Chief Systems Engineer/Architect Lead

Foxhole Technology; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 220,000; Full time

Job summary

Foxhole Technology is seeking a Chief Systems Engineer/Architect to lead a large-scale enterprise IT services program for DoD and federal civilian agencies. You will guide system design, modernization, and operations of mission-critical apps, with responsibilities spanning architecture, engineering, and governance.

The role requires active DoD Secret clearance, proven leadership of technical teams, and hands-on delivery of cloud and on-premise solutions.

Qualifications

• Active Secret security clearance.
• 5+ years of enterprise IT architecture/engineering experience across infrastructure, network, cloud, application, and/or cybersecurity domains.
• Experience leading technical teams and providing direction for large-scale enterprise IT programs.
• Experience developing enterprise architecture, roadmaps, modernization strategies, CONOPS, and technical recommendations for senior leadership.
• Experience with cloud or hybrid-cloud architectures and enterprise technology modernization.
• Possession of one cloud security or cloud-related certification.
• Experience delivering executive-level technical briefings to senior personnel.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the contractor’s lead technical contact with government leadership for all technical delivery matters.
• Provide leadership for technical performance, engineering quality, and delivery.
• Lead technical transition activities, ensuring continuity of services, knowledge transfer, and risk mitigation.
• Establish and enforce technical work standards, engineering processes, and performance expectations across personnel.
• Define and maintain enterprise architecture standards, reference architectures, roadmaps, and governance processes.
• Develop and implement modernization strategies leveraging emerging technologies to enhance performance, scalability, security, resilience, automation, and user experience.
• Lead cloud, hybrid-cloud migration initiatives in alignment with standards.
• Support changes to IT infrastructure and service offerings, including planning priorities and rough cost estimates.
• Ensure proposed architectures address cybersecurity, zero-trust, compliance, resiliency, and operational requirements.
• Lead risk assessments, architecture reviews, and cross-domain issue resolution.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and advise leadership on feasibility, value, cost, risk, and alignment with modernization goals.
• Provide technical direction, mentoring, and oversight to systems engineers and architects.
• Manage O&M engineering support.

Skills

Enterprise architecture

Technical leadership

Cloud/hybrid-cloud

Cybersecurity

Executive-level briefing

DoD compliance awareness

Education

DoD 8570 IASAE Level III certification

DoD 8140 Foundational Qualifications – Advanced Standard

Job description

Work Arrangement: Hybrid

Clearance: Active DoD Secret

Start: Based on Contract Award

Foxhole Technology provides robust cybersecurity and IT support capabilities for federal civilian and defense agencies. A recognized leader in navigating technology and security challenges, Foxhole delivers mission-focused innovations to answer evolving and complex needs. Our talented employee-owners provide agile, scalable services and solutions that solve operational gaps, operate critical systems, and protect and secure the enterprise – across the organization and around the world .

Foxhole Technology is seeking a Chief Systems Engineer/Architect to lead a large-scale enterprise IT services program supporting the development, administration, maintenance, and modernization of mission-critical application systems. The Chief Systems Engineer/Architect will serve as the senior technical advisor and provide subject matter expertise to organizational leadership for systems engineering and technical innovation. The individual shall design and develop solutions to complex application problems system administration issues, or network concerns as well as perform systems management and integration functions.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the contractor’s lead technical point of contact and authorized interface with government leadership for all technical delivery matters.
• Provide overall leadership and accountability for technical performance, engineering quality, and delivery.
• Lead technical transition activities, ensuring continuity of services, knowledge transfer, operational readiness, and risk mitigation during transition.
• Establish, communicate, and enforce technical work standards, engineering processes, and performance expectations across subordinate personnel.
• Define and maintain enterprise architecture standards, reference architectures, technology roadmaps, and technical governance processes.
• Develop and implement a progressive modernization strategy that leverages emerging technologies to enhance system performance, scalability, security, resilience, automation, and user experience.
• Lead cloud, hybrid-cloud, infrastructure modernization, and technology migration initiatives in alignment with organizational requirements and enterprise architecture standards.
• Lead engineering support for all changes to organizational IT infrastructure and service offerings. This support includes conducting technical activities, establishing priorities, adjusting schedules, estimating rough costs, and developing high-level Concept of Operations (CONOPS) documentation.
• Ensure proposed architectures and technical solutions address cybersecurity, zero-trust, compliance, resiliency, and operational requirements.
• Lead technical risk assessments, architecture reviews, and resolution of complex cross-domain engineering and integration issues.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and provide recommendations to senior leadership regarding their technical feasibility, operational value, cost, risk, and alignment with the modernization strategy.
• Provide technical direction, mentoring , and oversight to systems engineers, architects, and other technical personnel.
• Manage O&M engineering support.

Minimum Requirements

• Active Secret security clearance.
• A minimum of five years of recent experience providing enterprise-level systems architecture and engineering services across infrastructure, network, cloud, application, and/or cybersecurity domains.
• Demonstrated experience leading technical teams and providing technical direction for large-scale enterprise IT programs.
• Experience developing enterprise architecture, technical roadmaps, modernization strategies, CONOPS, and technical recommendations for senior leadership.
• Experience with cloud or hybrid-cloud architectures and enterprise technology modernization.
• Possess one cloud security (e.g., CompTIA, Cloud Security Alliance) or cloud‑related technology certification (e.g., Microsoft (MS), VMware, IBM, AWS, Google).
• A minimum of one year of recent experience providing executive‑level technical briefings and presentations to senior personnel.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze complex technical problems and develop secure, scalable, and supportable enterprise solutions.

Desired Qualifications

• Possess two or more cloud‑related technology certifications (e.g., MS, VMware, IBM, AWS, Google).
• Possess one or more ITIL certifications.
• Possession of a DoDI 8570.01 Information Assurance System Architect and Engineer (IASAE) Level III certification.
• Meet the Department of Defense Manual (DoDM) 8140 Foundational Qualifications – Advanced Standard.
• Active DoD 8570.01 IAT Level I or higher certification (or equivalent DoD‑approved certification).

At Foxhole Technology, we are committed to pay transparency in accordance with applicable laws for both applicants and our employee‑owners. Actual compensation will be determined based on a number factors as permitted by law.

Foxhole Technology offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package for employees and their eligible dependents. Benefits include medical, dental, and vision coverage; paid time off; retirement plans (401(k), Roth, and ESOP); life and disability insurance; flexible spending accounts; and education and training assistance.

Illinois Pay Range

$180,000—$220,000 USD

Requirements of position: Think analytically, effective verbal and written communication skills, make decisions, observe/remember details, interpret data, concentrate on tasks, adjust to change, handle stress/emotions. Regular attendance, maintain work schedule, attend meetings, meet deadlines, keyboard/type, handle confidential information, use math/calculations, stay organized, operate office equipment, may direct others. May be exposed to dust/dirt, humidity, and noise

Foxhole Technology is an Equal Opportunity Employer and makes hiring decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth and sexual orientation), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, military/veteran status, or any other protected class.