Principal Software Engineer - Java/Spring Boot/Kafka/Microservices

Position OverviewAt 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 Principal Software Engineer within PNC's Lending Technology organization, you will be based in Pittsburgh PA or Dallas TX.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.Job DescriptionTechnical LeadershipLead the design and development of end‑to‑end application features across backend services (Java 21) and frontend applications (Angular).Own architecture decisions spanning APIs, UI state management, performance, security, and scalability.Establish and enforce coding standards, design patterns, and best practices across both backend and frontend stacks.Backend Responsibilities (Java)Design and implement backend services using Java (17/21+), Spring Boot, and related Spring frameworks.Build and maintain RESTful APIs and service integrations consumed by Angular frontends.Lead backend architecture using microservices, event‑driven designs, and cloud‑native patterns.Frontend Responsibilities (Angular)Lead development of frontend applications using Angular, TypeScript, RxJS, and modern component‑based architecture.Design responsive, accessible, and performant UI components aligned with UX and product requirements.Define frontend architecture including state management, routing, lazy loading, and API consumption.Quality, Testing & ReliabilityPromote automated testing across the stack, including:Backend: unit, integration, and contract tests (JUnit, Mockito).Frontend: unit and component tests (Jasmine, Karma, Jest).Champion observability using structured logging, metrics, and tracing across frontend and backend.Ensure applications are secure, resilient, and production‑ready with proper validation, error handling, and monitoring.DevOps & Deployment CollaborationSupport CI/CD pipelines for both UI and backend components.Partner with DevOps on Docker/Kubernetes deployments, environment configuration, and release processes.Ensure frontend and backend artifacts are versioned, deployed, and monitored consistently.Participate in production support, incident reviews, and reliability improvements.Team Leadership & MentorshipMentor engineers across frontend and backend disciplines, promoting full‑stack skill growth.Lead technical design reviews and code reviews across Java and Angular codebases.Encourage knowledge sharing and establish best practices for full‑stack development.Support hiring and onboarding of full‑stack engineers through interviews and guidance.Collaboration & DeliveryWork closely with product managers, UX designers, QA, and platform teams.Drive sprint planning, estimation, and timely delivery of full‑stack features.Communicate technical decisions, risks, and trade‑offs clearly to stakeholders.Balance hands‑on development with leadership responsibilities.PNC Employees take pride in our reputation and to continue building upon that we expect our employees to be:Customer Focused - Knowledgeable of the values and practices that align customer needs and satisfaction as primary considerations in all business decisions and able to leverage that information in creating customized customer solutions.Managing Risk - Assessing and effectively managing all of the risks associated with their business objectives and activities to ensure they adhere to and support PNC's Enterprise Risk Management Framework.QualificationsSuccessful candidates must demonstrate appropriate knowledge, skills, and abilities for a role. Listed below are skills, competencies, work experience, education, and required certifications/licensures needed to be successful in this position.Preferred SkillsApache Kafka, Application Development, Business Management, Customer Solutions, Design, Group Problem Solving, Java (Programming Language), Process Improvements, Release Management, Software Solutions, Spring Boot, User Experience (UX) DesignCompetenciesApplication Design, Architecture, Packaged Application Integration, Product and Vendor Evaluation, Software Process Improvement (SPI), System Development Life Cycle, Technical TroubleshootingWork ExperienceRoles at this level typically require a university / college degree, with 5+ years of industry-relevant experience. Specific certifications are often required. In lieu of a degree, a comparable combination of education, job specific certification(s), and experience (including military service) may be considered.EducationBachelorsCertificationsNo Required Certification(s)LicensesNo Required License(s)BenefitsPNC offers a comprehensive range of benefits to help meet your needs now and in the future. Depending on your eligibility, options for full-time employees include: medical/prescription drug coverage (with a Health Savings Account feature), dental and vision options; employee and spouse/child life insurance; short and long-term disability protection; 401(k) with PNC match, pension and stock purchase plans; dependent care reimbursement account; back-up child/elder care; adoption, surrogacy, and doula reimbursement; educational assistance, including select programs fully paid; a robust wellness program with financial incentives.In addition, PNC generally provides the following paid time off, depending on your eligibility: maternity and/or parental leave; up to 11 paid holidays each year; 9 occasional absence days each year, unless otherwise required by law; between 15 to 25 vacation days each year, d