Senior Technology Architect

The Charles D. McCrary Institute for Cyber and Critical Infrastructure Security at Auburn University is seeking an experienced and innovative Senior Technology Architect to provide strategic leadership in the design, integration, and delivery of technology solutions that advance the Institute's cybersecurity, research, and mission-support objectives.

The Senior Technology Architect serves as a senior technical leader for hybrid cloud and on-premises infrastructure. The role architects and guides the implementation of secure, resilient, scalable, and interoperable platforms that support advanced research, software delivery, cyber operations, critical infrastructure programs, laboratories, demonstrations, and customer deployments. Working in a matrixed organization, the architect partners with technology leads, software engineers, cybersecurity professionals, project managers, researchers, program teams, organizational leadership, and external partners to align technical decisions with program priorities and institutional objectives.

• Serve as the senior enterprise technology architecture advisor, providing strategic leadership for the design, integration, governance, and evolution of systems, platforms, and services that support cybersecurity, research, and operational missions.
• Own target-state and transition architectures across cloud and on-premises compute, virtualization, containers, storage, networking, identity, observability, backup, and disaster recovery, and maintain the associated technology roadmaps.
• Translate program, research, and operational requirements into scalable technical designs, bills of materials, integration plans, security requirements, operating models, and lifecycle-cost estimates.
• Establish and maintain architecture principles, reference patterns, decision records, technical standards, documentation, and review gates that align current and future business, research, and technology needs.
• Lead technical assessments and modernization planning for existing environments, identifying performance, capacity, reliability, security, interoperability, supportability, and cost gaps.
• Provide technical leadership for hybrid cloud platforms, networking, identity and access management, public key infrastructure, containers, infrastructure as code, observability, deployment pipelines, backup and recovery, and service operations.
• Partner with AI and software, cybersecurity, project management, research, program, and delivery teams to align architecture with delivery roadmaps and incorporate security-by-design and compliance requirements throughout the project lifecycle.
• Research emerging technologies and evaluate vendors and proposed solutions; define acceptance criteria and hold external partners accountable for interoperable, documented, secure, and supportable outcomes.
• Advise leadership on technology investments, modernization priorities, infrastructure plans, and short- and long-term capability needs, presenting clear recommendations and tradeoffs for review and approval.
• Guide migration, integration, high-availability, monitoring, recovery, operational-readiness, and complex cross-system troubleshooting activities.
• Serve as a technical mentor and subject matter expert, coordinate the work of others when needed, and drive knowledge transfer from infrastructure and platform consultants so the Institute assumes durable ownership of architecture artifacts and technical decisions.

• Bachelor's degree with no specific discipline required and 10 years of relevant IT experience designing and developing technology systems and services, including at least 2 years managing project work.
• Significant professional experience in enterprise architecture, solution architecture, systems engineering, information technology, or a related discipline, including the design and implementation of large-scale technology solutions.
• Demonstrated experience leading architecture for complex hybrid cloud and on-premises environments.
• Strong knowledge of cloud technologies, networking, systems integration, security architecture, and technology governance.
• Experience communicating complex technical concepts, architecture decisions, and tradeoffs to executive, technical, and non-technical audiences.
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and drive technology strategy in a dynamic, matrixed environment.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in IT or related field.
• Advanced experience with one or more major cloud platforms and enterprise on-premises infrastructure.
• Hands-on experience with infrastructure as code, containers or orchestration, identity and access management, network architecture, observability, disaster recovery, and relevant scripting or automation languages.
• Experience supporting research laboratories, cybersecurity operations, critical infrastructure, or government-sponsored programs.
• Relevant cloud, architecture, networking, security, or platform certifications.
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• Proficient in project management principles and tools to lead implementation.
• Ability to identify key objectives and create a layout to reach targeted goals.
• Ability to write code with various programming languages.
• Ability to recognize, analyze, and solve a variety of problems.
• Ability to communicate effectively in both oral and written form.
• Strong technical aptitude and computer skills.

• Life-Changing Impact: Our work changes lives through research, instruction, and outreach, making a lasting impact on our students, our communities, and the world.
• Culture of Excellence: We are committed to leveraging our strengths, resources, collaboration, and innovation as a top employer in higher education.
• We’re Here for You: Auburn offers generous benefits, educational opportunities, and a culture of support and work/life balance.
• Sweet Home Alabama: The Auburn/Opelika area offers southern charm, vibrant downtown scenes, top-ranked schools, and easy access to Atlanta, Birmingham, and the Gulf of Mexico beaches.
• A Place for Everyone: Auburn is committed to fostering an environment where all faculty, staff, and students are welcomed, valued, respected, and engaged.
• Ready to lead and shape the future of higher education? Apply today! War Eagle!