Principal Software Engineer

Overview

ACI powers the payments ecosystem – globally, and you power ACI. You’ll innovate, collaborate, and grow – in an energetic technology culture with decades of proven success. ACIers – in all roles and levels – are truly your colleagues and many are your friends. Our size and reach allow you to see the global impact of your work. You are visible, your talents are valued, and you are empowered to shape the future of payments.

As a Principal Software Engineer in Norcross, GA or Omaha, NE
, you will join a diverse, passionate team, dedicated to powering the world’s payments ecosystem!

Technical Vision & Strategy

• Define technical vision and architecture for major cross-team initiatives
• Lead design reviews and set engineering standards across multiple teams
• Influence product roadmap with technical insights and innovation opportunities
• Evaluate and adopt new technologies including AI/ML to improve engineering productivity

Technical Leadership & Problem Solving

• Identify and resolve complex technical challenges that span multiple systems
• Drive technical excellence and best practices across engineering organization
• Serve as technical escalation point for critical issues and architectural decisions
• Lead architecture reviews and provide guidance on system design

Cross-Organizational Impact

• Represent engineering in cross-organizational initiatives and strategic planning
• Mentor senior engineers and technical leads across teams
• Drive adoption of engineering best practices and architectural patterns
• Build strategic technical relationships with partners and stakeholders

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field;
  Master’s preferred
• Equivalent experience (10+ years) may substitute for degree

Experience

• 8-12 years of software engineering with demonstrated technical leadership
• Proven track record of delivering complex, large-scale software systems
• Experience leading technical initiatives across multiple teams
• Strong influence on technical direction and engineering culture
• Payments, financial services, or regulated industry experience preferred

Technical Skills

• Expert software architect with large-scale system design experience
• Deep expertise across multiple technical domains and technology stacks
• Advanced knowledge of distributed systems, microservices, and cloud architectures
• Experience with performance optimization at scale and system reliability
• Strong understanding of security architecture and compliance requirements
• Proficiency in evaluating and adopting emerging technologies including AI/ML
• Talented in AI tool adoption and integrating AI capabilities across systems
• Programming
  
  Languages:
  
  Java, J2EE, and Python
• Frameworks & Architecture:
  Microservices, Spring Boot
• API Development: REST API
• Frontend Technologies:
  Angular
• Testing & Tools:
  Postman
• Databases:
  Oracle & PostgreSQL
• CI/CD Tools:
  Jenkins, and Azure Pipelines
• Containerization & Orchestration:
  Docker and Kubernetes
• Monitoring & Observability:
  Prometheus and Grafana
• Messaging & Streaming:
  RabbitMQ
• Cloud Platforms: AWS (EC2, SR, and Lambda)
• Work Management Tools:
  Azure Dev Ops, and Confluence
• AI Tools:
  Claude and Microsoft Copilot

Professional Skills

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
• Strong cross-team influence and stakeholder management
• Strategic thinking with ability to connect technical decisions to business outcomes
• Leadership through influence without direct authority

• Conference speaking, technical publications, or recognized thought leadership
• Advanced certifications in relevant technologies
• Experience with enterprise-scale systems (millions of users, petabytes of data)
• Track record of technical innovation and patents

• Hybrid work model (2-3 days in-office); multiple office locations available
• 10-15% travel for conferences, strategic meetings, and cross-site collaboration
• On-call escalation participation; flexible hours for global collaboration

ACI Worldwide is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

Applican…