Principal Architect — Distributed Systems & Secure AI

ADOBE - Enterprise Customer Experience Platform Principal Architect - Distributed Systems • Agentic AI • Security • Privacy • Governance San Jose, CA (Hybrid, min. 3-4 days/ week onsite) · Level: Principal · Full-time Summary At A dobe , we are building enterprise-grade Agentic - AI systems that automate large-scale data access and workflow execution for business processes. These systems not only embody foundational enterprise security and privacy considerations but also provide robust and safet y-preserving capabilities in the emerging world of agent identity, delegated access control and human-i n-the-loop execution models. This is a multi -fluency role: you need the distributed systems and Agentic - AI depth to architect how agents reason, plan, and act at scale, and the security-and-compliance mechanisms that manage safe and trustworthy execution. You will partner with engineering, product, legal/privacy, and security leadership to turn fast-moving agentic AI capabilities into a governed, enterprise-ready platform . Key Responsibilities Agentic AI Architecture Define and drive the end-to-end reference architecture for how AI agents are authenticate d and authorized to access enterprise data, tools, and systems across Adobe's Customer Experience Platform — covering agent lifecycle management, interaction protocols, memory/context handling, and action-execution frameworks. Evaluate and select frameworks, protocols, and platforms (e.g., agentic orchestration frameworks, MCP-style tool systems, policy engines such as OPA/Cedar-class authorization) that best support secure, governed multi-agent systems at Adobe's scale. Security, Compliance & Privacy by Design Own the security architecture for agent-to-system and agent-to-agent interactions: identity and workload authentication, least-privilege authorization, secrets and credential mediation, network egress controls, runtime isolation, and telemetry/audit evidence sufficient to satisfy internal audit and external regulators. Embed privacy-by-design and compliance requirements (data governance, consent, data residency, retention) directly into the agent architecture rather than bolting them on after the fact; partner with Legal/Privacy to keep architecture decisions ahead of regulatory expectations for autonomous AI systems. Cross-Organizational Leadership & Standards Lead architectural reviews and set standards for scalability, resiliency, observability, and cost efficiency — with security and compliance treated as first-class, non-negotiable design constraints rather than downstream signoffs . Contribute to or lead an Architecture Review Board function for agentic AI, ensuring new capabilities are evaluated consistently against Adobe's governance bar before they ship. Technical Leadership, Mentorship & Evangelism Serve as Adobe's senior technical authority and encouraging leader on secure agentic AI architecture . Mentor senior engineers and architects. Elevate security and privacy proficiency across the broader engineering organization. Create and maintain architecture documentation, decision records, and threat models that are equally useful to implementation teams and to senior leadership. Executive & Customer Engagement Represent Adobe's agentic AI security and governance posture to executive leadership , enterprise customers, and — where relevant — regulators and standards bodies, with clear, bounded claims about maturity, open risks, and the evidence required before broader rollout. Provide thought leadership across the organization where agentic AI access governance is heading, and shape Adobe's roadmap accordingly. Basic Qualifications 20+ years of experience in software engineering or security architecture, with a strong focus on distributed systems, platform engineering, and enterprise-scale access control. Deep understanding of agentic AI architecture patterns : agent orchestration, tool/function calling, reasoning and planning loops, and multi-agent coordination, along with the risks specific to each. Expert-level knowledge of identity and access management, authorization models, and credential/secrets management (e.g., OAuth/OIDC, SAML, workload identity, policy-as-code approaches such as OPA/Rego or Cedar-class engines). Demonstrated ability to lead ambiguous initiatives involving multiple functions across security, product, legal/privacy, and infrastructure teams, and to influence org-wide standards without direct authority. Preferred Qualifications Practical experience with agent-lifecycle governance , including audit evidence generation and anomaly/incident response for autonomous systems. Familiarity with privacy and compliance frameworks relevant to AI systems (e.g., data residency, consent management , and sectoral regulatory expectations for automated decision-making). Experience building or governing developer platforms , cloud-native services, or streaming data platforms (e.g., Kafka, Spark) at enterprise scale. Advanced degree (M.S. or Ph.D.) in Computer Science, Security, or related technical field. Experience standing up or contributing to an enterprise Architecture Review Board or equivalent governance function. Success Profile Strong systems thinker who can simplify genuinely hard problems — you make governance transparent without making it burdensome . Comfortable operating at both hands-on technical depth and strategic, executive-facing leadership. High ownership, high bias for execution, and a track record of turning a working draft into a production-grade, adopted standard. Why This Role Is Different Most “agentic AI architect” roles ask you to build agent capability. Most “security architect” roles ask you to review someone else's designs and implementations . This role asks you to do both at once, for one of the largest enterprise software platforms in the world — defining not just what Adobe's agents can do, but proving, to auditors and customers alike, that what they do is safe, governed and trustworthy. You will shape the security standard for enterprise Agentic AI solutions that other companies benchmark against, not just implement one. About Adobe Adobe empowers everyone to create through innovative platforms and tools that unleash creativity, productivity and personalized customer experiences. Adobe’s industry-leading offerings including Adobe Acrobat Studio, Adobe Express, Adobe Firefly, Creative Cloud, Adobe Experience Platform, Adobe Experience Manager, and GenStudio enable people and businesses to turn ideas into impact, powered by AI and driven by human ingenuity. Our 30,000+ employees worldwide are creating the future and raising the bar as we drive the next decade of growth. We’re on a mission to hire the very best and believe in creating a company culture where all employees are empowered to make an impact. At Adobe, we believe that great ideas can come from anywhere in the organization. The next big idea could be yours. Let’s Adobe together At Adobe, we believe in creating a company culture where all employees are empowered to make an impact. Learn more about Adobe life, including our values and culture , focus on people, purpose and community , Adobe for All , comprehensive benefits programs , the stories we tell , the customers we serve, and how you can help us advance our mission of empowering everyone to create. Adobe is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based on gender, race or color, ethnicity or national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. Learn more. Adobe aims to make our Careers website and recruiting process accessible to any and all users. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation to navigate our website or complete the application process, email or call +1 408-536-3015. AI Use Guidelines for Interviews: Our interviews are designed to reflect your own skills and thinking. The use of AI or recording tools during live interviews is not permitted unless explicitly invited by the interviewer or approved in advance as part of a reasonable accommodation. If these tools are used inappropriately or in a way that misrepresents your work, your application may not move forward in the process. At Adobe, we empower employees to innovate with AI — and we look for candidates eager to do the same. As part of the hiring experience, we provide clear guidance on where AI is encouraged during the process and where it’s restricted during live interviews. See how we think about AI in the hiring experience . Expected Pay Range: Our compensation reflects the cost of labor across several U.S. geographic markets, and we pay differently based on those defined markets. The U.S. pay range for this position is $190,200 -- $360,500 annually. Pay within this range varies by work location and may also depend on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for the job location during the hiring process. In California, the pay range for this position is $248,900 - $360,500 At Adobe, for sales roles starting salaries are expressed as total target compensation (TTC = base + commission), and short-term incentives are in the form of sales commission plans. Non-sales roles starting salaries are expressed as base salary and short-term incentives are in the form of the Annual Incentive Plan (AIP). In addition, certain roles may be eligible for long-term incentives in the form of a new hire equity award. State-Specific Notices: California : Fair Chance Ordinances Adobe will consider qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records for employment in accordance with state and local laws and “fair chance” ordinances. Colorado: Application Window Notice There is no deadline to apply to this job posting because Adobe accepts applications for this role on an ongoing basis. The posting will remain open based on hiring needs and position availability. Massachusetts: Massachusetts Legal Notice It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.