Remote Systems Architect Jobs in Chicago, IL (NOW HIRING)

Join ourteam at Helen of Troy and make animmediateimpacton our trusted brands:OXO,Hydro Flask,Osprey,Honeywell,PUR,Braun,Vicks,Hot Tools,Drybar,Curlsmith,Revlon, andOlive & June. Together, we build innovative and useful products that elevate people's lives everywhere, every day.

Look around your home, andyou'llfind us everywhere,in your kitchen, living room, bedroom, and bathroom. We are already making your everyday lives better. We are powered by knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and forward-thinking people committed to developing a culture of inclusion. Whether you are just starting your career or in need of a challenge, we recognize, develop, and empower talent!

Position: Manager, Systems Architecture

Department: IT

What you will be doing:

As Manager, Systems Architecture, you will serve as a key technical leader across our global Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) ecosystem, partnering closely with the Director, Systems Architecture to shape and execute our technology strategy. You'll lead the design and evolution of scalable, secure, and high-performing ecommerce solutions supporting iconic brands like Hydro Flask, OXO, Osprey, Drybar, Revlon, and more.

This role sits at the center of our digital platform-collaborating across backend, frontend, integration, DevOps, and analytics teams to ensure cohesive, future-ready architecture.

Architecture Leadership & Design

• Design and own end-to-end technical architecture across backend, frontend, integration, DevOps, and analytics layers

• Translate business requirements into technical specifications, architecture diagrams, and cohesive solution designs

• Produce and maintain clear architecture documentation (e.g., Confluence) to support engineering and business alignment

• Evaluate and recommend technology solutions and integration patterns

• Provide effort sizing and high-level estimation for architectural deliverables

• Ensure all solutions are scalable, secure, performant, and maintainable

Standards, Governance & Quality

• Lead architecture reviews across all DTC engineering teams

• Define, document, and enforce architectural standards, patterns, and guardrails

• Conduct code and design reviews to ensure architectural alignment and consistency

• Enforce best practices across backend, frontend, integration, DevOps, and analytics teams

• Identify, manage, and drive down technical debt while promoting long-term platform health

Cross-Team Collaboration & Delivery

• Partner closely with engineering managers, lead engineers, and cross-functional teams across the DTC ecosystem

• Resolve cross-cutting technical dependencies and design conflicts between teams

• Coordinate architectural decisions spanning multiple teams, systems, and product lines

• Represent the architecture function in project discovery, planning, and stakeholder communications

• Ensure architectural decisions support delivery timelines, budgets, and business goals

Platform Strategy & Innovation

• Contribute to and help shape the multi-year DTC technology roadmap

• Drive modernization initiatives, platform upgrades, and migration strategies

• Evaluate emerging technologies and recommend adoption where impactful

• Assess cost, risk, and ROI trade-offs for key architectural decisions

Operational Excellence

• Act as the architectural escalation point for complex, cross-team production and design issues

• Lead root cause analysis for incidents with architectural impact and implement systemic improvements to prevent recurrence

• Safeguard platform stability, scalability, and reliability across global ecommerce systems

Mentorship & Influence

• Mentor engineers and engineering managers on architectural thinking and design principles

• Coach and develop lead engineers into future architects

• Identify skill gaps and help build targeted training and development plans

• Foster a culture of technical excellence, collaboration, and continuous improvement across distributed teams

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related technical field

• 10+ years of software engineering experience, including 5+ years in solution or systems architecture

• 5+ years of experience architecting Adobe Commerce (Magento 2) or comparable enterprise ecommerce platforms

• 3+ years in a technical lead or engineering management role

• 3+ years designing cloud-based solutions on AWS (or similar) within Linux environments

• Proven experience leading architecture across cross-functional teams (backend, frontend, integration, DevOps, analytics)

• Strong programming background in modern languages (e.g., PHP, Python, Java, Node.js, JavaScript) and familiarity with frontend frameworks (React, Vue, or similar)

• Experience working with global, distributed engineering teams (onshore and offshore)

• Deep expertise in Adobe Commerce / Magento 2 architecture, customization, and extensibility

• Strong knowledge of integration patterns (REST, GraphQL, event-driven, ETL, middleware) across ERP, OMS, 3PL, marketing, and analytics platforms

• Proficiency in AWS cloud architecture (compute, networking, storage, security, observability) and DevOps practices (CI/CD, infrastructure as code)

• Experience designing for performance, scalability, and capacity in high-traffic ecommerce environments

• Strong database architecture expertise (MySQL/MariaDB, Redis, Elasticsearch/OpenSearch)

• Advanced understanding of object-oriented design, MVC, microservices, event-driven architecture, and modern design patterns

• Familiarity with observability/APM tools (e.g., New Relic, Datadog) and security standards (PCI, GDPR, CCPA) with a secure-by-design mindset

• Strong skills in creating technical diagrams (C4, UML, sequence) and producing architecture documentation and business-facing presentations

• Authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in a related field

• AWS Solutions Architect certification and/or Adobe Commerce (Magento) certification

The standard base pay range for this role is $130,000 - 175,000 annually. Actual salaries will vary based on several factors, including but not limited to location, experience, skill level, and performance. The range listed is just onecomponentof the total compensation package for employees.

Benefits:Salary + Bonus,Healthcare, Dental, Vision, Paid Holidays, Paid Parental Leave, 401(k) with company match, Basic Life Insurance, Short Term Disability (STD), Long Term Disability (LTD), Paid Time Off (PTO), Paid Charitable (volunteer) Leave, and Educational Assistance.

Wondering if you should apply? Helen of Troy welcomes people as diverse as our brands! Have the confidence tocome aswho you are because your point of view, skills, and experience will make us stronger. Ifyou'reeager to sharenew ideasand try new things, we want to hear from you.

#li-ab1

For more information about Helen of Troy, visit www.helenoftroy.com. You can also find us on LinkedIn, and Glassdoor.

Helen of Troy is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. We are committed to developing a diverse workforce and cultivating an inclusive environment. We value diversity and believe that we are strengthened by the differences in our experiences, thoughts, cultures, and backgrounds. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, genetic information, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other protected category under applicable federal, state, and local laws.

We will provide individuals with disabilities with reasonable accommodations to participate in the job application process. If you would like to request an accommodation, please contact Human Resources at (915) 225-8000.

Founded in 1968, Helen of Troy is a prominent player in the global consumer products industry, offering diverse career opportunities across North America, South America, Europe, and Asia. We boast a collection of renowned brands such as OXO, Hydro Flask, Osprey, Honeywell, PUR, Braun, Vicks, Hot Tools, Drybar, Curlsmith, Revlon, and Olive & June - many of which rank #1, #2, or #3 in their respective categories, making the Helen of Troy name synonymous with excellence and ingenuity.

At Helen of Troy, our strategy involves acquiring brands that we can integrate and enhance, amplifying their unique attributes to drive growth and profitability. Embracing a culture of collaboration internally and externally, we are committed to providing innovative solutions tailored to consumers, operational excellence, global scalability, and exceptional shared services to support our brand portfolio. This dedication to fostering development and success sets Helen of Troy apart as a pioneer in the industry, propelling our brands to unparalleled heights of success and recognition worldwide.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties required of personnel so classified. Management retains the right to add or to change duties of the position at any time.