Lead Software Engineer - Java​/Boot​/BRE

Position Overview

At PNC, our people are our greatest differentiator and competitive advantage in the markets we serve. We are all united in delivering the best experience for our customers. We work together each day to foster an inclusive workplace culture where all of our employees feel respected, valued and have an opportunity to contribute to the company’s success. As a Lead Software Engineer within PNC's Lending organization, you will be based in Pittsburgh Pa, Strongsville Oh, Dallas Tx, Birmingham Al, or Denver Co.

PNC is an in-office company that fosters a supportive culture where employees can thrive and achieve balance. We encourage candidates to connect with their recruiter and hiring manager to understand workplace expectations and ensure the role aligns with their goals. PNC will not provide sponsorship for employment visas or participate in STEM OPT for this position.

The Software Engineer Lead is responsible for leading the development and support of software solutions that enable the Lending Digital Payment Platform. This role owns the Business Rules Engine (BRE) rules lifecycle and delivers Java/Spring Boot APIs that integrate decisioning with enterprise data sources. The position partners with product, architecture, engineering, QA, and operations to deliver secure, resilient, and maintainable services;

provides technical guidance to peers; and drives engineering craftsmanship through standards, code/rule reviews, testing discipline, and modern delivery practices.

• Own the BRE rule portfolio for the Lending Digital Payment Platform, including rule sets supporting payment eligibility, validation, and execution decisioning.
• Elicit, clarify, and translate business policies into executable rules (decision tables/decision services/rule flows as applicable) with clear traceability back to requirements.
• Design rule structures for readability, reuse, and safe change (naming conventions, modularization, versioning strategy, and deprecation approach).
• Implement and maintain automated and repeatable rule testing (unit-level rule scenarios, regression suites, and test data management).
• Review, validate, and approve rule changes through peer review; ensure changes include evidence (test results) and meet governance expectations.
• Plan and execute safe promotion of rule assets across environments, including rollback strategy and release documentation.
• Troubleshoot rule outcomes and production issues by analyzing inputs, execution traces, and downstream effects; drive root-cause resolution and preventative improvements.

• Design and implement RESTful APIs in Java and Spring Boot that expose platform capabilities and integrate with BRE decisioning.
• Define and maintain API contracts (OpenAPI/Swagger where applicable), validate inputs, and implement consistent error handling and response semantics.
• Implement service-layer logic that correctly orchestrates BRE calls, data access, and downstream integrations.
• Ensure APIs meet non-functional requirements: performance, resiliency, observability, security, and maintainability.
• Conduct code reviews and enforce coding standards; mentor engineers on design patterns, testing practices, and troubleshooting techniques.
• Support deployments and production operations: diagnose incidents, fix defects, and deliver improvements that reduce repeat incidents.

• Build and maintain data access layers for MySQL and Oracle using appropriate frameworks and patterns (JDBC/JPA as applicable).
• Write and optimize SQL for correctness and performance; partner with data teams on indexing, query tuning, and schema change coordination.
• Ensure secure data handling (least privilege, parameterized queries, secrets management) and adherence to data governance controls.
• Implement reliable transaction management and error recovery strategies for database interactions.

• Set clear quality expectations for deliverables, including Definition of Done criteria for code, rules, tests, and documentation.
• Drive a test strategy that includes unit tests, rule-level scenario testing, integration tests, and regression coverage appropriate to change risk.
• Integrate automated tests into CI/CD pipelines with quality gates (for example: required test pass status, static analysis, and dependency vulnerability checks as applicable).
• Reduce defect leakage by enforcing peer review standards, strengthening automated coverage, and using root-cause analysis to prevent recurrence.
• Partner with Quality Engineering and Operations to improve release readiness, validation practices, and production support runbooks.
• Monitor and improve operational quality signals (stability, incident trends, recurring defects) and prioritize corrective actions.

• Lead technical execution for complex platform features by breaking down work, aligning…