Six Figure Work

Principal Cloud Architect

Northern Trust

Company websitenortherntrust.com (Northern Trust, opens in new tab)

Base salary $137,400  to $233,600

Employer-published annual base salary, USD. Advertised base range in Chicago, IL

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  • LocationChicago, IL
  • WorkplaceHybrid
  • Status at last checkSource accepting applications when checked
  • Last checked (1 h ago) · observed since

About this job

About Northern Trust


As a global leader in innovative wealth management, asset servicing, asset management and banking services, Northern Trust (Nasdaq: NTRS) is proud to guide the world’s most successful individuals, families, corporations and institutions.


Since 1889, we have aligned our efforts with our three guiding Principles That Endure: Service, Expertise, and Integrity. Together, they reflect the three cornerstones of business conduct which we strive to instill in our employees, whom we call partners, and to provide to our clients and the communities we serve worldwide.


With more than 135 years of financial experience and over 24,000 partners, we serve the world’s most sophisticated clients using leading technology and exceptional service.



Northern Trust is seeking a visionary and highly experienced Principal Cloud Architect to lead the design, development, and implementation of scalable, secure, and resilient cloud solutions. This role is pivotal in shaping our cloud strategy, driving innovation, and ensuring alignment with business goals. The ideal candidate will have deep expertise in cloud architecture, a strong understanding of enterprise IT, and a passion for mentoring and guiding technical teams.


Key Responsibilities

Architect and Design: Lead the design of cloud-native and hybrid architectures that meet business, security, and compliance requirements.
Strategy & Roadmap: Define and evolve the enterprise cloud strategy, standards, and best practices.


Leadership: Serve as a technical leader and advisor across multiple teams, influencing cloud adoption and modernization efforts.
Innovation: Evaluate emerging technologies and trends to drive continuous improvement and innovation.
Governance: Establish cloud governance frameworks, cost optimization strategies, and operational excellence.

Collaboration: Work closely with engineering, security, DevOps, and business stakeholders to deliver end-to-end solutions.
Mentorship: Coach and mentor architects, engineers, and developers on cloud best practices and architectural patterns.

Required Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field.
  • 10+ years of experience in IT, with at least 5 years in cloud architecture roles.
  • Deep expertise in one or more major cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP).
  • Strong knowledge of cloud security, networking, DevOps, and automation.
  • Experience with containerization (Docker, Kubernetes) and serverless architectures.
  • Proven track record of leading large-scale cloud transformation initiatives.
  • Excellent communication, leadership, and stakeholder management skills.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Cloud certifications (e.g., AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional, Azure Solutions Architect Expert, Google Cloud Professional Cloud Architect).
  • Experience with Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, ARM, CloudFormation).
  • Familiarity with multi-cloud and hybrid cloud environments.
  • Strong coding ability in languages such as Python, Go, Java, or similar, with the ability to contribute to infrastructure tooling, automation, or proof-of-concept development.
  • Background in regulated industries (e.g., finance, healthcare, government) is a plus

Salary Range:

$137,400 - 233,600 USD

Salary range is a good faith estimate of base pay. Northern Trust provides a comprehensive benefits package including retirement benefits (401k and pension), health and welfare benefits (medical, dental, vision, spending accounts and disability), paid time off, parental and caregiver leave, life & accident insurance, and other voluntary and well-being benefits. Northern Trust also provides a discretionary bonus program that may include an equity component.


Work Authorization


Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. without the need for employment-based visa sponsorship now or in the future. Northern Trust will not sponsor applicants for U.S. work visa status for this opportunity (no sponsorship is available for H-1B, L-1, TN, O-1, E-3, H-1B1, F-1, J-1, OPT, CPT or any other employment-based visa).


Working with Us


As a Northern Trust partner, you will be part of a flexible and collaborative work culture, which has a strong history of financial strength and stability. Movement within the organization is encouraged, senior leaders are accessible, and you can take pride in working for a company committed to an inclusive workplace and assisting the communities we serve.


Philanthropy is deeply rooted in Northern Trust’s history and is an essential element of our culture. Employees around the world give their time and talent to work for the greater good of their communities.


Reasonable Accommodation


Northern Trust is committed to working with and providing adjustments to individuals with health conditions and disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please email our HR Service Center at [email protected], or alternatively you can discuss your individual requirements with the recruiter you are working with.


Source: Northern Trust on Workday · View original posting (opens in new tab)

This range next to 6 other live Northern Trust roles with the nearest advertised base floor
Chart as a table
This range next to 6 other live Northern Trust roles with the nearest advertised base floor
RolePublished base
Principal Cloud Architect (this listing)$137,400 - $233,600
Cloud Data Platform Engineer$137,400 - $233,600
Specialist, Digital Transformation$137,400 - $233,600
Principal, Software Engineering$137,400 - $233,600
Spclst, Digital Transformation-Vice President$137,400 - $233,600
Manager, Transformation Performance and Finance$137,400 - $233,600
Information Architect$137,400 - $240,400

Same $100K to $400K scale as every card. All Northern Trust roles · How to read the bar

Observed changes

  1. First observed on the employer's board
  2. Began meeting the published-salary criteria
  3. Stopped meeting the published-salary criteria
  4. Began meeting the published-salary criteria
Observed since
Employer-stated posting date
2026-07-28
Where this pay comes from

Location as the employer wrote it: Chicago, IL

$137,400 - 233,600 USD

Method
Employer text, read with fixed rules and re-verified
Checked
Rule set
us-base-v2

The pay passage appears in the employer's own job text. Fixed, deterministic rules located it, and the passage below was checked against the stored copy of the posting.

What we verified

  • The pay figures come from the employer's own listing, quoted exactly above.
  • The pay is an annual base salary in US dollars with a minimum of at least $100,000.
  • The role was publicly listed on the employer's job board when last checked.

We do not verify what the employer will actually offer, whether the employer is still recruiting for the role, or anything beyond what the employer published. Full methodology.