Chief Systems Architect
Leidos
full-time
Posted on:
Location Type: Office
Location: Gaithersburg • Arizona, Colorado, Maryland, Montana, Virginia • 🇺🇸 United States
Visit company websiteSalary
💰 $126,100 - $227,950 per year
Job Level
Lead
Tech Stack
AWSAzureCloudCyber SecurityPMP
About the role
- Serve as the lead architect for a primary task order
- Provide architectural guidance and alignment across the broader program to ensure consistency
- Serve as the principal systems architect and strategic technical advisor on all matters related to enterprise systems design, cloud integration, and architecture modernization
- Lead the development and evolution of architectural frameworks and system-of-systems designs aligned with the NGA long-term GEOINT strategies
- Function as a people manager with responsibility for performance management, professional development, mentorship, and career path development
- Conduct regular 1:1s, biannual performance check-ins, and professional development planning with direct reports
- Provide authoritative recommendations on technology integration, standards adoption, and data flow optimization
- Collaborate with Product Managers, Release Train Engineers (RTEs), and cross-functional scrum teams to translate business needs into technical solutions
- Guide technical decision-making across geographically dispersed teams
- Conduct architecture reviews and provide governance to ensure solutions are compliant with federal enterprise architecture frameworks, cybersecurity mandates and cloud adoption strategies
- Define, update, and validate architectural patterns and interface specifications for enterprise-level systems
- Drive cloud-native solution strategies including containerization, and continuous integration/continuous delivery/deployment (CI/CD) pipelines in secure environments
- Analyze and evaluate emerging technologies to inform future-state architecture and capability roadmaps
- Represent Leidos and the Chinook Program in high-level technical exchanges, reviews, and governance boards with NGA and IC stakeholders
- Drive user-facing front-end development and back-end infrastructure that integrates with existing customer systems and end user mission requirements
Requirements
- US citizenship is required per contract
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Technology, or related discipline and 12-15 years of prior relevant experience or Master’s with 10-13 years of prior relevant experience
- Top Secret with the ability to obtain SCI, as well as a Polygraph
- 10+ years of progressive experience in systems architecture, software development, solution engineering, or enterprise information technology (IT)
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills
- Proven experience designing, implementing, and managing complex, mission-critical enterprise architectures with the IC
- Deep expertise in cloud architecture (AWS/C2S/IC GovCloud), data integration, and secure multi-domain systems
- Experience working with geographically dispersed Agile teams and participating in SAFe ceremonies (e.g., PI Planning Events, System Demos)
- Familiarity with GEOINT data, NGA tools, infrastructure, and tradecraft
- Exceptional communication and stakeholder engagement skills
- Knowledge of cybersecurity frameworks (e.g., NIST 800-53), zero-trust architectures, and cloud security principles
- Certifications such as The Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF), AWS Certified Solutions Architect, Google Professional Cloud Architect, Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert, Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP), Project Management Professional (PMP), or Red Hat Certified Architect (RHCA)
Benefits
- Health and Wellness programs
- Income Protection
- Paid Leave
- Retirement
Applicant Tracking System Keywords
Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.
Hard skills
systems architecturecloud architecturedata integrationcontainerizationCI/CD pipelinesenterprise systems designarchitecture modernizationtechnical decision-makingsoftware developmentsolution engineering
Soft skills
interpersonal skillscommunication skillsperformance managementmentorshipstakeholder engagementprofessional developmentcollaborationleadershiporganizational skillstechnical guidance
Certifications
TOGAFAWS Certified Solutions ArchitectGoogle Professional Cloud ArchitectMicrosoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect ExpertCISSPCCSPPMPRHCA