Principal Engineer - Java, GenAI

Job description

**About this role:** Wells Fargo is seeking a Principal Engineer **In this role, you will:** - Act as an advisor to leadership to develop or influence applications, network, information security, database, operating systems, or web technologies for highly complex business and technical needs across multiple groups - Lead the strategy and resolution of highly complex and unique challenges requiring in-depth evaluation across multiple areas or the enterprise, delivering solutions that are long-term, large-scale and require vision, creativity, innovation, advanced analytical and inductive thinking - Translate advanced technology experience, an in-depth knowledge of the organizations tactical and strategic business objectives, the enterprise technological environment, the organization structure, and strategic technological opportunities and requirements into technical engineering solutions - Provide vision, direction and expertise to leadership on implementing innovative and significant business solutions - Maintain knowledge of industry best practices and new technologies and recommends innovations that enhance operations or provide a competitive advantage to the organization - Strategically engage with all levels of professionals and managers across the enterprise and serve as an expert advisor to leadership **Required Qualifications:** - 7+ years of Engineering experience, or equivalent demonstrated through one or a combination of the following: work experience, training, military experience, education **Desired Qualifications**: - Progressive engineering experience with sustained **handson design and development** in **Java** (modern JVM stacks, microservices, distributed systems, performance engineering). - Proven experience architecting and building **AIpowered solutions**, including LLM integration, prompt engineering, RAG patterns, model orchestration, AI pipelines, and responsible AI practices. - Strong background in **cloudnative architectures** (containerization, orchestration, CI/CD, DevSecOps) with experience operating systems at enterprise scale. **PrincipalLevel Technical Leadership** - Demonstrated ability to operate as a **technical authority** across domains (application, data, AI, platform, security), influencing architecture and engineering standards at an enterprise level. - Track record of translating **ambiguous business problems** into **scalable, resilient, and futureready technical solutions**. - Experience defining longterm **technology strategy, reference architectures, and engineering roadmaps** aligned with business outcomes. **AI Innovation Mindset** - Strong understanding of **GenAI trends, ecosystem evolution, and emerging capabilities**, with the ability to assess vendor offerings versus build strategies. - Experience embedding AI into core business workflows to drive **productivity, risk reduction, customer experience, and operational efficiency**. - Passion for experimentation, rapid prototyping, and datadriven decisionmaking. **Influence Communication Excellence** - Exceptional **verbal and written communication skills**, with the ability to clearly articulate complex technical concepts to **executives, regulators, partners, and engineering teams**. - Proven success influencing without authority across **global, matrixed organizations**. - Recognized as a trusted advisor who can challenge assumptions constructively and elevate technical conversations. **OutsideIn Perspective** - Strong awareness of **industry best practices, competitive landscape, and fintech/financial services technology trends**. - Active engagement with external communities (conferences, forums, thought leadership, standards bodies) is highly desirable. **Job Expectations** - **Enterprise Technical Stewardship** - Act as a **Principal Engineer and strategic advisor** to senior leadership, shaping technology decisions that impact multiple lines of business and the broader enterprise. - Define and evolve **enterprisescale architectures** for Java-based platforms and AI/GenAI solutions, ensuring alignment with security, risk, and regulatory requirements. - **HandsOn Leadership** - Remain **deeply handson**designing, reviewing, and occasionally coding critical components to set a high engineering bar. - Lead by example in applying **engineering rigor, automation, testing, performance optimization, and secure coding practices**. - **AI / GenAI Enablement** - Drive the **strategy, adoption, and governance** of AI and GenAI capabilities across the organization. - Partner with product, data, risk, and security teams to ensure **responsible, explainable, and scalable AI solutions**. - Identify highvalue use cases and guide teams from proofofconcept to production at scale. - **Influence Thought Leadership** - Serve as a **visible technical spokesperson** internally and externally, presenting ideas, architectures, and innovation narratives with clarity and conviction. - Mentor senior engineers and architects, raising the overall technical maturity of the organization. - Foster a culture of **engineering excellence, curiosity, and continuous learning**. - **OutsideIn Innovation** - Continuously scan the external ecosystem to bring **new ideas, technologies, and patterns** into the enterprise in a pragmatic, valuedriven manner. - Challenge legacy thinking and advocate for **simplification, modernization, and platform thinking**. - Balance innovation with operational stability, risk management, and longterm sustainability. - **OutcomeDriven Execution** - Measure success through **business impact**, not just technical deliveryimproved timetomarket, developer productivity, system resilience, and customer outcomes. - Partner closely with stakeholders to ensure technology investments deliver **durable, enterprisewide value**.