Principal, SW Eng

Northern Trust • Chicago, IL

5d • Hybrid

About The Position

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.

Requirements

• 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.
• 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.
• Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. without the need for employment-based visa sponsorship now or in the future.
• Northern Trust will not sponsor applicants for U.S. work visa status for this opportunity (no sponsorship is available for H-1B, L-1, TN, O-1, E-3, H-1B1, F-1, J-1, OPT, CPT or any other employment-based visa).

Nice To Haves

• 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

Responsibilities

• 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 .
• 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.
• 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
• 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.
• 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 .
• Proactively identify risks and propose pragmatic solutions.

Benefits

• retirement benefits (401k and pension)
• health and welfare benefits (medical, dental, vision, spending accounts and disability)
• paid time off
• parental and caregiver leave
• life & accident insurance
• other voluntary and well-being benefits
• discretionary bonus program that may include an equity component

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Principal
• Education Level: No Education Listed