Chief Software Architect with Security Clearance

Beacon Hill; St. Louis (MO); On-site; USD 130,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the defense and aerospace sector is seeking a Chief Software Architect to spearhead the design of mission-critical systems. This high-impact role involves architecting scalable solutions and mentoring engineering teams to deliver robust software. Candidates should possess deep expertise in distributed systems and hold an active Secret clearance, with a track record of over 10 years in software development and technical leadership.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in software development, 8+ years in system architecture.
• Active Secret clearance required.
• Strong mentoring and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Architect and design scalable, resilient software systems.
• Guide engineering teams in delivering robust, production-ready code.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and champion improvements.

Skills

Distributed systems

Microservices

Scalable design patterns

Coding in Go

Coding in Node.js

Coding in Java

Coding in Python

Agile development

Data pipeline strategies

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science

Degree in Engineering

Tools

AWS

Azure

Docker

Kubernetes

Job description

Chief Software Architect – Defense & Space Systems

Location : Onsite | St. Louis, Missouri

Clearance : Active Secret required (Top Secret eligibility post-hire) We're seeking a Chief Software Architect to lead the design and development of mission-critical, large-scale systems supporting national defense and aerospace operations. This is a high-impact opportunity to drive the architectural vision for both front-end and back-end systems across complex, distributed environments. What You’ll Do : Architect and design scalable, resilient software systems. Translate high-level mission requirements into actionable technical solutions. Guide engineering teams in delivering robust, production-ready code. Oversee code quality, performance tuning, testing, and integration. Evaluate emerging technologies and champion improvements in development processes. Mentor and lead cross-functional teams in software strategy and execution. Basic Qualifications : U.S. Citizenship with Active Secret Clearance (must be eligible for Top Secret). 10+ years in software development. 8+ years in system architecture and technical leadership. Expertise in distributed systems, microservices, and scalable design patterns. Strong coding background in Go, Node.js, Java, or Python. Experience with SQL / NoSQL, caching, and data pipeline strategies. Agile development experience. Preferred Experience : Bachelor's degree in CS, Engineering, or related field. Cloud architecture (AWS, Azure, etc.), REST APIs, and container orchestration (Docker / Kubernetes). Proven leadership in real-time or data-intensive software systems. Familiarity with compliance in software lifecycle and systems thinking. Excellent communication and mentoring skills. Additional Info : Occasional travel (~10%) Technical assessment required as part of the hiring process.

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