Cloud Infrastructure Architect, Level 3

Cloud Infrastructure Architect, Level 3 (SE3) – TS/SCI w/ Poly

Location: Columbia, MD Compensation Range: $182,000 – $222,000 (annualized USD)
Clearance Required: Must be a U.S. citizen with an active TS/SCI security clearance with polygraph

We are seeking a senior Cloud Infrastructure Architect (SE3) to lead the transformation of a complex, legacy development environment into a modern, cloud-native platform
—while ensuring continuity of operations throughout the transition. In this role, you will define the technical vision, architecture strategy, and reusable patterns that enable teams to adopt cloud capabilities where they provide clear value, while supporting hybrid and on-premise solutions when required.

This position is designed for architects who have led large-scale infrastructure modernization efforts, understand the realities of legacy systems, and can balance long-term architectural strategy with immediate delivery needs. You will serve as a technical authority, trusted advisor, and hands-on architect driving scalable, secure, and developer-friendly cloud infrastructure.

• Lead cloud architecture strategy by defining technical roadmaps, reference architectures, and reusable design patterns.

• Develop high-impact pilot solutions and standardized templates that accelerate cloud adoption while supporting hybrid infrastructure models.

• Architect end-to-end solutions for complex services, including large-scale data storage, cloud migration, and integration between legacy and cloud-native systems.

• Design solutions that improve scalability, performance, and reliability while maintaining required security controls.

• Conduct deep technical assessments of existing infrastructure, documenting dependencies, risks, and modernization opportunities.

• Build prioritization frameworks based on lifecycle status, operational impact, cost efficiency, and user experience.

• Partner with cloud professional services teams and internal stakeholders to validate architectures and ensure production readiness.

• Design modern developer workflows and user experiences, including unified authentication, access patterns, and support for large-scale datasets.

• Communicate architectural decisions clearly to engineering teams, security stakeholders, and executive leadership.

• Champion best practices that improve developer productivity, platform reliability, and long-term sustainability.

• Deep systems engineering expertise
  , including hands-on experience building, operating, and modernizing complex enterprise infrastructure.

• Extensive production cloud architecture experience
  , preferably with AWS
  , including VPC design, compute, storage tiers, and security controls.

• Proven leadership in infrastructure modernization or large-scale cloud migration initiatives.

• Strong understanding of cloud economics, trade-offs, and cost/performance optimization.

• Ability to design pragmatic migration paths that maintain availability during transformation.

• Exceptional technical communication and stakeholder management skills.

• Proven ability to influence technical direction and build consensus across diverse teams.

• Strong documentation skills for architectural decisions, standards, and governance.

Success in this role requires:

• Service mindset: Infrastructure decisions prioritize user and operational needs.

• Collaboration over heroics: Progress through communication, iteration, and shared ownership.

• Pragmatic execution: Balance long-term architecture with near-term impact.

• Design for optionality: Enable hybrid approaches and flexible adoption models.

• Team cultivation: Share knowledge generously and elevate those around you.

• Iterative delivery: Favor rapid prototyping, tight feedback loops, and incremental wins.

• Experience supporting development platforms in restricted or highly regulated environments.

• Background working closely with software engineers or platform teams.

• Familiarity with security-driven cloud deployment processes and compliance workflows.

• Experience with
  Fin Ops or cloud cost-optimization practices.

• Track record of making data-driven decisions about when cloud adoption provides true value.