Principal IT Architect (Operational Technology)

The Principal IT Architect for Operational Technology serves as a strategic technical and architectural authority for mission-critical operational technology platforms and environments. The role provides architectural leadership, operational insight, and cross-functional coordination across complex technology ecosystems where reliability, security, compliance, and business continuity are essential.

This role acts as a bridge between architecture, operations, cybersecurity, infrastructure, identity, network, vendor, and business teams, ensuring operational systems are designed, integrated, modernized, and supported in a manner that enables safe, reliable, and sustainable business operations.

The Principal Architect is expected to think beyond individual project delivery by developing platform roadmaps, reusable capabilities, architecture standards, and long-term technology strategies that reduce complexity, manage risk, and improve operational outcomes across the enterprise.

Essential Responsibilities

Architecture Strategy & Technology Leadership

• Provide Domain architectural leadership and technical expertise for mission-critical technology platforms operating in highly available, regulated, and operationally critical environments.
• Develop, communicate, and operationalize technology strategies that support reliable business operations while enabling modernization, cybersecurity, compliance, and long-term sustainability objectives.
• Create and maintain technology roadmaps that guide capability evolution, platform modernization, technical debt reduction, technology standardization, and operational sustainability.
• Lead and influence architecture and design discussions for complex technology initiatives spanning multiple platforms, domains, business functions, and stakeholder groups.
• Review and influence solution architectures to ensure alignment with enterprise strategy, architecture principles, technology roadmaps, cybersecurity requirements, and operational needs.
• Drive architecture governance processes that improve design quality, consistency, and long-term technology sustainability.
• Provide architectural leadership for integrations across operational platforms, enterprise applications, data platforms, cloud services, and external partners.
• Guide architecture decisions involving real-time and near real-time data exchange, event-driven architectures, telemetry, workflow automation, and complex system integrations.
• Define and promote integration patterns, architecture standards, and best practices that improve interoperability and reduce complexity across technology ecosystems.
• Guide architecture decisions involving identity management, access controls, trust boundaries, infrastructure security, network architecture, cybersecurity requirements, and secure operational access patterns.
• Identify and address architectural risks that may impact system reliability, cybersecurity posture, compliance obligations, operational effectiveness, or business continuity.
• Advocate for security-by-design principles and ensure appropriate risk management practices are incorporated throughout the solution lifecycle.
• Advocate for operational readiness, observability, supportability, and resiliency throughout the technology lifecycle.
• Ensure monitoring, alerting, logging, recovery, performance, and support requirements are incorporated into solution designs and validated before production deployment.
• Drive Domain architecture practices that improve system reliability, availability, maintainability, operational efficiency, and user experience.
• Lead collaboration across architecture, engineering, operations, cybersecurity, infrastructure, vendor, and business teams to resolve complex technology challenges.
• Influence enterprise-wide technology decisions through strategic thinking, technical expertise, relationship management, and practical leadership.
• Communicate architectural vision, tradeoffs, risks, and recommendations effectively to both technical and executive audiences.

• Bachelor’s degree in Technology, Science, Business or related field, or 4 years of experience equivalent to the position.
• Ten years of related functional experience.
• Excellent communication skills, effective with varying organizational levels and skill sets.
• Excellent Relationship Management and collaboration skills, with a track record of working as one team cross-organizationally to drive innovation and business results.
• Strong architecture acumen across multiple domains including network, infrastructure, software, hosting models, applications, data, mobile platforms, and security.
• Strong knowledge of core aspects of enterprise architecture (Software, Hardware, Network, Integration, Data, hosting models, platform types, etc.).
• In-depth expertise in at least two areas of: Architecture competency such as SOA, TOGAF, BPM, Data Analytics, standards & governance, or enterprise architecture frameworks.
• Expertise on future technology trends within area of expertise.
• Expertise in architectural review and technology lifecycle management disciplines.
• Experience in a leading role in project delivery & solutions architecture.
• Experience successfully owning and driving strategic roadmap planning, and simplifying technology eco-systems.

Preferred Requirements

• 5+ years of experience providing architectural leadership for real-time SCADA Systems
• Experience architecting operational technology, industrial control systems, real-time platforms, automation environments, or mission-critical operational systems.
• Experience in utilities, energy, manufacturing, oil and gas, transportation, telecommunications, industrial automation, data centers, or other critical infrastructure environments.
• Experience with OT platforms such as SCADA, ADMS, EMS, DEMS, DERMS, OMS, historian platforms, operational data platforms, or equivalent industrial and mission-critical systems.
• Experience with vendors or platforms such as Schneider Electric, GE, Siemens, OSI, Aveva, PI, or equivalent OT/industrial technology ecosystems.
• Prior involvement in major OT, industrial, or mission-critical system upgrades, modernization initiatives, cloud/data enablement efforts, or platform transformations.

Our Employee Commitments

• Work that makes a difference
• A team you can count of
• Opportunities to grow
• Rewards that help you thrive

Xcel Energy provides job applicants reasonable accommodations for disabilities throughout the application process. If you are in need of an accommodation to complete the application process, now or at any time in the future, please complete the Applicant Accommodation Request Form (https://forms.cloud.microsoft/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=g6WyJAVcaku06U4S3AAlrVld9SFTyvlNkqxgjYWAK9xUQ1JIS1JUSjg3TkNXU1hVU01PS1pVSEVDNSQlQCN0PWcu&route=shorturl) .

Non-Bargaining

The anticipated starting base pay for this position is: $156,100.00 to $195,000.00 per year

This position is eligible for the following benefits: Annual Incentive Program, Medical/Pharmacy Plan, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Dependent Care Reimbursement Account, Health Care Reimbursement Account, Health Savings Account (HSA) (if enrolled in eligible health plan), Limited-Purpose FSA (if enrolled in eligible health plan and HSA), Transportation Reimbursement Account, Short-term disability (STD), Long-term disability (LTD), Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Fitness Center Reimbursement (if enrolled in eligible health plan), Tuition reimbursement, Transit programs, Employee recognition program, Pension, 401(k) plan, Paid time off (PTO), Holidays, Volunteer Paid Time Off (VPTO), Parental Leave

Benefit plans are subject to change and Xcel Energy has the right to end, suspend, or amend any of its plans, at any time, in whole or in part.

In any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information including but not limited to dates of school attendance and graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.

Xcel Energy (NASDAQ: XEL) is a leading energy provider and Fortune 500 company, dedicated to serving millions of electricity and natural gas customers across eight states: Minnesota, Colorado, Wisconsin, Michigan, North Dakota, South Dakota, New Mexico and Texas. We make energy work better for our customers, helping them thrive every day. That means always raising the bar - delivering better service and providing more reliable, resilient, and sustainable energy.

Xcel Energy is a place where you’ll have opportunities to grow, expand your skills, and help lead the clean energy transition. We offer meaningful rewards, recognition, and support to help you build your career and make an impact - both on the job and beyond. Most importantly, it means you’ll be joining a company that knows employees are the driving force behind its success and is committed to helping you be your best.

Xcel Energy supports a hybrid work model to enable collaboration and flexibility. Many roles are expected to work onsite three days per week (Tuesday-Thursday); however, work location expectations vary based on role, team, and business needs.