Solution Architect - FEMA ITSA

Description What You'll Get To Do as a Solutions Architect: We are seeking a senior Solution Architect to lead the technical assessment of a large federal IT application portfolio. You will evaluate systems across hosting, integration, cost, cybersecurity, and AI readiness, then translate findings into defensible modernization dispositions (retain, rehost, replatform, reengineer, replace, consolidate, or retire) and a prioritized roadmap that agency leadership can act on. This is a hands-on, client-facing role on an enterprise IT assessment engagement, with opportunities to support follow-on modernization and implementation work.

• Develop system-specific modernization recommendations (retain, rehost, replatform, reengineer, replace, consolidate, retire) supported by clear analysis and rationale.
• Document the benefits, risks, dependencies, estimated complexity, cost implications, mission impact, and implementation considerations for each recommendation.
• Recommend priority and sequencing of modernization initiatives and contribute to the portfolio-level disposition roadmap.
• Build migration, archival, and decommissioning considerations into retirement and consolidation recommendations.
• Evaluate hosting models (cloud, on-premises, hybrid, vendor-hosted, SaaS), infrastructure, and major platform dependencies.
• Assess scalability, availability, resiliency, performance limits, and environment complexity, including behavior during surge operations.
• Review data storage architecture, backup, continuity of operations, and disaster recovery posture.
• Assess the maturity of DevSecOps, CI/CD, and modern deployment and operations practices, and judge the fitness of current hosting for future mission needs.
• Map upstream and downstream dependencies, data exchanges, interfaces, and external stakeholder integrations.
• Assess API availability and maturity and identify opportunities to improve interoperability through secure APIs, shared services, and data mesh patterns.
• Identify manual workarounds, duplicative data entry, tightly coupled or undocumented dependencies, and data standards and quality issues.
• Analyze the downstream impact of modernizing or retiring a system on dependent systems and stakeholders.
• Analyze operations and maintenance, DME, licensing, hosting, and contractor support costs; identify cost drivers, trends, and unit costs where feasible.
• Identify cost-reduction, consolidation, and shared-service opportunities and the financial risks of continued sustainment.
• Factor ATO status, identity and access management posture, and legacy or unsupported technology risk into architecture recommendations.
• Evaluate existing automation, analytics, and AI capabilities and the system constraints that limit their adoption.
• Help develop the assessment methodology, scoring model, rationalization categories, disposition criteria, and prioritization model.
• Help establish and validate the master application and system inventory and collect architecture artifacts, cost data, and operational metrics.
• Conduct technical interviews, workshops, and questionnaires with system owners, IT operations, and mission users at headquarters and in the field.
• Document assumptions, constraints, information gaps, and confidence levels, and validate findings with client stakeholders. Requirements
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• 15 or more years of progressive IT experience, including significant time as a solution or systems architect on enterprise-scale systems.
• Demonstrated experience assessing legacy applications and developing modernization or cloud migration strategies (e.g., the 7 Rs of migration).
• Deep knowledge of cloud (AWS, Azure, and/or Google Cloud), hybrid, and on-premises architectures, including resiliency, continuity, and disaster recovery design.
• Hands-on experience with system integration, APIs, middleware, and enterprise data exchange patterns.
• Experience with application portfolio rationalization and IT cost and TCO analysis.
• Strong interviewing, facilitation, and technical writing skills, with the ability to brief senior executives. Preferred Qualifications
• Experience supporting federal civilian agencies, ideally DHS components.
• Familiarity with OMB Circulars A-130 and A-11, FITARA, FISMA, FedRAMP, and federal enterprise architecture and IT governance practices.
• Certifications such as AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional, Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert, Google Professional Cloud Architect, TOGAF, or PMP.
• Experience with grants, case management, financial, or emergency and mission-critical operational systems. Security and Eligibility Requirements
• Must be a U.S. Citizen
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a favorably adjudicated Public Trust suitability determination (Tier 2 or Tier 4, depending on position risk designation) prior to start.
• Must complete required federal security, privacy, and insider threat awareness training within the client's required timeframes and recertify annually.
• Work is performed primarily from company facilities or remotely, with periodic travel to Government facilities in the Washington, DC metropolitan area and northern Virginia.