Principal Software Architect

About the role

HP is seeking a Principal Software Architect to define and guide the architecture of modern software platforms within HP’s device and services ecosystem. This role will provide technical leadership across client applications, backend services, cloud integrations, device interfaces, enterprise workflows, AI‑enabled capabilities, and production‑scale software systems. You will help shape an incubation effort within HP’s PC ecosystem experience, work directly with customers to understand real‑world needs, incorporate feedback into product and technical direction, and architect new edge AI‑enabled experiences that could define the next generation of intelligent PCs and peripherals.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and own the end‑to‑end architecture for complex, AI‑enabled software platforms spanning client applications, backend services, cloud workflows, local device interactions, connected hardware, and enterprise integrations.
• Establish architectural principles, system boundaries, design patterns, and technology choices to deliver scalable, secure, reliable, maintainable, high‑performance, and extensible platforms.
• Lead the architecture of AI/ML capabilities, including generative AI experiences, LLM and agentic workflows, retrieval‑augmented generation, embeddings, model orchestration, inference services, traditional machine learning, and edge AI execution.
• Design production‑ready AI/ML systems with robust approaches for evaluation, experimentation, model and prompt versioning, telemetry, monitoring, feedback loops, responsible AI, safety controls, and operational governance.
• Align architecture across local applications, cloud services, enterprise identity, device management platforms, connected devices, firmware‑adjacent interfaces, and backend systems.
• Define and address critical non‑functional requirements, including security, privacy, compliance, performance, resiliency, auditability, manageability, diagnostics, deployment readiness, and supportability.
• Maintain strong hands‑on technical engagement through prototyping, architecture and code reviews, technical investigations, performance analysis, and resolution of high‑impact engineering challenges.
• Guide senior engineers and technical leads, raising standards for architecture, code quality, testing, design documentation, technical decision‑making, and software lifecycle practices.
• Produce and maintain clear architecture artifacts, including system diagrams, architecture decision records, integration specifications, technical roadmaps, risk assessments, and platform evolution plans.
• Evaluate emerging technologies, AI/ML frameworks, cloud services, and enterprise platforms, recommending adoption based on customer value, technical fit, risk, and long‑term viability.
• Influence executive and cross‑functional stakeholders by clearly communicating technical strategy, architectural trade‑offs, risks, dependencies, technical debt, and recommended investment priorities.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, or Electrical Engineering.
• 10+ years of software engineering experience, including significant experience designing and delivering complex software platforms, distributed systems, enterprise applications, cloud‑connected products, or device‑integrated software solutions.
• 5+ years of experience in a technical leadership, architecture, principal engineer, staff engineer, or equivalent role.

Knowledge and Skills

• Deep experience designing end‑to‑end software architectures spanning frontend applications, backend services, desktop applications, cloud platforms, APIs, data systems, device interfaces, and enterprise integrations.
• Strong technical depth in one or more frontend technologies such as Angular, React, TypeScript, JavaScript, HTML, and CSS.
• Strong backend and systems development experience with languages such as C++, Rust, Python, C#, Node.js, Go, or similar.
• Experience with LLMs, vision‑language, and speech models.
• Experience defining architecture for Windows desktop applications, companion applications, background services, system tray applications, OS‑integrated applications, or software that interacts with local system services.
• Hands‑on experience with AI/ML frameworks and runtimes such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, ONNX Runtime, or similar, including model integration, inference, optimization, and production deployment.
• Understanding of edge AI considerations, including model compression, quantization, hardware acceleration, latency, memory and compute constraints, and hybrid edge‑cloud execution.
• Strong understanding of distributed systems, API design, service‑oriented and event‑driven architectures, asynchronous processing, messaging, caching, fault tolerance, and application state management.
• Experience with AI service integration, LLM APIs, prompt workflows, model orchestration, embeddings, inference APIs, evaluation pipelines, and responsible AI development practices.
• Experience integrating local software with cloud services, backend systems, enterprise identity providers, device management platforms, and enterprise software ecosystems.
• Strong understanding of software security, privacy, authentication, authorization, compliance, audit logging, data protection, and enterprise governance requirements.
• Experience with Git‑based development workflows, CI/CD pipelines, automated testing strategies, release engineering, and production support practices.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Tauri, WebView, WebRTC, COM interfaces, PowerShell automation, native application integration, or cross‑platform desktop application frameworks.
• Experience with Microsoft Graph, Microsoft Intune, Azure services, enterprise APIs, identity platforms, SSO, device management, or manageability workflows.
• Experience with enterprise manageability solutions (MS Intune, ADMX/Group Policy, HP WXP or similar MDM/UEM platforms).
• Experience with connected‑device software, peripheral integration, local device discovery, firmware‑adjacent workflows, or hardware/software co‑design.
• Experience building architecture for incubation products, proof‑of‑concept platforms, beta programs, early‑stage software initiatives, or new product introductions.

Pay

The pay range for this role is $165,450 to $259,750 USD annually, with additional opportunities for bonus and/or equity (applies to United States of America candidates only). Pay varies by work location, job‑related knowledge, skills, and experience.

Benefits

• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Long‑term/short‑term disability insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account
• Life insurance
• Generous time‑off policies, including 4–12 weeks fully paid parental leave based on tenure
• 11 paid holidays
• Additional flexible paid vacation and sick leave

Schedule

• Full‑time
• No shift premium
• Travel: up to 25% of time
• Relocation assistance: Yes