IT Solutions Architect 5

The Solutions Architect is responsible for designing, guiding, and advancing enterprise solutions across Windows infrastructure, Microsoft Azure, and Amazon Web Services. This role works across on-premises and cloud environments to translate business and technical requirements into secure, scalable, supportable, and cost-conscious architecture decisions.

This position requires strong technical depth in Windows systems and cloud platforms, along with the ability to influence decisions, partner across teams, and help move solutions from concept through implementation and operational support. The architect will contribute to platform strategy, modernization efforts, standards development, solution reviews, and technology evaluations, while also mentoring engineers and helping improve infrastructure practices.

• Increase Organizational Scale & Launch Rate
• Be the premier launch provider for United States Government
• Drive down organizational costs
• Design and guide infrastructure and cloud solutions across Windows Server platforms, Azure, and AWS.
• Translate business requirements into secure, scalable, reliable, and supportable architecture designs.
• Partner with infrastructure, security, network, application, and operations teams to develop end-to-end technical solutions.
• Lead or contribute to architecture reviews, design sessions, technical standards, and implementation planning.
• Evaluate current-state environments and recommend improvements for resiliency, performance, security, supportability, and cost optimization.
• Support hybrid-cloud and multicloud architectures integrating on-premises systems with Azure and AWS services.
• Create and maintain architecture diagrams, design documentation, standards, and technical decision records.
• Drive infrastructure patterns for automation, standardization, and operational maturity.
• Mentor engineers and provide technical guidance across implementation, troubleshooting, and production support.
• Participate in technology evaluations and recommend tools, platforms, and architectural direction.
• Collaborate with operations teams to ensure solutions are deployable, monitorable, maintainable, and supportable.
• Identify technical debt, architectural risks, and lifecycle concerns, and recommend practical remediation strategies.

Minimum of 8 years of related work experience, * Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. * Extensive experience with enterprise Windows environments, including server platforms, architecture, administration concepts, and core Microsoft infrastructure services. * Strong knowledge of AWS Services and Microsoft Azure services related to compute, networking, storage, monitoring, and identity, with experience in hybrid infrastructure integrating on-premises systems with cloud services. * Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to explain technical concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences, along with strong collaboration skills across infrastructure, security, network, application, engineering, operations, and business stakeholders. * Proven consulting mindset with the ability to listen well, ask good questions, and translate needs into practical solutions. * Experience producing architecture documentation, technical standards, diagrams, and implementation guidance. * Hands-on experience with automation and scripting using tools or languages such as PowerShell, Python, Bash, Terraform, or Ansible. * Familiarity with monitoring, logging, backup, disaster recovery, patching, and operational readiness considerations. * Ability to assess architectural tradeoffs involving cost, complexity, security, and operational impact, and to balance strategic thinking with practical implementation realities. * Ability to influence technical direction without relying solely on formal authority, with professional presence and the ability to handle disagreement constructively. * Consistent ownership, follow-through, accountability, and sound judgment in complex technical environments. * Solid understanding of infrastructure design principles including scalability, resiliency, recoverability, supportability, and performance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Background in enterprise environments spanning both Windows and Linux infrastructure.
• Proven support of operational cloud workloads in production environments.
• Involvement in infrastructure modernization, cloud migration, or platform transformation initiatives.
• Hands-on work with infrastructure as code, configuration management, or platform automation at scale.
• Knowledge of identity, access, monitoring, and security controls across Azure and AWS.
• Participation in governance, standards, or architecture review boards.
• Demonstrated mentoring of senior engineers or delivery of technical leadership across teams.
• Exposure to regulated, security-sensitive, or mission-critical environments.
• Possession of relevant certifications such as Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert, Azure Administrator Associate, or AWS Certified Solutions Architect.
• Design experience with landing zones, networking patterns, and governance controls in Azure and AWS.
• Expertise in Windows-based identity and access services within hybrid environments.
• Proficiency in infrastructure automation using PowerShell, Terraform, Ansible, or Python.
• Understanding of virtualization, backup and recovery, monitoring platforms, and enterprise systems management.
• Awareness of cloud cost optimization, resource standardization, and operational design principles.
• Familiarity with containers, Kubernetes, or platform engineering patterns where applicable.
• Capability to perform cross-cloud comparisons and service mapping between Azure and AWS.
• Capacity to drive clarity in ambiguous or complex technical situations.
• Strong coaching mindset with a willingness to mentor engineers and developing architects.
• Skill in challenging assumptions respectfully to improve design quality through thoughtful review.
• Collaborative approach with operations teams to ensure solutions are both well-designed and operationally supportable.
• Composure and credibility during escalations, design debates, and implementation risk discussions.
• Consistent ability to build trust through technical depth, humility, and reliability.

$158,462.00 - $264,104.00 paid time off, 401(k), We offer our employees competitive pay and benefits including:

• 401(k) match plus an additional employer contribution
• Discretionary annual incentive bonus for eligible employees
• Generous paid time off
• Flexible work environments

Additionally, most salaried ULA team members work a "9/80 schedule," meaning they enjoy every other Friday off.

Benefits and work schedules may vary for union-represented hourly positions and are described in the applicable collective bargaining agreement.

ULA is a participant in the federal E-Verify Program. Posters in PDF format pertaining to this program can be accessed by clicking on the links identified below. E-Verify Participation poster (English / Spanish) and Right to Work Poster (English / Spanish).