Fractional Software Architect

Essential Duties and Responsibilities – First 90 Days

• Establish the modular architecture scaffold, module boundaries, and CI/CD pipeline before any feature code ships
• Design and build the core PostgreSQL schema and entity data model — the canonical structure that every module writes to and reads from, with migrations configured from day one
• Define and publish interface contracts for every module
• Design and implement the multi-tenant data access layer with security enforced at both the application and database layers
• Produce the coding standards document covering naming conventions, error handling, logging discipline, and pull request review criteria
• Review every pull request touching core data access patterns, financial logic, or module boundaries throughout the engagement
• Triage and unblock workstreams for the development team
• Transfer architectural knowledge to the engineering team continuously, not just at the end

Experience and Qualifications

• Experience: 15+ years in software architecture, with at least 5 years in a senior or principal individual contributor capacity
• Technical depth: Proven track record shipping Python / PostgreSQL backends in production. You can design a data access layer, write a migration strategy, and configure a CI/CD pipeline from scratch
• Regulated environments: You understand the nuances of working with sensitive data (HIPAA, SOC 2, or PCI) and prioritize audit trails and data access controls
• Consultative mindset: You have done fractional or consulting engagements before. You know how to drive high impact and hand off cleanly
• Modern development workflow: You are comfortable governing teams using AI-assisted tools like Cursor and Claude Code to maintain high quality at a fast pace

Possibility for FT Engagement After 180 Days

If you are based in the Philadelphia area, you will have the option of working in-office on a flexible schedule.

Compensation and Benefits

Starting Compensation: $20,000/monthly