API Architect with Banking Domain

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.