Data Protection Architect

Acuity, Inc.; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 130,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Acuity, Inc. is seeking a Data Protection Architect to join its dynamic team in Washington, D.C. This role involves architecting enterprise-wide data protection strategies and designing secure backup architectures for federal datasets. Ideal candidates will have extensive experience in data management and enterprise backup engineering, focusing on security and compliance requirements.

The position also includes collaboration with cybersecurity teams and leading the development of disaster recovery plans. Active security clearance is required, and the role promotes a diverse and inclusive workplace.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in data management and enterprise backup engineering.
• 5+ years of experience designing data protection solutions for federal agencies.
• Deep expertise in storage protocols and high-availability data systems.

Responsibilities

• Architect enterprise-wide data protection strategies using platforms.
• Design secure backup architectures ensuring encryption for federal datasets.
• Implement immutable backup solutions against ransomware.
• Develop data integrity verification frameworks.
• Collaborate with cybersecurity teams on compliance requirements.
• Design recovery solutions for GovCloud environments.
• Lead disaster recovery plans and failover architectures.

Skills

Data management

Enterprise backup engineering

Data protection solutions

Storage protocols

High-availability data systems

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, IT, or related field

Tools

Commvault

Veeam

Cohesity

Dell PowerProtect

Job description

Acuity is an award-winning consulting firm that provides proven management and technological services to the Federal government. Recognized as one of the Best Places to Work, by the Washington Business Journal for over five years in a row, we are hiring a Data Protection Architect to further assist and join in our growth.

Responsibilities

• Architect enterprise-wide data protection strategies using platforms like Commvault, Veeam, or Cohesity.
• Design secure backup architectures that ensure "Encryption at Rest" and "Encryption in Transit" for all federal datasets.
• Technical implementation of immutable backup solutions to protect against ransomware and data deletion.
• Develop data integrity verification frameworks to ensure the accuracy and reliability of restored data.
• Collaborate with cybersecurity teams to align data protection with NIST 800‑53 and FedRAMP requirements.
• Design cross‑region and cross‑cloud recovery solutions for federal GovCloud environments.
• Lead the development of disaster recovery plans and automated failover architectures.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, IT, or related field.
• 10+ years of experience in data management and enterprise backup engineering.
• 5+ years of experience designing data protection solutions for federal agencies.
• Deep expertise in storage protocols and high‑availability data systems.

Preferred Certifications

• Federal & Security: CISSP or CISM.
• Domain‑Specific: Commvault Certified Master, Veeam Certified Architect (VMCA), or Cohesity Certified Professional.
• Architecture/Management: TOGAF.

Technical Skills

• Backup Platforms: Commvault, Veeam, Cohesity, Dell PowerProtect.
• Storage: SAN/NAS, S3‑Compatible Object Storage.
• Encryption: PKI, KMS, FIPS 140‑2/3 validated modules.
• Virtualization: VMware vSphere, Hyper‑V, and cloud‑native backup tools.

Regulatory & Domain Expertise

• Demonstrated expertise in applying NIST 800‑53 Data Integrity and Recovery controls.
• Technical implementation of FedRAMP Moderate/High security baselines for data protection.
• Understanding of the Authority to Operate (ATO) process for backup and recovery systems.

Clearance Requirement

Active security clearance (Secret or Top Secret)

Acuity is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.