Software Architect III

Overview For more than three decades, Strategic Data Systems (SDS) has been a software consultancy firm specializing in strategy, technology, and business transformation for Fortune 100 companies, mid-size firms, and startups. We empower our development teams to address our clients' critical business challenges by leveraging cutting-edge technologies. If you seek a workplace where your contributions are truly appreciated, SDS is the company for you. Join us today to work alongside fellow development specialists and become a crucial part of our dynamic and cohesive community. Position Details Software Architect III Location: Cincinnati, OH (Downtown, onsite 5× weekly) Years of Experience: 3–10 Employment Type: Contract – to Hire; must be able to convert to FTE without sponsorship. Top Skills Must Have Java Platform Engineering RESTful APIs Spring Framework Nice to Have Banking/Financial Services background Responsibilities Define the long-term vision for one or more products/domains and lead the technical execution toward that vision. Work with line of business and IT squads to design solutions that incorporate software changes and ensure effective implementation. Consult with Product Owners to understand the business technology roadmap and recommend the continued utilization or elimination of in-house and third-party software solutions. Serve as principal liaison with software vendor(s) for systems used by a particular line of business. Stay abreast of upcoming changes and enhancements in vendor software and how those changes will impact the business. Implement and maintain new features and capabilities while continuously improving the quality of technical products and services. Follow industry and organizational best practices and standards, and participate in company communities of practice to continually refine and communicate them. Contribute to a culture of continuous improvement. Achieve operational excellence by automating processes and creating maintainable, supportable, and testable solutions. Keep up with technology trends and innovations in your field(s) of practice. Provide operational support and troubleshooting for team products and services. Coaching, mentoring, and training for new or less experienced team members. Design and document the overall architecture of technology solutions, ensuring alignment with business objectives and requirements. Ensure technology solutions meet necessary performance, scalability, and security standards. Seek opportunities for reuse and collaboration across teams to improve processes and capabilities that exceed the scope of a single team. Operate as a trusted advisor, establishing yourself as a company-wide go-to resource for specific technologies, topics, or domains. Qualifications Bachelor's degree in a relevant technology field or equivalent combination of education and work experience. 5+ years of engineering or other IT work experience relevant to this position. Experience with third-party commercial off-the-shelf and internally built applications. Deep understanding of reactive architecture principles and familiarity with micro-service oriented architecture. Understanding of decentralized and asynchronous data flows and related tools, modern warehousing best practices, and data security as a fundamental aspect of data movement. Experience with container-hosted application footprints in hybrid cloud/on-premise environments. Outstanding problem-solving and communication skills. Willingness to work in a highly collaborative environment spanning multiple departments and squads. Deep understanding of IT security best practices. Experience in banking or financial services industry. Experience analyzing legacy platforms, documenting current state tech stack and process flows, and translating optimized business processes into modern technical architectures. Experience designing, implementing, and supporting complex technical solutions. Able to provide technical coaching and guidance to junior software and platform engineers. 3–5 years of experience in Java 17 or higher. 3–5 years of experience in Spring 6.x & Spring Boot 3.x. 3–5 years of experience with RESTful API development and back-end for front-ends. 1–3 years of experience in micro-service oriented back-end architecture & development. 1–2 years of experience working in agile/scrum teams. 1–3 years of experience with Test-Driven Development with JUnit. Prior experience with Git, GitHub, Jenkins, and JFrog. Experience with core banking platforms (deposit systems, debit card processing, ATM, check processing, or client billing) is a plus. What You'll Get Competitive base salary Medical, dental, and vision insurance coverage Optional life and disability insurance provided 401(k) with a company match and optional profit sharing Paid vacation time Paid bench time Training allowance offering Eligibility to earn referral bonuses SDS, Inc. provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. J-18808-Ljbffr