Principal AI Architect

About this role:

Wells Fargo is seeking a visionary Principal Systems Architect to shape the future of our Consumer Operations Technology landscape.

In this strategic and highly influential role, you will define and drive the target-state architecture across a broad ecosystem of platforms and products that power Consumer Operations. Reporting directly to the Head of Architecture for Consumer Operations, you’ll serve as a trusted technical leader and an accelerator for transformation across the organization.

As a Principal Systems Architect, you will partner closely with Engineering, Business, and Product leaders to design and deliver GenAI-driven, agentic architectures that elevate performance, reduce complexity, and transform customer and agent experiences.

You will lead the evolution from traditional deterministic systems to intelligent, autonomous, and semi-autonomous agent ecosystems, leveraging large language models, real-time decisioning, and orchestrated multi-agent workflows to drive adaptive, context-aware outcomes. Your scope spans mission-critical domains, including Contact Center Operations, Fraud & Claims Management, Consumer Lending Operations, Servicing & Default Management, and Wholesale Operations—where you will:

• Architect agentic workflows that enable dynamic task orchestration across systems, data, and human agents

• Embed GenAI and autonomous agents to augment decision-making, improve productivity, and enhance customer engagement

• Design intent-driven, context-aware platforms that continuously learn and optimize outcomes

• Establish scalable patterns for trust, governance, explainability, and responsible AI in regulated environments

This role provides a unique opportunity to shape the AI-first technology foundation that powers operations at scale impacting millions of customers while defining the future of intelligent enterprise systems.

If you’re passionate about modern architecture, thrive in large‑scale transformation, and want to leave a lasting impact across a Fortune 500 enterprise, this role puts you at the center of that innovation.

In this role, you will:

• Act as an advisor to leadership to develop or influence applications, network, information security, database, operating systems, or web technologies for highly complex business and technical needs across multiple groups

• Lead the strategy and resolution of highly complex and unique challenges requiring in-depth evaluation across multiple areas or the enterprise, delivering solutions that are long-term, large-scale and require vision, creativity, innovation, advanced analytical and inductive thinking

• Translate advanced technology experience, an in-depth knowledge of the organizations tactical and strategic business objectives, the enterprise technological environment, the organization structure, and strategic technological opportunities and requirements into technical engineering solutions

• Provide vision, direction and expertise to leadership on implementing innovative and significant business solutions

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Innovation - Promote a data-driven culture and drive architecture led-innovation.

• Lead architecture alignment for AI, GenAI, and Agentic AI solutions with Model Risk Management (MRM) and Artificial Intelligence Risk Review (AIRR) governance requirements, ensuring designs support required risk assessments, approvals, and enterprise control expectations.

• Partner with Model Risk Management, BCM, Legal, Compliance, Cyber, Data Use Assessment, and Risk Assessable Unit (RAU)-aligned stakeholders to ensure AI-enabled solutions are designed for appropriate model risk ranking, validation, explainability, control uplift, and readiness for AIRR and related tollgates where applicable.

• Define architecture patterns and engineering guardrails that support responsible AI, including traceability, monitoring, auditability, human-in-the-loop controls, secure data usage, resiliency, and change management across the AI service lifecycle.

• Ensure target-state architectures and implementation roadmaps account for post-deployment monitoring, control sustainability, and re-assessment triggers associated with model changes, scope expansion, data/input changes, platform changes, and evolving regulatory requirements.

• Advise business, product, and engineering leaders on how to accelerate AI adoption while meeting enterprise expectations for risk governance, model oversight, policy adherence, and safe deployment at scale.

• Maintain knowledge of industry best practices and new technologies and recommends innovations that enhance operations or provide a competitive advantage to the organization

• Strategically engage with all levels of professionals and managers across the enterprise and serve as an expert advisor to leadership

• Establish and drive target state architecture for Consumer Operations

• Define the target state architecture vision with forward looking Architecture principals and modern technology

• Based on understanding of current state architecture, define an architecture roadmap to realize target state

• Rationalize applications and domains in Consumer Operations with Enterprise solutions

• Adapt to and influence Consumer Operations Technology and Enterprise technology strategies

• Contribute to Consumer Operations SRE strategy and ensure that architecture patterns and frameworks uphold it

• Drive efforts to ensure resiliency, fault tolerance, and performance of Consumer Operations Technology.

• Contribute to NFR requirements and drive strategies to uphold NFR's through automation and frameworks

• Evaluate cost efficiency of the new platforms in how we develop and support software.

• Stay abreast of technology innovations and industry best practices and apply to Consumer Operations Technology solutions where valuable

• Collaborate with firm-wide security team on evolving security patterns utilized in Consumer Operations Technology solutions.

• Transform the Architecture practice

Core Responsibilities of a Principal Architect:

• Design Target State Architecture: Lead the architecture across Consumer Operations domain/subdomain platforms and products, reporting directly to the Head of Architecture for Consumer Operations 

• Strategic Advisory: Act as a trusted advisor to leadership, influencing applications, network, security, database, and web technologies for complex business needs 

• Problem Solving & Innovation: Resolve highly complex challenges with long-term, scalable solutions using advanced analytical and inductive thinking 

• Vision & Direction: Provide architectural vision and direction to leadership, implementing innovative business solutions 

• Industry Awareness: Stay current with industry best practices and recommend innovations that enhance operations or provide competitive advantage 

• Enterprise Engagement: Strategically engage across the enterprise and serve as an expert advisor 

Required Qualifications:

• 7+ years of architecture experience, or equivalent demonstrated through one or a combination of the following: work experience, training, military experience, education

• 7+ years of experience creating strategy

• 2+ years of AI, GenAI, and Agentic AI solutions with Model Risk Management (MRM) and Artificial Intelligence Risk Review (AIRR) governance requirements

Desired Qualifications:

• 7+ years of architectural design and planning experience

• Experience in one or a combination of the following: systems, applications, or architecture planning

• Strong verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills

• Ability to influence across all organizational levels, particularly senior management

• Ability to negotiate, influence, and collaborate to build successful relationships

• Knowledge and understanding of applications technology management role including managing applications development and support for multiple systems and business functions

• Ability to identify key issues, involve affected parties, design solutions, obtain buy-in, and communicate effectively through resolution

• Ability to be proactive, innovative and creative in meeting customer and enterprise needs

• Experience with a customer service mindset and a focus on continuous improvement

• Ability to effectively assess stakeholder, partner, or client needs while consulting, building solutions, and developing processes

• Experience consulting, influencing and partnering with business executives, leadership, human resources partners and peers

• Knowledge and understanding of centralized Operations

• Financial services industry experience

• Experience with OpenShift/GCP/Azure or other cloud computing technologies

• Extensive technical skills and comprehensive knowledge and understanding of an entire line of business or infrastructure sub-domain

Job Expectations and Core Values:

• Be Humble: You're smart yet always interested in learning from others

• Work Transparently: You always deal in an honest, direct, and transparent way.

• Take Ownership: You embrace responsibility and find joy in having the answers

• Learn More: You regularly self-educate and improve your skill set.

• Show Gratitude: You show appreciation and respect to those you work with 

There is no sponsorship available for this role.

Compensation for this role in Charlotte NC and Dallas is between $159,000 and $254,000 dependent upon experience and expertise demonstrated in the interview process.

Compensation for this role in Menlo Park/Iselin NJ is between $191,000 and $305,000 dependent upon experience and expertise demonstrated in the interview process.

Pay Range
 

Reflected is the base pay range offered for this position. Pay may vary depending on factors including but not limited to demonstrated examples of prior performance, skills, experience, or work location. Employees may also be eligible for incentive opportunities.

Benefits

Wells Fargo provides eligible employees with a comprehensive set of benefits, many of which are listed below. Visit Benefits - Wells Fargo Jobs for an overview of the following benefit plans and programs offered to employees.

• Health benefits
• 401(k) Plan
• Paid time off
• Disability benefits
• Life insurance, critical illness insurance, and accident insurance
• Parental leave
• Critical caregiving leave
• Discounts and savings
• Commuter benefits
• Tuition reimbursement
• Scholarships for dependent children
• Adoption reimbursement

Posting End Date:

*Job posting may come down early due to volume of applicants.

We Value Equal Opportunity

Wells Fargo is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other legally protected characteristic.

Employees support our focus on building strong customer relationships balanced with a strong risk mitigating and compliance-driven culture which firmly establishes those disciplines as critical to the success of our customers and company. They are accountable for execution of all applicable risk programs (Credit, Market, Financial Crimes, Operational, Regulatory Compliance), which includes effectively following and adhering to applicable Wells Fargo policies and procedures, appropriately fulfilling risk and compliance obligations, timely and effective escalation and remediation of issues, and making sound risk decisions. There is emphasis on proactive monitoring, governance, risk identification and escalation, as well as making sound risk decisions commensurate with the business unit’s risk appetite and all risk and compliance program requirements.

Applicants with Disabilities

To request a medical accommodation during the application or interview process, visit Disability Inclusion at Wells Fargo.

Drug and Alcohol Policy

Wells Fargo maintains a drug free workplace.  Please see our Drug and Alcohol Policy to learn more.

Wells Fargo Recruitment and Hiring Requirements:

a. Third-Party recordings are prohibited unless authorized by Wells Fargo.

b. Wells Fargo requires you to directly represent your own experiences during the recruiting and hiring process.