API Architect

Role: API Architect

Location: Phoenix, AZ (Hybrid)

Experience: 15+ Years

Domain: Banking / Financial Services

Role Overview

We are seeking a highly experienced Cloud API Architect to design, develop, and govern enterprise-grade API platforms for a leading banking client. This role will be responsible for defining API architecture strategy, implementing secure and scalable cloud-native APIs, and enabling seamless integration across enterprise applications, digital channels, and third-party systems. The ideal candidate will have deep expertise in API design, cloud platforms, microservices architecture, and enterprise security standards.

Key Responsibilities

API Architecture & Design

• Define enterprise API architecture strategy aligned with business and technology goals.
• Design scalable, secure, and high-performance REST, GraphQL, and SOAP APIs.
• Develop and maintain API standards, governance models, and best practices.
• Create and manage API specifications using OpenAPI/Swagger.
• Design reusable, versioned, and lifecycle-managed APIs.

Cloud & Microservices Architecture

• Architect cloud-native API solutions using AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud Platform.
• Design and implement microservices architecture using Domain-Driven Design (DDD) principles.
• Deploy and manage containerized services using Docker and Kubernetes.
• Design scalable, resilient, and fault-tolerant distributed systems.

Security & Compliance

• Implement enterprise-grade API security using OAuth2, JWT, SAML, and OpenID Connect (OIDC).
• Ensure APIs comply with banking security standards, regulatory, and compliance requirements.
• Implement encryption, authentication, authorization, and secure communication using TLS.

Integration & Messaging

• Design asynchronous and event-driven architectures using Kafka, RabbitMQ, or other messaging platforms.
• Enable integration with internal systems, external partners, and fintech platforms.
• Implement API gateway solutions for routing, throttling, security, and monitoring.
• DevOps & Automation
• Implement CI/CD pipelines using Jenkins, GitHub Actions, Azure DevOps, or similar tools.
• Automate API deployment, testing, monitoring, and lifecycle management.
• Collaborate with DevOps teams to ensure reliable and automated releases.

Networking & Infrastructure

• Design and manage API infrastructure including DNS, load balancers, and network routing.
• Optimize performance, scalability, and availability of API platforms.
• Ensure high availability and disaster recovery capabilities.
• Leadership & Collaboration
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to engineering teams.
• Collaborate with enterprise architects, cloud architects, developers, and security teams.
• Work closely with business stakeholders to translate business requirements into technical solutions.

Required Qualifications

• 15+ years of software engineering experience.
• 5+ years of experience in API architecture and design.
• Strong expertise in REST, GraphQL, and SOAP APIs.
• Experience with OpenAPI/Swagger specifications.
• Deep knowledge of API security protocols: OAuth2, JWT, SAML, OIDC.
• Hands-on experience with cloud platforms: AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud Platform.
• Experience with Docker and Kubernetes.
• Strong understanding of microservices architecture and Domain-Driven Design.
• Experience with CI/CD tools such as Jenkins, GitHub Actions, or Azure DevOps.
• Experience with messaging platforms such as Kafka or RabbitMQ.
• Strong understanding of networking concepts including DNS, load balancers, and TLS.
• Experience working in banking or financial services environments is highly preferred.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with API Gateway platforms (Apigee, Kong, AWS API Gateway, MuleSoft, etc.)
• Experience with enterprise integration patterns.
• Knowledge of Zero Trust Architecture.
• Experience with observability tools such as Prometheus, Grafana, ELK, or Splunk.
• Cloud certifications (AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud Platform Architect) preferred.