Chief Engineer/Architect

Peraton; Chantilly, Northern (VA, KY); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Peraton is seeking a Chief Engineer/Chief Architect to provide technical leadership for a secure government software platform. You will own the technical vision across cloud, AI/ML, and cybersecurity, and guide architecture decisions for multi-region environments.

You will lead diverse engineering teams, defend architecture with senior stakeholders, and translate research into production capabilities in highly regulated settings.

Qualifications

• 15+ years in software engineering, architecture, or related technical leadership.
• Experience architecting and delivering large-scale software/platform environments.
• Strong cloud architecture experience; hybrid/multi-cloud environments.
• Proven DevSecOps, CI/CD, secure software development, cybersecurity architecture.
• Familiarity with RMF, NIST controls, cATO/ATO or comparable frameworks.
• Deep understanding of Zero Trust, container security, identity, and network segmentation.
• Experience leading AI/ML or Generative AI initiatives in secure environments.
• Ability to govern AI governance, data protection, model security and guardrails.
• History leading multi-company, geographically distributed, multi-cleared teams.
• Excellent technical communication for senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Own the technical vision, architecture, and engineering strategy across cloud, AI/ML, cybersecurity, and platform integration.
• Define a platform-of-platforms architecture with standards and interfaces.
• Develop cloud-agnostic, hybrid, multi-region architectures across security environments.
• Lead architecture reviews and cross-company engineering standards.
• Integrate security tooling and RMF/NIST controls into delivery pipelines.
• Mentor architects and engineers; align teams around a common tech strategy.
• Engage with senior Government and customer stakeholders to defend decisions.
• Identify risks early, communicate tradeoffs, and craft mitigations.

Skills

Senior technical leadership

Software architecture

Cloud architecture

DevSecOps & CI/CD

RMF/NIST controls

Zero Trust & security

AI/ML governance

Multi-team leadership

Technical communication

Risk mitigation & tradeoffs

Tools

Kubernetes

OCI concepts

AWS GovCloud

Amazon Bedrock

Rust

Platform One/Iron Bank/CtF

Job description

Required

• 15+ years of experience in software engineering, systems architecture, enterprise architecture, or a related technical discipline, including significant technical leadership experience.
• Demonstrated experience architecting and delivering large-scale software or platform environments.
• Strong experience with cloud architecture, hybrid/multi-cloud environments, distributed systems, and cloud-native technologies.
• Demonstrated experience with DevSecOps, CI/CD, secure software development, and cybersecurity architecture.
• Experience with Risk Management Framework (RMF), NIST security controls, cATO/ATO, or comparable authorization frameworks.
• Strong understanding of Zero Trust, container security, identity, network segmentation, and application security.
• Experience providing technical leadership for AI/ML or Generative AI capabilities, preferably in secure or regulated environments.
• Experience with AI governance, data protection, model security, evaluation, guardrails, and human-in-the-loop controls.
• Demonstrated experience leading multi-company, geographically distributed, and/or multi-cleared engineering teams.
• Excellent technical communication skills, including the ability to brief and defend architecture decisions to senior stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to identify technical risks, communicate tradeoffs, and develop practical mitigation strategies.
• Active TS/SCI clearance with Poly.

Desired

• Experience with cloud cost-saving strategies in conjunction with Kubernetes (K8s) and Open Container Initiative (OCI) concepts.
• Experience with AWS GovCloud, classified/high-side cloud environments, or comparable Government cloud platforms.
• Experience with Amazon Bedrock or comparable enterprise Generative AI platforms.
• Experience architecting secure AI-enabled developer environments or coding assistants.
• Experience with Platform One, Iron Bank, Certificate to Field (CtF), or comparable DoD software factory frameworks.
• Experience supporting OCONUS or multi-region deployments across multiple security environments.
• Experience transitioning emerging technologies or R&D capabilities into production.
• Experience delivering MVPs on compressed timelines in classified or highly regulated environments.
• Experience supporting GEOINT, Intelligence Community, or DoD mission environments.
• Experience with Rust or other systems-level programming languages.
• Experience with cloud cost optimization, infrastructure efficiency, and technology tradeoff analysis.

We are seeking a highly experienced Chief Engineer / Chief Architect to provide technical leadership for a complex, mission-focused software and technology platform supporting highly secure government environments.

The Chief Engineer will own the technical vision, architecture, engineering standards, and technical execution strategy across cloud, AI/ML, cybersecurity, DevSecOps, software engineering, and platform integration.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on technical leader who can translate complex architecture into executable engineering plans, defend technical decisions to senior stakeholders, identify risks early, and align diverse engineering teams around a common technical strategy.

Key ResponsibilitiesTechnical Vision & Architecture

• Own the overall technical vision, architecture, and engineering strategy for a complex, multi-platform software environment.
• Define and govern a platform-of-platforms architecture, including architectural boundaries, interfaces, integration patterns, and technical standards.
• Develop scalable, cloud-agnostic, hybrid, multi-region architectures capable of operating across multiple security environments.
• Lead architecture reviews and establish common engineering standards across multi-company, geographically distributed, and multi-cleared engineering teams.
• Identify and manage technical dependencies, architecture risks, integration challenges, and schedule constraints.

Cloud, DevSecOps & Cybersecurity

• Provide technical leadership for DevSecOps, CI/CD, cybersecurity, Zero Trust, container security, and secure software development.
• Integrate cATO, RMF, NIST controls, security evidence, and compliance requirements directly into platform architecture and delivery.
• Lead the integration of security scanning, monitoring, vulnerability management, and compliance tooling into continuous delivery pipelines.
• Ensure security, scalability, and architectural integrity are maintained while enabling rapid, incremental delivery of MVP capabilities.

AI/ML & Emerging Technologies

• Provide architectural leadership for AI/ML and Generative AI capabilities, including AI governance, security, data protection, guardrails, evaluation, and human oversight.
• Translate emerging technologies and research capabilities into practical, production-ready solutions.

Engineering Leadership & Execution

• Translate complex architecture and technical strategy into executable engineering plans.
• Guide rapid, incremental delivery of MVP capabilities while maintaining architectural integrity, security, and scalability.
• Bring diverse engineering teams together around a common technical strategy and execution approach.
• Mentor senior architects, engineers, and technical leads while fostering a collaborative, high-performing engineering organization.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Communicate and defend technical decisions to senior Government, customer, and technical stakeholders.
• Provide clear technical direction and recommendations across complex architectural and engineering decisions.
• Identify technical risks early, communicate tradeoffs, and develop practical mitigation strategies.

Location: This position is fully onsite in Chantilly, VA.