Principal Software Architect - Hybrid

Genesis10 is currently seeking a a Principal Software Architect for a direct placement position with our distribution and supply chain client in Appleton, WI. This role will be working on a hybrid schedule.

Compensation: $180,000.00 - $200,000.00 per year, W2, based on experience and qualifications

Position Overview:

The Principal Software Architect is a key member of the team that owns the technical architecture across Client product portfolio including system design, technology selection, integration patterns, and the long-range architectural roadmap. Serve as the keeper of architectural integrity as Client modernizes from a legacy WinForms-based estate into a cloud-native, API-first, AI-augmented SaaS platform.

This individual will work in close partnership with the Chief Technologist, Technology leadership, and Product teams to translate Client enterprise objectives into a coherent, durable, and clearly documented technical strategy. Lead architecturally by influence - across product teams, shaping the multi-year platform roadmap, mentoring engineers, and engineering leads, and leaving the engineering organization measurably stronger.

Preferred location for this position is our Corporate Headquarters in Appleton, WI, with hybrid work options available.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Platform & System Architecture
  • Own the end-to-end architecture for the organization's software platforms, including domain decomposition, service boundaries, integration patterns, data flows, and API architecture
  • Lead the architectural roadmap from legacy systems to a modern, cloud-native, API-first platform aligned with Azure migration and platform modernization initiatives
  • Author and maintain Architecture Decision Records (ADRs) to document architectural decisions, trade-offs, and technical direction
  • Define and enforce enterprise architecture standards, including coding practices, API design, event-driven architecture, error handling, observability, and data integrity
• Cloud Architecture & Microsoft Azure
  • Partner with Cloud Infrastructure and DevOps teams to design Azure landing zones, network architecture, security baselines, and deployment strategies
  • Lead application architecture decisions across Azure services, including App Service, Container Apps, AKS, Azure Functions, Azure SQL, Cosmos DB, Blob Storage, Service Bus, Event Grid, API Management, Entra ID, and Key Vault
  • Design cloud solutions that optimize scalability, resilience, performance, and cost efficiency
  • Architect highly available and disaster recovery solutions that meet established RPO and RTO objectives
• AI Architecture & Engineering
  • Define architectural standards and best practices for AI-augmented software development using approved AI development tools
  • Establish governance and security standards for AI-generated code, including secure development practices, code review, licensing, and secrets management
  • Design AI-native platform capabilities, including retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), agent orchestration, evaluation frameworks, and production-ready AI architectures
  • Evaluate emerging AI technologies and recommend adoption strategies aligned with business objectives
• Integration & Data Architecture
  • Define enterprise integration architecture for internal and external systems, including APIs, messaging, versioning strategies, retry logic, monitoring, and error handling
  • Partner with data engineering teams to design scalable operational and analytical data architectures
  • Design and evolve enterprise API platforms that expose business capabilities through secure, versioned, and well-documented interfaces
• Security, Compliance & Quality
  • Ensure architectural decisions align with security, regulatory, privacy, and compliance requirements
  • Partner with Application Security teams to implement secure software architecture, identity management, encryption, secrets management, and secure SDLC practices
  • Design platforms with comprehensive observability, monitoring, testing, and operational resilience
• Technical Leadership
  • Provide architectural leadership and technical guidance across engineering teams through influence and collaboration
  • Partner with executive leadership to develop technology strategy, long-term architecture roadmaps, and organizational technology initiatives
  • Collaborate with Product Management to evaluate technical feasibility, delivery trade-offs, and architectural impacts during roadmap planning
  • Mentor software engineers and technical leaders on architecture, design patterns, system design, and technical decision-making
  • Champion continuous improvement, engineering excellence, innovation, and quality throughout the software development lifecycle
  • Continuously expand technical expertise by evaluating emerging technologies and industry best practices
  • Support corporate policies, security standards, regulatory compliance, and organizational initiatives
  • Perform other related duties as assigned

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience
• 10+ years of professional software engineering experience, including 4+ years as a Software Architect, Principal Engineer, or Staff Engineer
• Deep expertise with Microsoft technologies, including C#, .NET, ASP.NET Core, Entity Framework, SQL Server, and Azure SQL
• Hands-on experience designing and implementing cloud-native solutions on Microsoft Azure
• Experience leading enterprise application modernization and legacy system transformation initiatives
• Experience with AI-assisted software development tools, including Microsoft Copilot and Anthropic Claude
• Proven experience creating architecture documentation, including Architecture Decision Records (ADRs), reference architectures, and system diagrams
• Experience designing API-first architectures using REST, gRPC, and event-driven integration patterns
• Strong knowledge of secure software architecture, identity and access management, encryption, and cloud security best practices
• Excellent written, verbal, and executive-level communication skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and lead technical strategy independently and collaboratively

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience within tax, compliance, financial services, or another highly regulated industry
• Experience designing production AI systems, including RAG architectures, agent orchestration, and AI evaluation frameworks
• Experience with Snowflake, Fivetran, and modern cloud data platforms
• Experience supporting Agile or SAFe transformations alongside cloud and platform modernization initiatives

If you have the described qualifications and are interested in this exciting opportunity, please apply!

About Genesis10:
Ranked a Top Staffing Firm in the U.S. by Staffing Industry Analysts for six consecutive years, Genesis10 puts thousands of consultants and employees to work across the United States every year in contract, contract-for-hire, and permanent placement roles. With more than 300 active clients, Genesis10 provides access to many of the Fortune 100 firms and a variety of mid-market organizations across the full spectrum of industry verticals.

For contract roles, Genesis10 offers the benefits listed below. If this is a perm-placement opportunity, our recruiter can talk you through the unique benefits offered for that particular client.

Benefits of Working with Genesis10:

• Access to hundreds of clients, most who have been working with Genesis10 for 5-20+ years
• The opportunity to have a career-home in Genesis10; many of our consultants have been working exclusively with Genesis10 for years
• Access to an experienced, caring recruiting team (more than 7 years of experience, on average)
• Behavioral Health Platform
• Medical, Dental, Vision
• Health Savings Account
• Voluntary Hospital Indemnity (Critical Illness & Accident)
• Voluntary Term Life Insurance
• 401K
• Sick Pay (for applicable states/municipalities)
• Commuter Benefits (Dallas, NYC, SF, and Illinois)

For multiple years running, Genesis1 0 has been recognized as a Top Staffing Firm in the U.S., as a Best Company for Work-Life Balance, as a Best Company for Career Growth, for Diversity, and for Leadership, amongst others. To learn more and to view all of our available career opportunities, please visit us at our website .

Genesis10 is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Candidates will receive consideration without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

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