Principal Software Engineer

Our Purpose
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.
Title and Summary
Principal Software Engineer
Job Description Summary
The Principal Software Engineer will provide technical and strategic leadership for DMP products, including Notification Manager and Edge Decisioning (Decisioning-as-a-Service). This role is accountable for end-to-end architecture, delivery, and operational excellence across highly scalable, secure platforms built on Java, Spring, AWS/PCF cloud-native architectures with deep expertise in CI/CD and DevOps practices.
The ideal candidate is a hands-on technical leader who drives innovation, partners closely with business stakeholders, leads cross-functional teams, and ensures high-quality, compliant, and resilient solutions in a complex financial services environment.
Role Overview
Leads major initiatives and drives the development and delivery of high-quality software solutions in a timely and cost-effective manner. Researches and evaluates alternative technical solutions to meet evolving business needs. Ensures daily team activities meet defined SLAs, operational standards, and compliance requirements while guiding architectural strategy across two product areas.
Role Responsibilities:
Strategic & Delivery Leadership• Successfully lead the definition, development, and delivery of large-scale, cross department initiatives with broad scope and long-term business impact.• Partner with business and technical stakeholders to identify opportunities, define scope, quantify costs, assess ROI, and evaluate risks, benefits, and constraints.• Develop and present business cases aligned with Mastercard objectives; support senior leadership decision making through data driven insights.• Lead scenario planning and oversee creation, validation, and review of estimates, costs, and benefits.• Proactively identify opportunities for innovation and creative problem solving.• Present complex technical and business concepts to Senior Management, Business Owners, and Executive Stakeholders.
Architecture, Innovation & Technology Direction• Lead and perform Proofs of Concept (PoCs) to assess emerging technologies and architectural approaches.• Provide recommendations to senior leadership on technology selection and long term technical strategy.• Own and drive technology roadmaps aligned to departmental strategy and long term business vision for Notification Manager and Edge Decisioning.• Ensure solutions are scalable, secure, resilient, and aligned with enterprise architecture standards.• Navigate complex architectural ecosystems and ensure product architectures integrate effectively across Mastercard enterprise services and platforms.
Key Technology Requirements: • Java ecosystem expertise, including enterprise Java, performance tuning, concurrency, and API development.• Spring and Spring Boot, including Spring Cloud patterns (config, discovery, resiliency).• AWS and PCF cloud-native architectures.• Docker and Kubernetes containerization and orchestration.• Experience with data platforms, event-driven systems, and high-volume real-time processing (fraud, notifications).• Knowledge of multiple programming languages; Golang experience is a plus.• Experience enabling CI/CD pipelines, automated testing, DevOps practices, and observability (metrics, logs, traces).
People Leadership & Engineering Excellence• Coach and mentor engineers; foster a culture of continuous learning and knowledge sharing through brown bag sessions and technical forums.• Enable adoption of modern engineering practices, frameworks, and methodologies appropriate to product and platform needs.• Lead teams across matrixed, geographically distributed environments, influencing without direct authority.• Build trusted relationships and effectively influence architect communities and cross-functional teams.
Process, Quality & Delivery Management• Lead implementation and continuous improvement of SDLC processes, delivery frameworks, and supporting tools.• Identify process gaps, define requirements, provide delivery estimates, and manage scope throughout the project lifecycle.• Plan and manage overall project scope, phases, and iterations to meet time to market and business objectives.• Define and lead Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Control (QC) practices.• Establish quality metrics, guidelines, and standards to ensure high product quality and incident free deployments.
Governance, Compliance & Documentation• Ensure consistent use of required processes, documentation, and development standards.• Develop documentation templates and enforce creation of required artifacts across the solution lifecycle.• Proactively integrate Audit and Compliance requirements into the SDLC.• Educate teams on compliance obligations and represent the team during audits.
Vendor & Stakeholder Management• Lead vendor selection and management, including RFI/RFP processes and SOW development.• Build strong relationships across business, technology, and external partners to drive outcomes.
Qualifications: • Extensive experience in software engineering, including secure solution delivery in complex, globally distributed environments.• Deep understanding of software engineering concepts, methodologies, and modern delivery practices.• Proven success implementing Lean, DevOps, and high efficiency delivery methodologies.• Experience working with real time, scalable, cloud native systems using Java, Spring, AWS/PCF, Docker, Kubernetes, and CI/CD practices.• Experience navigating complex enterprise ecosystems and collaborating with multiple architecture and platform teams.• Strong experience leading technical initiatives in matrixed, global organizations.• Experience integrating with data platforms and event driven systems.• Exceptional ability to manage multiple concurrent initiatives with competing priorities.• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to influence without authority.• Proven ability to sell ideas, persuade cross functional teams, build consensus, and drive decisions.• Strong analytical skills with experience developing metrics, dashboards, and executive reporting.• Bachelor's degree in Information Systems, Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent practical experience.
This is a hybrid position based in Mastercard's O'Fallon Main Campus, requiring three days on-site per week.
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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 [email protected] 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. Mastercard benefits for interns generally include: 56 hours of Paid Sick and Safe Time; jury duty leave; and on-site fitness facilities in some locations.
Pay Ranges
O'Fallon, Missouri: $170,000 - $281,000 USD