Sr. Principal AI Security Architect
About The Position
Northern Trust is building an AI Security organization responsible for enabling the safe adoption of AI across the enterprise. We are seeking a Senior Principal AI Security Architect to serve as a senior technical leader responsible for defining the security architecture strategy, reference architectures, and governance patterns that support enterprise AI platforms, agentic systems, digital coworkers, and emerging technologies. This is a highly hands-on architecture role for an experienced technical leader who enjoys building as much as influencing. The successful candidate will create architecture artifacts, define enterprise standards, develop reusable patterns, and guide complex technology decisions while partnering closely with senior leaders across Cyber Security, Enterprise Architecture, Engineering, and Emerging Technology. This role combines strategic influence with deep technical execution. The Senior Principal Architect will help define how AI is securely adopted across the enterprise while remaining actively engaged in architecture design, technical reviews, and solution development.
Requirements
- 12+ years of experience in security architecture, enterprise architecture, cloud architecture, software engineering, or related disciplines.
- Extensive experience defining enterprise technology strategies and architecture standards.
- Demonstrated success influencing technical direction across large and complex organizations.
- Deep expertise in: Identity and access management, Enterprise security architecture, Cloud security, Application security, API security, Data protection, DevSecOps, Security monitoring and observability.
- Experience leading architecture design for large-scale enterprise platforms or transformation programs.
- Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills.
- 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
- Experience designing security architectures for generative AI, agentic AI, or advanced automation platforms.
- Familiarity with: AI orchestration frameworks, Agent identity models, Enterprise RAG architectures, AI governance frameworks, AI runtime security controls, AI gateways and policy enforcement platforms, Model lifecycle governance.
- Experience establishing enterprise standards, reference architectures, and architecture governance processes.
- Experience operating within financial services or other highly regulated industries.
- Cloud, security, or architecture-related certifications.
Responsibilities
- Define and evolve the enterprise AI security architecture strategy.
- Establish architectural principles, guardrails, and standards for AI and emerging technologies.
- Partner with Cyber and Technology leadership to align AI adoption with security, regulatory, operational, and business objectives.
- Identify strategic architectural risks, capability gaps, and future-state requirements.
- Drive long-term architecture roadmaps supporting enterprise AI adoption.
- Serve as the senior security architecture lead for the firm's most complex and high-impact AI initiatives.
- Lead architecture reviews involving AI platforms, AI agents, cloud-native services, data integrations, and emerging technologies.
- Guide technical decision-making across multiple initiatives and programs simultaneously.
- Provide thought leadership on security architecture, architecture governance, and secure design practices.
- Mentor and develop architects across Cyber Security and Technology organizations.
- Define enterprise security patterns for: AI agents and digital coworkers, Agent identity and authorization models, AI orchestration platforms, RAG architectures, MCP integrations, AI gateways, Enterprise AI observability, Model governance and control frameworks.
- Create reusable reference architectures that reduce design complexity and accelerate secure delivery.
- Develop architecture blueprints that teams can implement consistently across the firm.
- Translate emerging industry practices into practical and actionable enterprise guidance.
- Build strong partnerships across: Enterprise Architecture, Security Engineering, Identity & Access Management, Application Security, Security Operations, Data Protection, Cloud Engineering, Technology Delivery organizations, Emerging Technology teams.
- Influence architecture and investment decisions across multiple leadership forums.
- Lead technical working groups and architecture communities of practice.
- Act as a trusted advisor to senior leaders and executive stakeholders.
- Evaluate new AI platforms, frameworks, and technologies.
- Identify security implications associated with emerging AI capabilities and agentic architectures.
- Guide technology selection decisions through an architecture and risk lens.
- Shape the organization's perspective on future AI security capabilities and operating models.
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
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
Education Level
No Education Listed
