Solutions Architect

ICF's IT Modernization division is seeking a hands-on Solutions Architect to support our work with the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Our division provides integrated technology and management consulting solutions to public- and private-sector clients. ICF has the expertise, agility, and commitment to design, build, and operate high-performance IT solutions that support critical client missions.

In this role, you will join a community of management consultants, mission-driven technologists, data scientists, innovation researchers, CIO strategists, and public health researchers and evaluators working to challenge the status quo and advance digital modernization for NIH.

General Description

The Solutions Architect will primarily perform technical governance reviews for the Digital Service Center (DSC), assessing application and platform architectures, integration designs, front-end implementations, code, data flows, delivery pipelines, cloud architecture, and operational readiness. This hands-on role will validate that delivered solutions align with documented designs and established standards, translate findings into actionable recommendations, and help teams use AI responsibly to accelerate the software development lifecycle. The ICF team works closely with clients and other contractors to improve the performance, reliability, security, and maintainability of public-facing, mission-critical applications.

This role is designed for a self-motivated, hands-on technical lead who can identify opportunities, build stakeholder alignment, and drive initiatives from concept through measurable results. The Solutions Architect will guide junior team members and coordinate small technical efforts while remaining directly accountable for individual deliverables such as governance assessments, solution designs, technical evaluations, proofs of concept, reference patterns, and implementation artifacts.

What you'll be doing (Responsibilities/Day to Day):

• Perform evidence-based technical governance reviews of applications and proposed changes, including architecture, code, integrations and dependencies, hosting and platform design, identity, data flows, delivery pipelines, operability, security, and Section 508 accessibility.

• Assess implementation evidence as well as architecture and design documentation, confirm that delivered solutions match approved approaches and standards, and document material findings, recommendations, owners, technical debt, and open waivers through closure.

• Review solution architectures for new capabilities and modernization initiatives, translating mission and business needs into clear architecture decisions, integration approaches, delivery guidance, and reusable technical patterns.

• Use AI-assisted development tools directly across the SDLC to accelerate analysis, requirements refinement, solution design, coding, testing, documentation, modernization, and troubleshooting while maintaining human review, security, quality, traceability, dependency and license provenance, and data protection.

• Turn governance findings into practical design standards, reference architectures, proofs of concept, prototypes, and reusable implementations that help delivery teams adopt known-good approaches.

• Evaluate technical platforms and solution options against mission fit, architecture compatibility, security, integration, scalability, usability, accessibility, implementation effort, total cost, vendor risk, and operational supportability; document recommendations and tradeoffs.

• Serve as a hands-on technical lead for small efforts by setting technical direction, organizing work, mentoring junior contributors, reviewing their deliverables, resolving blockers, and completing assigned architecture or engineering work directly. Present findings and recommendations to engineering teams, other contractors, and detail-oriented Federal stakeholders with clarity, evidence, and a collaborative approach.

Basic Requirements:

• 8+ of progressive experience in software engineering, solution architecture, or technical leadership, including building, deploying, and supporting production web applications

• BS in computer science or a related field, or equivalent experience

• US Citizen or Green Card Holder due to federal contract requirements.

• All of the work MUST BE PERFORMED in the United States (U.S.), as this work is for a federal contract, and laws do apply.

• Candidates must be able to obtain and maintain a Public Trust with the government.

• Candidate must reside in the U.S., be authorized to work in the U.S.

What you will bring:

• Hands-on experience designing and building full-stack solutions using modern frameworks such as React, Angular, and Node.js and languages such as Java, PHP, JavaScript/TypeScript, or Python

• Demonstrated ownership of solutions or major features from discovery and design through implementation, testing, deployment, and production support

• Hands-on use of AI-assisted development tools such as Claude Code, GitHub Copilot, Cursor, or comparable tools to improve multiple SDLC activities, with examples of delivered outcomes and lessons learned

• Experience performing technical governance, architecture, code, integration, or delivery reviews and translating findings into prioritized, actionable recommendations

• Experience serving as a hands-on technical lead who guides junior team members or a small technical team while also producing individual deliverables such as governance assessments, architecture designs, code, prototypes, technical evaluations, or implementation guidance

• Demonstrated ability to work independently, identify and frame technical initiatives, build stakeholder alignment, and drive work to completion

• Working knowledge of Git-based workflows, CI/CD, automated testing, web and API security fundamentals, cloud-native delivery practices, and Section 508 / WCAG accessibility

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, sound technical judgment, and the ability to explain solution choices and tradeoffs to both technical and nontechnical stakeholders

Preferred:

• Experience conducting structured evaluations of COTS, SaaS, cloud, low-code, data, integration, or developer platforms and recommending a solution based on documented criteria and tradeoffs

• Experience with the ServiceNow platform, including scoped application development (App Engine), Flow Designer, IntegrationHub and REST integrations, or ITSM/ITOM configuration, as much of DSC service delivery runs on ServiceNow

• Experience with cloud architecture in AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud and modern data lake, lakehouse, analytics, and AI/ML platforms such as Snowflake, Databricks, and AWS SageMaker Studio

• Experience with containerization, infrastructure as code, and orchestration technologies such as Docker, Kubernetes, and Terraform, as well as API and integration patterns including REST, GraphQL, and event-driven architectures

• Experience establishing reference architectures, design standards, or reusable patterns across multiple delivery teams

• Experience supporting HHS, NIH, or another federal health mission in a multi-contractor environment where recommendations require collaboration and stakeholder agreement

• Certifications (nice to have): cloud architecture or developer certifications from AWS, Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud; AI-focused certifications such as AWS Certified AI Practitioner, AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – Associate, or relevant vendor certifications for AI-assisted development tools

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Please note that this application must be submitted directly by the applicant for consideration. Failure to do so may result in the application being excluded for consideration.  Applicants needing an accommodation for disability or religious purposes in connection with the application process should contact [email protected] for assistance.

Working at ICF

Pay Range - There are multiple factors that are considered in determining final pay for a position, including, but not limited to, relevant work experience, skills, certifications and competencies that align to the specified role, geographic location, education and certifications as well as contract provisions regarding labor categories that are specific to the position.

The pay range for this position based on full-time employment is: