Application Architect

This position may be filled prior to the posted deadline.  Interested candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

Koniag Emerging Technologies, LLC a Koniag Government Services company, is seeking an Application Architect  with a Secret security clearance to support KET and our government customer in Washington, DC.

Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance, 401(k) retirement plan, paid time off, paid parental leave, life and disability insurance, flexible spending accounts, commuter benefits and tuition reimbursement.  

As an Application Architect, you will help define and drive enterprise application architecture strategy across a complex portfolio of systems, teams, and modernization initiatives. You will operate at the intersection of architecture, engineering, security, and delivery, ensuring applications are scalable, maintainable, secure, and aligned with enterprise standards and mission outcomes. You will guide modernization efforts, enforce architectural governance, and coordinate across multiple vendors, technical teams, and stakeholders. This role requires someone who can balance long-term architectural vision with practical execution, particularly in environments transitioning from legacy systems to open-source, cloud-native platforms.

Responsibilities:

• Design and oversee enterprise application architectures that align with Department of State IT strategy, security requirements, and interoperability standards.
• Develop technical roadmaps and reference architectures for new applications, ensuring scalability, maintainability, and compliance with federal and Department IT policies.
• Lead architectural reviews, establish standards, and enforce best practices and design patterns across development teams to ensure consistency, quality, and reduced technical debt.
• Collaborate with business stakeholders, Information System Security Officers (ISSOs), and program managers to translate mission requirements into scalable technical solutions.
• Enable DevSecOps practices through architecture that supports CI/CD automation, security validation, and infrastructure-as-code.
• Ensure architecture aligns with federal security and compliance requirements, including NIST, FedRAMP, FISMA, Zero Trust, MFA, secure SDLC, and Authority to Operate (ATO) support processes.
• Evaluate and recommend emerging technologies, cloud platforms, and integration patterns to modernize Department applications and support digital transformation initiatives.
• Conduct system integration analysis to ensure new applications interoperate effectively with existing Department systems (e.g., data exchanges, APIs, identity management).
• Guide the modernization of legacy, on-premises systems into modern, cloud-enabled applications.
• Mentor developers and engineers on architectural principles, coding standards, and secure SDLC practices.
• Produce and maintain architectural documentation, including interface diagrams, system diagrams, data flow models, and technical specifications, to support governance and audit requirements.
• Actively troubleshoot and resolve complex application and data issues, working hands-on with development and operations teams to diagnose root causes and implement effective fixes.
• Maintain a deep understanding of multiple technology stacks across UX, middle-tier, and database platforms.
• Maintain working knowledge of multiple software development methodologies, understanding the benefits and trade-offs of each.
• Engage in hands-on development, including writing scripts, steering and reviewing AI-generated code, building proofs of concept, and unblocking teams as needed.
• Treat AI as a core part of the engineering toolkit, incorporating coding assistants and agentic tooling into everyday workflows and promoting adoption across teams.

Required Skills/Experience:

• US Citizenship with a Secret clearance or higher.
• 15+ years of hands-on experience in application architecture, software engineering, or enterprise modernization initiatives.
• Of the required 15+ years, at least 12+ years must include hands-on coding experience with three or more of the following programming languages: .NET, client- and server-side JavaScript/TypeScript (Angular, Node.js, React), Python, Oracle PL/SQL, T-SQL, and PowerShell.
• 5+ years of experience with Azure DevOps for CI/CD pipeline automation, including authoring and maintaining YAML-based pipeline configurations.
• 5+ years of experience with static application security testing (SAST) tools such as Fortify (Micro Focus/OpenText Fortify) to identify and remediate code-level vulnerabilities as part of the secure SDLC process.
• 1–2+ years of hands-on experience incorporating AI coding assistants or agentic AI tooling into everyday development and architecture workflows.
• Proven experience leading application architecture across large-scale, distributed systems environments.
• Experience operating within SAFe or scaled Agile delivery environments.
• Experience with one or more of the following cloud platforms and container technologies: Azure, AWS, Docker, Kubernetes, and serverless architectures.

Preferred Skills/Experience:

• Strategic thinker with the ability to translate mission and business requirements into scalable architectures.
• Ability to influence technical direction across teams and stakeholders.
• Strong decision-making capabilities, balancing modernization goals with operational realities.
• Effective communication across engineering, architecture, security, and executive stakeholders.
• Experience contributing to or shaping enterprise architectural standards and reusable design patterns.
• Familiarity with multi-cloud or hybrid-cloud environments (e.g., Azure and AWS), beyond a single platform.
• Experience contributing to Authority to Operate (ATO) documentation or working directly with ISSOs on security control implementation.
• Working knowledge of Zero Trust principles and secure SDLC practices, with the ability to apply them in solution design.
• Experience integrating AI-assisted development tools (coding assistants, agentic tooling) into team workflows and coaching others on adoption.
• Demonstrated passion for technology, with ongoing awareness of emerging application development trends, cloud services, and modernization approaches across the software development lifecycle.
• Experience presenting technical recommendations to non-technical stakeholders or leadership.
• Exposure to federated identity management, API gateway design, or enterprise data exchange standards.

Position-Specific Experience:

• Experience supporting Department of State or other federal agency IT modernization programs.
• Familiarity with Department of State systems, data exchange standards, or identity management platforms.
• Familiarity with State-specific security, ATO, or interoperability requirements (e.g., FISMA, iMatrix, OpenNet).
• Experience collaborating with State Department ISSOs, program offices, or other stakeholders.

Required Certifications:

• Solutions Architect certification from a major cloud provider, such as:
• Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert
• AWS Certified Solutions Architect (Associate or Professional)

Preferred Trainings:

• Secure software development lifecycle (SDLC) training, such as OWASP or NIST SSDF-aligned courses
• Infrastructure-as-code / DevSecOps training

Our Equal Employment Opportunity Policy

The company is an equal opportunity employer. The company shall not discriminate against any employee or applicant because of race, color, religion, creed, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity (except where gender is a bona fide occupational qualification), national origin or ancestry, age, disability, citizenship, military/veteran status, marital status, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. We are committed to equal employment opportunity in all decisions related to employment, promotion, wages, benefits, and all other privileges, terms, and conditions of employment.

The company is dedicated to seeking all qualified applicants. If you require an accommodation to navigate or apply for a position on our website, please get in touch with Heaven Wood via e-mail at [email protected] or by calling 703-488-9377 to request accommodations.

Koniag Government Services (KGS) is an Alaska Native Owned corporation supporting the values and traditions of our native communities through an agile employee and corporate culture that delivers Enterprise Solutions, Professional Services and Operational Management to Federal Government Agencies. As a wholly owned subsidiary of Koniag, we apply our proven commercial solutions to a deep knowledge of Defense and Civilian missions to provide forward leaning technical, professional, and operational solutions. KGS enables successful mission outcomes for our customers through solution-oriented business partnerships and a commitment to exceptional service delivery. We ensure long-term success with a continuous improvement approach while balancing the collective interests of our customers, employees, and native communities. For more information, please visit www.koniag-gs.com.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled. Shareholder Preference in accordance with Public Law 88-352