Chief Architect

RESPONSIBILTIES

• Define and maintain the technical vision, reference architecture, architectural principles, and modernization roadmap for assigned Air Force programs

• Translate operational mission needs, capability objectives, and program priorities into coherent system-of-systems architectures and executable technical strategies

• Lead architecture development across mission systems, enterprise services, software applications, cloud environments, networks, cybersecurity, data, interfaces, and digital engineering toolchains

• Apply disciplined systems engineering throughout the lifecycle, including requirements development, functional analysis, architecture definition, interface management, integration, verification, validation, deployment, and sustainment

• Establish and govern technical baselines, architecture decision records, engineering standards, interface specifications, and reusable design patterns

• Promote model-based systems engineering and authoritative sources of truth that connect requirements, architecture, design, analysis, test evidence, and configuration data

• Guide the adoption and integration of digital engineering capabilities, including collaborative models, digital threads, digital twins, simulation environments, and automated engineering workflows

• Provide architectural leadership for secure software factories, DevSecOps pipelines, platform services, continuous integration, continuous delivery, automated testing, and continuous authorization practices

• Ensure software-factory and platform solutions align with Air Force enterprise services, approved cloud environments, cybersecurity requirements, and program-specific mission constraints

• Champion modular open systems approaches, well-defined interfaces, interoperability, portability, reuse, and avoidance of unnecessary vendor or platform lock-in

• Evaluate current-state systems and technical debt, identify gaps and constraints, and define practical transition plans toward target architectures

• Identify cross-program architectural dependencies, integration risks, and technical issues; establish mitigation strategies and drive resolution across organizational boundaries

• Review system designs, engineering artifacts, implementation plans, test strategies, and technical deliverables for consistency with approved architecture and program objectives

KEY QUALIFICATIONS

Clearance:Active TS/SCI

Education and Years of Experience:Bachelor’s Degree in systems engineering, software engineering, computer science, engineering management, or a related technical discipline and 15+ years of relevant experience

• Extensive experience supporting U.S. Air Force, Department of Defense, or other national-security programs involving complex mission systems

• Demonstrated success serving as a chief architect, lead architect, chief engineer, or senior technical authority for large, multi-team programs

• Deep knowledge of systems engineering principles and lifecycle processes, including requirements, architecture, interfaces, integration, verification, validation, configuration management, and technical risk management

• Experience developing and governing system, solution, platform, enterprise, or system-of-systems architectures

• Ability to connect mission and operational needs to technical architecture, program roadmaps, engineering priorities, and implementation decisions

• Experience with software-intensive systems, modern application architectures, APIs, microservices, event-driven integration, and cloud-native design patterns

• Strong understanding of software factories, DevSecOps, CI/CD, infrastructure as code, automated testing, artifact management, observability, and secure software supply chains

• Experience applying digital engineering or model-based systems engineering practices and integrating engineering tools into an authoritative digital environment

• Working knowledge of Department of Defense cybersecurity, risk management, authorization, Zero Trust, and secure cloud or classified-environment considerations

• Experience applying modular open systems approaches, interface standards, interoperability principles, and reuse strategies

• Proven ability to lead architectural trade studies, assess alternatives, resolve complex technical issues, and document defensible decisions

PREFERRED ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

• Advanced degree in systems engineering, software engineering, computer science, engineering management, or a related technical discipline

• Experience with Air Force acquisition programs, capability development, test and evaluation, operational transition, and sustainment

• Experience with DAF CloudWorks, Cloud One, Platform One, or comparable Department of Defense cloud and software-factory ecosystems

• Experience establishing or modernizing enterprise software factories, platform engineering capabilities, or digital engineering environments

• Familiarity with SysML, UML, DoDAF, UAF, MBSE platforms, requirements-management tools, modeling and simulation environments, or digital-thread integrations

• Knowledge of continuous ATO, automated compliance evidence, policy as code, software bills of materials, and secure supply-chain practices

• Familiarity with AI-assisted development and agentic workflows, including coding agents, MCP integrations, automated tests, and documentation, with human review and configuration control