Principal Architect - Active Top Secret required

Description

This Principal Architect role is a senior technical leadership position in IT Infrastructure and Operations, supporting a complex enterprise environment for a customer. You will set the technical direction for scalable, secure, and resilient solutions while keeping operations stable and guiding long-term modernization.

You will work with customer leadership, program managers, and engineering teams to define future-state architectures, assess emerging technologies, and steer technical delivery across the enterprise.

The company is a global technology and professional services firm with 26,000 staff in more than 50 countries. It serves major US government, defense, and intelligence agencies with work in AI, cloud, cyber, and software development. The role is full-time, 40 hours per week, onsite in Washington, DC.

Clearance: you must currently hold an active Top Secret clearance and be able to obtain Top Secret/SCI. No public trust or other clearance is required.

Responsibilities

• Build enterprise architecture strategies that match the customer's goals.
• Design solutions that are scalable, secure, and resilient.
• Lead architecture reviews and design sessions.
• Assess current environments and find where they can be improved.
• Define target architectures and the roadmaps to reach them.
• Evaluate technology options and recommend where to invest.
• Support technical decisions through analysis, prototypes, and proof-of-concept work.
• Identify technical debt and plan how to fix it.
• Lead the architecture side of modernization and transformation work.
• Work with engineering teams so the architecture is built as designed.
• Present technical recommendations to customer and program leadership.

Requirements

• Hold a bachelor's degree in computer science, information technology, engineering, or a related field. Equivalent experience may be used in place of the degree.
• Have at least 10 years of experience in enterprise architecture, systems engineering, or technical leadership, or 10+ years of related experience.
• Be a US citizen.
• Have expertise in enterprise architecture, infrastructure architecture, security architecture, and cloud and hybrid environments.
• Have experience writing architecture roadmaps and modernization strategies.
• Be a strong analytical and problem solver.
• Communicate clearly in writing and speech.
• Preferred: Azure or AWS Solution Architect certification.
• Preferred: active CISSP or CSSIP certification.
• Preferred: Microsoft Certified Windows Server Hybrid Administrator certification.
• Preferred: experience leading modernization initiatives.
• Preferred: experience with an enterprise architecture framework.

Conditions

Work is onsite in Washington, DC, with 40 scheduled hours per week.

Travel is required, at less than 10% of time.

Salary is likely to be between $165,750 and $224,250. The final figure depends on experience, geographic location, and possibly contract requirements, and may fall outside this range. It is not a guaranteed amount.

The hiring process includes an identity check using biometrics and AI. You must be on camera for virtual interviews, and your photo may be taken to verify identity. By continuing, you agree to the collection and use of your biometric data for identity verification and security.

The company is an equal opportunity employer that welcomes individuals with disabilities and protected veterans.

Benefits

• Medical plans, some with Health Savings Accounts, plus dental and vision coverage.
• 401(k) with company match, letting you contribute pre-tax and post-tax money up to IRS annual limits.
• Full flex work weeks where possible, and paid time off including vacation, sick and personal time, holidays, parental, military, bereavement, and jury duty leave.
• Disability coverage, life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance, personal accident, critical illness, and business travel accident insurance, provided or available.
• Competitive pay.
• An AI-powered career tool that suggests career steps and learning, and an internal mobility team to help you reach your goals.
• An award-winning culture of innovation and a military-friendly workplace.