Principal Software Architect
Houston, TX - USA
Job Summary
Description -
HP is seeking a Principal Software Architect to define and guide the architecture of modern software platforms within HPs 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.
In this role you will help shape an incubation effort within HPs PC ecosystem experience. You will work directly with customers to understand real-world needs incorporate feedback into product and technical direction and architect new edge AI-enabled experiences that have the potential to define the next generation of intelligent PCs and peripherals.
The ideal candidate is a highly accomplished hands-on software leader with a demonstrated track record of architecting building and successfully shipping production-grade AI/ML-enabled products. Relevant experience may span several of the following areas:
- Large language models generative AI and agentic systems
- Speech audio and conversational AI
- Computer vision and multimodal AI
- Edge AI local inference and model optimization
- Cloud-native and distributed AI platforms
- Embedded systems and device-integrated software
- Robotics autonomous systems or intelligent device control
This individual will combine deep system-level expertise with hands-on technical credibility and the ability to translate ambiguous product customer and business requirements into practical architecture strategies and executable implementation roadmaps
The architect must be able to communicate effectively with engineering teams and executive audiences develop compelling technical and product narratives build organizational support for new ideas and advocate for the products and platforms they help create.
This role requires strong system-level thinking hands-on technical credibility and the ability to translate ambiguous business product and engineering requirements into practical architecture strategies and implementation roadmaps.
You will partner closely with software engineering UX product management hardware engineering security manageability validation DevOps systems engineering and executive stakeholders to deliver high-quality software platforms that support long-term product evolution operational reliability and differentiated customer experiences.
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 the architectural principles system boundaries design patterns and technology choices required 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
- Bachelors or Masters degree/ 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# 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 technologies 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.
The pay range for this role is$165450to$259750USD annually with additional opportunities for pay in the form of bonus and/or equity (applies to United States of America candidates only). Pay varies by work location job-related knowledge skills and experience.
Benefits:
HP offers a comprehensive benefits package for this position including:
- 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 (US benefits overview)
The compensation and benefits information is accurate as of the date of this posting. The Company reserves the right to modify this information at any time with or without notice subject to applicable law.
Job -
SoftwareSchedule -
Full timeShift -
No shift premium (United States of America)Travel -
25%Relocation -
YesEqual Opportunity Employer (EEO) -
HP Inc. provides equal employment opportunity to all employees and prospective employees without regard to race color religion sex national origin ancestry citizenship sexual orientation age disability or status as a protected veteran marital status familial status physical or mental disability medical condition pregnancy genetic predisposition or carrier status uniformed service status political affiliation or any other characteristic protected by applicable national federal state and local law(s).
Please be assured that you will not be subject to any adverse treatment if you choose to disclose the information requested. This information is provided voluntarily. The information obtained will be kept in strict confidence.
For more information review HPsEEO Policy or read about your rights as an applicant under the law here: Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal
Required Experience:
Staff IC