Engineering Architect

• Lead and actively participate in the architectural design and implementation of critical systems, ensuring solutions are scalable, resilient, and maintainable: Utilize AI-powered tools to accelerate prototyping, generate foundational code for new services, and model the performance implications of different designs. Leverage AI to explore and implement complex algorithms and data structures.
• Develop prototypes, proof-of-concepts, and reference implementations to validate new technologies and establish architectural patterns: Employ AI to rapidly build and iterate on prototypes, allowing for faster evaluation of new frameworks, libraries, and platforms. Use AI to generate boilerplate code, freeing up time to focus on core innovation and risk assessment.
• Tackle the most complex technical challenges through hands-on coding, deep-dive analysis, and system-level debugging: Integrate AI into the development workflow to assist in debugging complex, distributed issues, analyzing performance bottlenecks, and suggesting optimized code refactoring. Use AI to understand and navigate large, unfamiliar codebases quickly.
• Establish and evangelize technical standards, frameworks, and best practices through direct contribution to shared libraries, core services, and example projects: Use AI to automate the generation of documentation and code examples that align with established standards. Leverage AI-powered linters and code analysis tools to enforce consistency and quality across multiple teams.
• Collaborate closely with product and engineering teams to translate requirements into actionable technical designs and executable code: Use AI-powered communication tools to distill complex technical trade-offs and to rapidly create design documents and sequence diagrams that can be directly translated into development tasks.
• Mentor and elevate the technical capabilities of senior engineers through pair programming, detailed code reviews, and direct technical collaboration: Leverage AI platforms to provide real-time code suggestions during pairing sessions, automate initial feedback in code reviews, and generate personalized learning materials to upskill the team.
• Drive technical strategy by identifying and championing opportunities for innovation, simplification, and debt reduction within the existing technology stack: Employ AI to analyze the codebase for technical debt, complexity hotspots, and refactoring opportunities. Use AI to model the potential impact and ROI of strategic technical initiatives.
• Own and implement critical pieces of infrastructure and cross-cutting concerns such as service discovery, authentication/authorization, and observability frameworks: Utilize AI to accelerate the development of these core components, ensuring they are secure, efficient, and adhere to industry best practices.

• Expert-Level Programming: Deep, hands-on expertise in one or more languages like Java, Go, or Python, with a proven ability to write clean, high-performance, and maintainable code.
• System Design & Implementation: Extensive experience designing, building, and operating large-scale distributed systems. Ability to translate architectural theory into practical, working code.
• Cloud-Native Technologies: Hands-on mastery of cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and the container ecosystem (Kubernetes, Docker), including building and deploying production applications.
• Database Expertise: Deep practical knowledge of both relational (e.g., Oracle, PostgreSQL) and NoSQL databases (e.g., MongoDB), including data modeling and performance tuning for high-throughput systems.
• Infrastructure as Code (IaC): Proficiency in writing and maintaining complex IaC scripts using tools like Terraform or Ansible.
• API Design & Development: Proven experience building and scaling robust RESTful or gRPC-based APIs and services.
• Software Development Lifecycle: Strong command of the entire SDLC, including advanced Git workflows, CI/CD automation, and comprehensive testing strategies (unit, integration, end-to-end).

• Demonstrable, in-depth experience using AI development tools (e.g., GitHub Copilot, Codex, Tabnine) as a primary part of the coding workflow.
• Strong understanding of AI/ML concepts, advanced prompt engineering, and integrating AI to solve complex implementation challenges, optimize algorithms, and accelerate debugging.
• A keen desire to push the boundaries of software development by applying AI to improve code quality, developer velocity, and system performance.

• 10+ years of relevant experience in software development, with a clear progression to a Principal, Staff, or senior architect role where coding was a primary responsibility.
• Demonstrated history of leading the development of complex, business-critical software projects from inception to launch.
• A "player-coach" mentality with a passion for both high-level architecture and hands-on implementation.
• Subject Matter Expert (SME) with deep implementation knowledge in several technology areas.
• A pragmatic approach to problem-solving and a bias for action.
• Exceptional ability to influence and lead technical direction through both written/verbal communication and direct code contribution.
• Consistently demonstrates clear and concise communication of complex technical topics to a wide range of audiences.

• Bachelor’s degree/University degree or equivalent experience
• Master’s degree preferred

This job description provides a high-level review of the types of work performed. Other job-related duties may be assigned as required.

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In addition to salary, Citi’s offerings may also include, for eligible employees, discretionary and formulaic incentive and retention awards. Citi offers competitive employee benefits, including: medical, dental & vision coverage; 401(k); life, accident, and disability insurance; and wellness programs. Citi also offers paid time off packages, including planned time off (vacation), unplanned time off (sick leave), and paid holidays. For additional information regarding Citi employee benefits, please visit citibenefits.com. Available offerings may vary by jurisdiction, job level, and date of hire.

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We use automated processing, including artificial intelligence, for our legitimate business interests (or our reasonable and appropriate business purposes) to identify and align the candidate's skills and abilities with a specific job opening. Additionally, if you so choose, or consent, we can match your skills and abilities to other suitable roles at Citi.

Importantly, all our hiring processes and decisions, including determining your suitability for a role, are conducted, checked, and decided by individuals. Our automated processing and AI do not involve relying on automatic or autonomous decision-making. Please refer to any Jurisdictional Considerations, with specific provisions for your country (where relevant) for further details.

Illinois residents – AI Notice and Right

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