Principal Compiler Architect

Software AG helps companies to manage and optimize their operations, infrastructure and technology with products that simplify complexity, increase transparency and prepare organizations for change.

Trusted by the world’s best brands for more than 50 years, Software AG’s AI-enabled process intelligence, application development, high-performance database, and strategic portfolio management solutions are used by banks, retailers, manufacturers, governments and more.

Software AG’s Adabas database & Natural development platform are used by the world’s leading organizations to build and deploy high-performance, mission-critical applications for IBM Z®, Linux® and cloud. Governments and businesses (in finance, manufacturing, retail and more) tailor these applications to give their organization a distinct competitive advantage and optimize them to meet the most demanding operational service level agreements. With a pledge to innovate Adabas & Natural to 2050 and beyond, we ensure our customer’s mission-critical Adabas & Natural applications are Future ready. Now.

Be you, join us.

Location- Remote (Within the US)

Principal Compiler Architect

The role

COBOL applications, backed by the legendary resilience, security, and scalability of IBM Z, are among global enterprises’ most valuable assets. They run mission critical operations with business logic that is unique to the respective organization. We are hiring a Principal Compiler Architect to own the technical direction of the compiler part of our JOPAZ product, and to grow into leading the team that builds it. 

What you'll do

• Own the compiler end to end

• Guard correctness as the top priority

• Define and defend how COBOL semantics map onto the JVM so that compiled programs are behaviorally equivalent to native execution

• Drive performance on the JVM

• Set the technical roadmap for the optimization strategy, make cross-cutting design decisions, and keep the codebase coherent as it grows

• Collaborate across the product, including mainframe connectivity layers

• Grow into technical and people leadership

What we're looking for (must-have)

• Proven, end-to-end compiler construction experience – you have built or substantially contributed to a production compiler; not just used compiler frameworks.

• Multi-year JVM code expertise

• Correctness and semantics engineering

• Architecture-level judgment for optimization strategies

• Ability to make and defend cross-cutting technical decisions in a long-lived codebase

• Technical leadership instincts (mentoring engineers, communicate designs clearly)

Strong plus-points (not required)

• Hands-on COBOL knowledge, or experience with another legacy/ business language and

its habits

• z/OS experience: Java on z/OS, zIIP and specialty-engine offload, JCL/batch.

• Verification at scale, differential testing, conformance suites, fuzzing, or formal methods.

Application Deadline: 10/30/2026 

What’s in it for you?

Compensation

The annual base salary range for this position is $140,000 - $190,000 based on the candidate's unique qualifications, skills, and depth of experience.

This position is also eligible for a 10% discretionary annual bonus in accordance with relevant plan documents and award agreements.

Benefits

• Company paid Holidays, Sick Leave, and Vacation time.
• Paid Family Leave and other leaves of absence.
• Community Service Day.
• Medical, Dental, Vision, FSA/HSA, Life Insurance and Pet Insurance.
• 401(k) Plan with up to 5% employer match.
• Wellness Program.
• Set yourself up for success in your new role by upgrading your home office space using your one-time hybrid work payment. 
• Lean on the Employee Assistance Program for support during some of life’s most common but difficult challenges. 

At Software AG we are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect and fairness where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and employees without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, pregnancy, national origin, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
We believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion is critical to our success as a global company, and we seek to recruit, compensate, develop, promote, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool.