Principal Application Architect – Healthcare (Java/Spring Boot)
About the Role
Cognizant is seeking a Principal Application Architect to lead the design and evolution of enterprise-scale healthcare applications supporting complex capitation payment processing. This role is ideal for a seasoned architect with deep expertise in Java, Spring Boot, Spring Framework, microservices, and Linux, combined with strong healthcare payer domain knowledge.
You will define architecture standards, establish best practices, mentor engineering teams, and drive the delivery of scalable, secure, and high-performing applications. Working closely with product owners, engineering leaders, and business stakeholders, you will transform complex business requirements into enterprise architecture solutions that support millions of healthcare transactions while meeting regulatory and operational requirements.
Location: St. Louis, MO (Onsite)
Experience: 10+ years
Work Authorization: Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States without current or future employer sponsorship. Cognizant is unable to sponsor work authorization for this position.
Key Responsibilities
- Design enterprise application architectures using Java, Spring Boot, Spring Framework, and Linux for large-scale healthcare payer platforms.
- Lead architecture for capitation-based payment systems with emphasis on scalability, resiliency, performance, and maintainability.
- Define enterprise architecture standards, design principles, and reusable patterns across multiple engineering teams.
- Partner with product owners and business stakeholders to translate business requirements into scalable technical architectures.
- Provide technical leadership for microservices architecture, API design, event-driven integration, messaging, and distributed systems.
- Review solution designs and implementation approach to ensure compliance with architecture standards, security requirements, and healthcare regulations.
- Architect provider data management solutions and enterprise data models supporting accurate provider information and interoperability.
- Optimize Java applications and Linux environments for high availability, throughput, and operational efficiency.
- Evaluate existing platforms to identify technical debt, modernization opportunities, and architectural improvements.
- Produce architecture artifacts including solution diagrams, architecture decision records (ADRs), reference architectures, and migration strategies.
- Evaluate emerging technologies within the Java ecosystem and recommend adoption strategies aligned with enterprise objectives.
- Mentor software engineers, technical leads, and solution architects while promoting engineering excellence and architectural best practices.
Required Qualifications
- 10+ years of experience designing and architecting enterprise Java applications.
- Deep expertise with Java, Spring Boot, Spring Framework, Spring Security, and RESTful API development.
- Extensive experience designing distributed systems using microservices architecture and modern integration patterns.
- Strong knowledge of object-oriented design principles, enterprise architecture, and common design patterns.
- Hands-on experience supporting applications in Linux environments, including deployment, monitoring, troubleshooting, and performance tuning.
- Experience designing highly available, scalable, and secure enterprise applications.
- Proven ability to establish architecture standards and provide technical leadership across multiple engineering teams.
- Strong communication skills with the ability to influence technical and business stakeholders.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with healthcare payer systems, including capitation, claims, provider data management, eligibility, or enrollment.
- Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud Platform).
- Experience with Kubernetes, Docker, OpenShift, or other container platforms.
- Familiarity with messaging technologies such as Kafka, RabbitMQ, or JMS.
- Experience implementing CI/CD pipelines and DevSecOps practices.
- Knowledge of healthcare interoperability standards and regulatory requirements.
Salary and Other Compensation:
This position is also eligible for Cognizant’s discretionary annual incentive program and stock awards, based on performance and subject to the terms of Cognizant’s applicable plans.
Why Join Cognizant?
At Cognizant, we help leading organizations transform their businesses through modern engineering and digital innovation. As part of our Digital Engineering practice, you'll work on mission-critical healthcare platforms while collaborating with highly skilled architects and engineers solving complex technical challenges.
You'll have access to:
- Challenging enterprise architecture initiatives
- Continuous learning through Cognizant's award-winning learning platform
- Technical certification opportunities
- Competitive compensation, annual incentive eligibility, and stock award opportunities
- Comprehensive benefits and career growth within a global technology leader
If you're passionate about designing enterprise-scale healthcare solutions, influencing technology strategy, and mentoring engineering teams, we'd love to hear from you.
What we offer
- The chance to work with impact. Here, you’re empowered to bring your biggest thinking to help our company and clients improve everyday life.
- Ownership over your career. Stay at the top of your game through our award-winning learning and development ecosystem. And when your ambitions change or we offer new opportunities, we help you pivot by providing reskilling, on-the-job learning and guidance to find new roles that might be a better fit.
- The opportunity to thrive on a high caliber team with heart. We celebrate each other’s experiences and perspectives and promote a sense of belonging through our affinity groups and diversity and inclusion initiatives.
- A comprehensive total rewards package, including a competitive salary and a pension plan with matching contributions.
- Flexible health and financial benefits to support you and your eligible dependents—from day one.
- True work-life balance. Be at your best through paid time off, flexible work arrangements, volunteering opportunities, social events, and so much more.
About us
Cognizant (Nasdaq: CTSH) is an AI Builder and technology services provider, building the bridge between AI investment and enterprise value by building full-stack AI solutions for our clients. Our deep industry, process and engineering expertise enables us to build an organization’s unique context into technology systems that amplify human potential, realize tangible returns and keep global enterprises ahead in a fast-changing world. See how at www.cognizant.com or @cognizant.
Other employment-related information
Cognizant is an equal opportunity employer. Your application and candidacy will not be considered based on race, color, sex, religion, creed, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by federal, provincial or local laws.
If you have a disability that requires reasonable accommodation to search for a job opening or submit an application, please email [email protected] with your request and contact information.
Language requirements vary depending on roles, but we ask that all candidates have basic English proficiency for company-wide communications purposes. For roles based in Quebec, professional English proficiency is required, as you’ll deliver services to and collaborate with stakeholders outside the province who may not speak French.
