Software Engineering Lead and Application Architect

Quick Facts

• Role: Software Engineering Lead and Application Architect

• Clearance: Active TS/SCI with Polygraph (must currently possess)

• Experience: 10+ years related experience; 5+ years leading teams; 3+ years application architecture/technical-lead authority

• Work setup: Onsite

Description

Lead end-to-end software engineering for mission and enterprise applications in classified environments. Own application architecture, secure development standards, full development lifecycle, and overall technical health of the application portfolio, including technical debt, code quality, integration patterns, and production readiness. Guide teams and engineering practices from requirements through design, delivery, and operational handoff.

Responsibilities

• Own application architecture principles, reference patterns, technology and coding standards, API/event patterns, UI practices, and architecture exception decisions.

• Lead software teams delivering web, backend, APIs, workflow, data-integrated, ServiceNow-adjacent, and AI-enabled mission capabilities.

• Establish repository/branching, code review, automated testing, dependency, security scanning, release, documentation, and definition-of-done standards.

• Translate approved requirements and acceptance criteria into solution designs, increments, technical backlogs, estimates, risks, and production-ready releases.

• Design integration and modernization approaches for legacy systems using adapters, APIs, events, strangler patterns, feature flags, and graceful degradation.

• Ensure applications meet identity/access, data classification, validation, audit/logging, error handling, accessibility/usability, resilience, and performance requirements.

• Partner with Platform/DevSecOps, Security, Data, AI, ServiceNow, Requirements, and Service Operations on lifecycle gates and operational handoff.

• Manage technical debt, architecture drift, defect trends, test coverage, vulnerability remediation, and performance/reliability improvements.

• Hire, lead, mentor, assign, review, and develop software personnel; manage performance and create progression paths.

• Brief government and program leadership on delivery status, technical risk, alternatives, product quality, and roadmap decisions.

Requirements

• Active TS/SCI with Polygraph clearance.

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field or approved equivalent experience.

• 12+ years of professional software development experience, including 5+ years leading teams and 3+ years in application architecture or technical-lead authority.

• Deep production experience in at least two enterprise language stacks (e.g., Python, Java, C#, .NET, TypeScript/JavaScript/Node, Go, C++).

• Strong experience with web/API architecture, relational and non-relational data, integration, authentication/authorization, testing, observability, and production operations.

• Experience establishing secure SDLC/DevSecOps with Git, peer review, automated testing, CI/CD, dependency/container scanning, artifact promotion, and release controls.

• Experience modernizing or integrating legacy enterprise systems under uptime, security, and compatibility constraints.

• Working knowledge of containers, Kubernetes/OpenShift, Azure/government cloud, internal artifact management, and disconnected development.

• Strong understanding of RMF/STIG, secure coding, data handling, auditability, vulnerability remediation, and production-readiness evidence.

• Demonstrated people leadership (hiring, delegation, mentoring, performance management, conflict resolution, cross-team delivery).

• Ability to brief government customers and translate mission outcomes into executable application plans.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, and 401(k) with company match.

• Paid time off and multiple leave types (including paid parental, military, and other coverage).

• Comprehensive disability, life, and supplemental insurance options.

• Flex work weeks where possible, plus wellness and competitive compensation.

• Growth support via an AI-powered career tool and an internal mobility team.