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# Principal Software Architect

- **Company:** Lumen Inc
- **Location:** Lansing, MI, United States (Remote available)
- **Experience:** Expert
- **Salary:** $152,066.0 - $202,755.0
- **Contract:** Permanent contract
- **Skills:** Artificial Intelligence, Amazon Web Services, Computing Platforms, Microsoft Azure, Cloud Computing, Cloud Engineering, Cyber Security, Command-Query Responsibility Segregation (Software Development), Software Design Patterns, Distributed Systems, Identity and Access Management, Open Source Technology, Software Architecture, Reliability Engineering, Workflow Management Systems, Data Classification, Large Language Models, Multi-Agent Systems, Technical Debt, Event Driven Architecture, Information Technology, Graphql, Api Design, Open Network Automation Platform, Domain Driven Design, Dynatrace, Microservices
- **Published:** August 21, 2026
- **Apply:** https://www.techcareers.com/job.asp?id=3361177516&tx=UT545TYI&pt=1&aff=0B19D771-A501-4A5E-8338-2A822B784D54&utm_source=Job%20Feed&utm_medium=textkernel&utm_campaign=DE&utm_term=0B19D771-A501-4A5E-8338-2A822B784D54

## About the Role

* Bachelor's degree in computer science, engineering, or related field with 12+ years of softwarearchitecture experience or
 * Master's degree with 10+ years of software architecture experience
 * AI-first practitioner - actively integrates AI tools (LLMs, coding assistants, AI-powered analysis anddesign tools) as a routine part of architecture and engineering work, not as an occasional experiment.
 * Candidates must demonstrate specific, current examples of how AI has meaningfully accelerated orimproved their work.
 * Classically trained software architecture background: formal education or structured architecturepractice exposure (not exclusively developed through a single company's environment)
 * Deep expertise in distributed systems: microservices, event-driven architecture, saga patterns, CQRS,async messaging
 * API design authority: REST, gRPC, GraphQL - knows when to use each, how to version, how togovern
 * Domain-driven design (DDD) and bounded context modeling
 * Non-functional requirements design: performance engineering, reliability patterns (circuit breakers,bulkheads, retries), scalability modeling
 * Observability architecture: OpenTelemetry instrumentation, metrics design, distributed tracing, alertingstandards
 * Security architecture integration: threat modeling, secure design patterns, data classification inarchitecture
 * Strong written and verbal communication: can produce ADRs and solution designs that are clear,precise, and decision-quality
 * Track record of delivered production systems - not just designs, but architectures that were built andoperated

Preferred

 * Experience architecting AI/ML-augmented systems: LLM integration patterns, RAG architecture,agentic workflow design
 * Cloud-native architecture depth (AWS, Azure, or GCP) - complements the dedicated Cloud Architectrole
 * Experience in telecom, network automation, or NaaS domains - reduces ramp time on Lumen-specificcontext
 * Platform architecture experience: designing systems that other teams build on, not just end-userapplications
 * Architecture governance experience in a multi-team engineering organization: standards enforcement,design review processes, exception handling
 * Contributions to technical standards bodies, open source architecture frameworks, or publishedarchitectural thinking

## Description

Bring classically trained, broad software architecture expertise to the Digital Journey Architecture and

Solutions team. DJAS architects have developed deep knowledge of Lumen's systems through years of

embedded work - this role brings the architectural discipline, patterns, and methodologies that complement

that institutional depth. The Principal Software Architect raises the architectural quality bar across DJAS's

design work by bringing formal architecture practices, modern system design patterns, and a perspective

that isn't shaped entirely by how things have been done at Lumen.

This is not a domain specialist role. The value is breadth, discipline, and the ability to apply proven

architectural principles to complex, multi-system problems - including the emerging domain of

AI-augmented and agentic systems., * Apply proven software architecture principles to DJAS design work: microservices, event-drivenpatterns, distributed systems, API-first design, domain-driven design

 * Lead architecture design sessions and design reviews - challenge assumptions, surface tradeoffs,ensure solutions address NFRs (performance, reliability, scalability, observability, security) from the startProduce high-quality architecture artifacts: solution designs, ADRs, integration specifications,architecture standards
 * Define architecture governance practices: what makes a design "good enough to ship" vs what needsmore work; codify standards the team applies consistently
 * Evaluate and adopt modern architecture patterns and methodologies - not just what Lumen has done,but what the broader engineering discipline has learned
 * Apply AI-augmented engineering practices: LLM-assisted design, agentic workflow architecture,integrating AI capabilities into system designs safely and observably
 * Architect for operational excellence: observability-first design, chaos engineering readiness,runbook-aligned failure handling
 * Bridge the gap between architecture and implementation: stay present through delivery, validate thatwhat gets built matches the design intent, surface gaps early
 * Mentor architects and engineers on architecture fundamentals, design patterns, and how to think aboutsystem design rigorously
 * Partner with cloud, IAM/security, and domain architects to ensure cross-cutting concerns areaddressed coherently across DJAS's portfolio
 * Challenge technical debt patterns where they emerge in designs - not to block delivery, but to ensurethe team is making conscious choices


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