept (PoCs) to evaluate emerging technologies and innovative solutions.
• Define and maintain technology roadmaps aligned with departmental strategy and long-term business vision.
• Provide hands-on technical leadership, including design reviews, code reviews, and resolution of complex technical challenges.
• Establish, implement, and continuously improve engineering processes, standards, tools, and best practices.
• Define and lead quality assurance and quality control practices to ensure reliable, secure, and high-quality software delivery.
• Mentor and coach engineers, promote knowledge sharing, and foster a culture of innovation, learning, and technical excellence.
• Ensure compliance with audit, regulatory, and security requirements, representing the team during compliance reviews as needed.

Benefits

• insurance (including medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, disability, life insurance)
• flexible spending account and health savings account
• paid leaves (including 16 weeks of new parent leave and up to 20 days of bereavement leave)
• 80 hours of Paid Sick and Safe Time, 25 days of vacation time and 5 personal days, pro-rated based on date of hire
• 10 annual paid U.S. observed holidays
• 401k with a best-in-class company match
• deferred compensation for eligible roles
• fitness reimbursement or on-site fitness facilities
• eligibility for tuition reimbursement

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees