Principal Software Engineer (solution Architect)

Principal Software Engineer (Solution Architect)

Mastercard powers economies and empowers people in 200+ countries and territories worldwide. Together with our customers, we're helping build a sustainable economy where everyone can prosper. We support a wide range of digital payments choices, making transactions secure, simple, smart, and accessible. Our technology and innovation, partnerships and networks combine to deliver a unique set of products and services that help people, businesses and governments realize their greatest potential.

Overview

The Elevated Cardholder Payments (ECP) program is a strategic initiative within Mastercard's Core Services, focused on delivering next-generation consumer payment experiences. We are seeking a Principal Engineer to lead solution architecture and rapid concept development across Mastercard's technology stacks. This role is pivotal in shaping how we engage with issuer partners, regional teams, and affluent products to bring innovative solutions from concept to pilot to full commercialization.

The Role

As a Principal Engineer in ECP, you will:

1. Architect cross-stack solutions that span multiple Mastercard platforms, defining API specifications and integration patterns to support issuer and partner needs.
2. Lead rapid concept assessments, transforming ideas into pilots and guiding them toward full commercialization.
3. Collaborate deeply with regional teams, internal engineering groups, and executive stakeholders to align technical strategy with business goals.
4. Engage directly with issuer and partners to define integration paths, distinguish pilot vs. target states, and ensure technical feasibility.
5. Drive AI centric mobile app/SDK consumer strategy for Mastercard's affluent mobile app ecosystem, ensuring alignment with long-term platform goals.
6. Explore AI integration opportunities, including evaluating emerging platforms and defining pilot use cases that align with Mastercard's strategic goals.
7. Navigate ambiguity and negotiate possibilities, balancing regional constraints, customer expectations, and technical realities.
8. Provide thought leadership across Mastercard's Engineering community, contributing to shared libraries, architectural patterns, and mentoring rising talent.
9. Support ECP-aligned products, including those currently in the program and future additions, ensuring architectural consistency and scalability.

All About You

You are:

• A technically fearless problem solver who thrives in ambiguity and can simplify complexity.
• A pragmatic architect who balances short-term delivery with long-term vision.
• A strategic connector, able to synthesize insights across business units and regions.
• A strong communicator, with the ability to distill complex technical concepts into clear, compelling narratives for executive audiences.
• A hands-on leader, capable of producing high-quality artifacts and guiding teams by example.

Qualifications:

• Proven experience in enterprise architecture, API design, and mobile platform integration.

• Deep understanding of Mastercard's technology ecosystem or similar large-scale platforms.

• Experience working with global teams and external partners in a fast-paced, iterative environment.

• Familiarity with SDK development, mobile UX, and customer experience design.

• Strong stakeholder management and negotiation skills.

• Ability to travel and engage with regional teams and partners as needed.

AI Integration Focus:

• Ability to assess emerging AI platforms and determine their fit for Mastercard's strategic goals.

• Familiarity with AI-driven personalization, recommendation systems, or intelligent automation.

• Comfort working in exploratory environments to define pilot use cases and long-term AI architecture.

• Ability to collaborate with data science and product teams to align AI capabilities with customer experience goals.

Executive Communication & Influence:

• Demonstrated ability to create and deliver executive-level content that simplifies complex topics.

• Skilled in translating technical strategy into business impact for senior leadership.

• Experience leading strategic briefings, architectural roadmaps, and cross-functional alignment sessions.

• Strong presence and credibility in executive forums, with the ability to influence direction and drive consensus.

Mastercard is a merit-based, inclusive, equal opportunity employer that considers applicants without regard to gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, disabled or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We hire the most qualified candidate for the role.

In the US or Canada, if you require accommodations or assistance to complete the online application process or during the recruitment process, please contact reasonable_accommodation@mastercard.com and identify the type of accommodation or assistance you are requesting. Do not include any medical or health information in this email.

The Reasonable Accommodations team will respond to your email promptly.

**Corporate Security Responsibility** All activities involving access to Mastercard assets, information, and networks comes with an inherent risk to the organization and, therefore, it is expected that every person working for, or on behalf of, Mastercard is responsible for information security and must:

• Abide by Mastercard's security policies and practices;
• Ensure the confidentiality and integrity of the information being accessed;
• Report any suspected information security violation or breach, and
• Complete all periodic mandatory security trainings in accordance with Mastercard's guidelines.

In line with Mastercard's total compensation philosophy and assuming that the job will be performed in the US, the successful candidate will be offered a competitive base salary and may be eligible for an annual bonus or commissions depending on the role. The base salary offered may vary depending on multiple factors, including but not limited to location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Mastercard benefits for full time (and certain part time) employees generally include: insurance (including medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, disability, life insurance); flexible spending account and health savings account; paid leaves (including 16 weeks of new parent leave and up to 20 days of bereavement leave); 80 hours of Paid Sick and Safe Time, 25 days of vacation time and 5 personal days, pro-rated based on date of hire; 10 annual paid U.S. observed holidays; 401k with a best-in-class company match; deferred compensation for eligible roles; fitness reimbursement or on-site fitness facilities; eligibility for tuition reimbursement; and many more.

**Pay Ranges** O'Fallon, Missouri: $165,000 - $264,000 USD