General Information
Location
Cary, North Carolina
Alternative Location(s)
- Posting Location: Cary, North Carolina
Working Schedule
Full-Time
Work Arrangement
Hybrid
Travel Required
10%
Relocation Assistance Available
No
Posted Date
21-Apr-2026
Job ID
16822
Description and Requirements
The Opportunity
The Lead Architect is responsible for driving technology lifecycle modernization through DevOps, data, and AI-enabled solutions across the enterprise. Guided by our purpose—always with you, building a more confident future—and MetLife’s New Frontier strategy, this role plays a critical part in ensuring platforms remain current, secure, scalable, and aligned with risk and lifecycle standards. This is an exciting opportunity to lead high-impact initiatives that modernize application platforms through automation, standardized tooling, and intelligent capabilities. You’ll partner closely with engineering, architecture, and platform leaders to influence how modern DevOps and AI-driven approaches are adopted at scale, improving operational stability and long-term sustainability across MetLife.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead enterprise DevOps and platform modernization initiatives that improve technology currency, reliability, and scalability.
- Create automated CI/CD pipelines, infrastructure-as-code solutions, and AI-enabled capabilities to support application teams.
- Oversee integration of secure, compliant, and observable solutions across development and production environments.
- Develop standards, patterns, and best practices while providing technical guidance to engineering teams.
- Collaborate with architecture, engineering, and platform stakeholders to ensure consistent adoption of modern technologies.
Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Engineering, or related discipline, or equivalent practical experience.
5 + years of experience in DevOps, platform engineering, software engineering, or related roles.
Demonstrated experience working with database technologies (relational and/or NoSQL).
Experience supporting or developing AI. This can include AI‑enabled agents, intelligent automation, or AI‑driven systems.
Strong understanding of operating systems, networking, and security fundamentals.
Preferred Qualifications
Hands‑on experience in custom software development within a cloud‑based DevOps environment, including familiarity with CI/CD automation.
Experience implementing data quality checks, validation frameworks, lineage, and governance controls in regulated environments.
Hands‑on experience designing and operating data solutions on cloud platforms (preferably Azure), including storage, compute, and networking fundamentals.
Familiarity with Enterprise Risk Management, Compliance, Internal Audit, or other GRC domains.
Experience within Financial Services or a global insurance organization.
Location Expectation: This is a hybrid role** requiring a minimum of 3 days per week **in office.
The expected salary range for this position is $105,400 - $150,000. This role may also be eligible for annual short-term incentive compensation. All incentives and benefits are subject to the applicable plan terms.
Benefits We Offer
Our U.S. benefits address holistic well-being with programs for physical and mental health, financial wellness, and support for families. We offer a comprehensive health plan that includes medical/prescription drug and vision, dental insurance, and no-cost short- and long-term disability. We also provide company-paid life insurance and legal services, a retirement pension funded entirely by MetLife and 401(k) with employer matching, group discounts on voluntary insurance products including auto and home, pet, critical illness, hospital indemnity, and accident insurance, as well as Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and digital mental health programs, parental leave, paid time off, paid holidays, volunteer time off, tuition assistance and much more!
** **
About MetLife
Recognized on Fortune magazine's list of the "World's Most Admired Companies", Fortune World’s 25 Best Workplaces™, as well as the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For®, MetLife, through its subsidiaries and affiliates, is one of the world’s leading financial services companies; providing insurance, annuities, employee benefits and asset management to individual and institutional customers. With operations in more than 40 markets, we hold leading positions in the United States, Latin America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
Our purpose is simple - to help our colleagues, customers, communities, and the world at large create a more confident future. United by purpose and guided by our core values - Win Together, Do the Right Thing, Deliver Impact Over Activity, and Think Ahead - we’re inspired to transform the next century in financial services. At MetLife, it’s #AllTogetherPossible. Join us!
MetLife is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All employment decisions are made without regards to race, color, national origin, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, marital or domestic/civil partnership status, genetic information, citizenship status (although applicants and employees must be legally authorized to work in the United States), uniformed service member or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law (“protected characteristics”).
_If you need an accommodation due to a disability, please email us at accommodations@metlife.com. This information will be held in confidence and used only to determine an appropriate accommodation for the application process.
MetLife maintains a drug-free workplace._
$105,400 - $150,000