IT ARCHITECT - APPLICATIONS (Responsible AI & Innovation)

City of Houston; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 140,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare

Wellness program

Professional development

Pension plan

Job summary

City of Houston, Office of the CIO, seeks an IT Architect – Applications (Responsible AI and Innovation) to lead enterprise AI strategy, governance, and adoption across departments. Reporting to the Office of the CIO – Performance, Architecture, and Innovation, the role blends strategic architecture with hands-on solution engagement to ensure secure, ethical, scalable AI solutions.

Ideal candidates bring 10+ years in enterprise IT architecture, hands-on AI platform experience (Azure AI,

Qualifications

• Hands-on experience with modern AI and data platforms such as Azure AI, Copilot, ML frameworks, and API-based AI services.
• Solid understanding of data governance, security, privacy, and responsible-AI in regulated/public-sector settings.
• Ability to translate business needs into AI opportunities, assess feasibility, risk and impact.
• Extensive experience in enterprise IT architecture for AI/data/analytics solutions.
• Proven ability to review or develop architectures, reference architectures, and standards.
• Lead pilots/POCs and guide toward scalable deployment.
• Experience supporting digital champions and capability-building programs.
• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement across divisions and federated IT.
• Familiarity with IT governance processes, RFP/SOW development, vendor evaluations.

Responsibilities

• Govern AI governance; lead enterprise AI strategy and governance frameworks.
• Identify, evaluate, and prioritize AI use cases; support business framing and translation to AI opportunities.
• Conduct pilots/POCs; participate in procurement activities like RFP development and vendor reviews.
• Engage in hands-on experimentation with AI tools and platforms to validate feasibility.
• Foster cross-department partnerships and communicate AI opportunities, risks, and value.
• Coach and enable departments to accelerate AI literacy and adoption.
• Advise on AI initiatives, ensuring alignment with enterprise architecture and security standards.
• Review designs and data-integration patterns; identify risks and mitigation strategies.
• Monitor AI industry trends and regulatory developments to keep practices current.

Skills

Azure AI

Copilot

ML frameworks

API-based AI services

Data governance

Security & privacy

Enterprise IT architecture

RFP/SOW development

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or MIS

Job description

Position Overview

Applications accepted from: ALL PERSONS INTERESTED

Division: OFFICE OF THE CIO

Reporting Location: 611 WALKER / 1200 TRAVIS

Workdays & Hours: MONDAY - FRIDAY, Office Hours

Description Of Duties / Essential Functions

Houston, TX, is the fourth largest city in the country, with a budget of over 6 billion dollars, a workforce strong of 20,000 employees, and 23 departments with fascinating data and a wide range of questions. Houston promotes healthy and resilient communities through smart civic investments, dynamic partnerships, education, and innovation. It is a place where anyone can prosper and feel at home.

The City offers its employees various benefits , including healthcare, wellness, professional development, and an excellent pension plan .

The IT Architect – Applications (Responsible AI and Innovation) serves as the City’s enterprise leader for artificial intelligence strategy, governance, and adoption. Reporting to the Office of the CIO – Performance, Architecture, and Innovation, this role advances responsible AI capabilities that improve operational efficiency, support data-driven decision-making, and enhance public services across all City departments. The position blends strategic architecture, innovation leadership, and hands-on solution engagement, ensuring that AI initiatives are secure, ethical, scalable, and aligned with enterprise architecture standards.

Key Responsibilities

• Governance
• Lead the development and continuous refinement of the City’s enterprise-wide AI strategy, aligned with City’s priorities and departmental needs.
• Establish and maintain AI governance frameworks, ensuring transparency, accountability, data privacy, and regulatory compliance.
• Integrate AI oversight into existing governance bodies and support decision-making related to intake, review, and approval of AI initiatives.
• Use Case Development
• Identify, evaluate, and prioritize impactful AI use cases; support departments in framing business challenges and translating them into AI opportunities.
• Conduct exploratory pilots and proofs-of-concept, including participation in procurement activities such as RFP development, vendor evaluations, and SOW reviews.
• Actively engage in hands-on experimentation with AI tools, models, and platforms to validate feasibility and guide architectural recommendations.
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Foster partnerships across City departments, providing clear communication on AI opportunities, risks, and value.
• Collaborate with all divisions across HITS and Federated IT to ensure convergence on AI initiatives.
• Support Digital Champions in departments through coaching, knowledge-sharing, and hands-on enablement to accelerate AI literacy and adoption.
• Capability Building
• Serve as a technical advisor and architect on AI-related initiatives, ensuring alignment with enterprise architecture, data platforms, and security standards.
• Review technical designs, data-integration patterns, and project documentation; identify risks and recommend mitigation strategies to delivery teams.
• Monitor AI industry trends, standards, and regulatory developments to keep the City’s practices current and compliant.
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Hands-on experience with modern AI and data platforms, including Azure AI, Microsoft Copilot, machine-learning frameworks, and API-based AI services.
• Strong understanding of data governance, security, privacy, and responsible-AI principles within regulated or public-sector environments.
• Demonstrated ability to translate business needs into viable AI opportunities, including assessing feasibility, risk, and expected impact.
• Extensive experience in enterprise IT architecture, particularly in the design or governance of AI, data, or analytics solutions.
• Proven ability to review or develop technical architectures, solution designs, reference architectures, and technical standards.
• Ability to lead pilots and proofs-of-concept and guide them toward scalable enterprise deployment.
• Experience supporting digital champions, communities of practice, or capability-building programs that promote adoption of emerging technologies.
• Strong communication and stakeholder-engagement skills, with the ability to collaborate across divisions, departments, and federated IT groups.
• Familiarity with IT governance processes, including RFP/SOW development, vendor evaluations, and project-risk assessment.

Compliance & Security Requirements

• CJIS Certification (or ability to obtain within 90 days of hire) is mandatory.
• Must successfully pass a comprehensive background check, including criminal history, and fingerprinting per Houston Police Department and CJIS standards.
• Candidate must maintain eligibility for access to sensitive law enforcement systems and data.

WORKING CONDITIONS

There are no major sources of discomfort, i.e., essentially normal office environment with acceptable lighting, temperature, and air conditions. Significant time spent using computer display, keyboard, and mouse.

EDUCATION

Requires a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Management and Information Systems (MIS) or a closely related field. Holds multiple applications-specific technical certifications; recognized as having mastery of a particular technical discipline.

Experience

At least ten (10) years of specialized experience in application systems analysis and development. A Master's degree in Computer Science, Management and Information Systems (MIS) or a closely related field may be substituted for up to two (2) years of experience.

LICENSE

None

PREFERENCES

• Preference shall be given to eligible veteran applicants provided such persons possess the qualifications necessary for competent discharge of the duties involved in the position applied for, such persons are among the most qualified candidates for the position, and all other factors in accordance with Executive Order 1-6.

Preference will be given to candidates with the following skillsets:

• Demonstrated leadership in shaping or influencing organizational AI strategy, such as contributing to an AI council, innovation board, technology steering committee, or enterprise governance forum.
• Experience launching or scaling citywide or enterprise-wide innovation programs, including hackathons, AI communities of practice, capability-building cohorts, or digital‑champion networks.
• Established partnerships with academic institutions, civic‑tech organizations, or industry research groups to advance responsible AI innovation in the public sector.
• A track record of guiding organizations through emerging-technology change, including developing ethical-AI guidelines, contributing to policy development, or supporting adoption across federated IT environments.
• Knowledge of SDLC, ITIL, and Agile/DevOps methodologies supporting modern solution delivery.
• Relevant industry certifications in AI, cloud, or data technologies.
• Zachman (ZCEA) or TOGAF certification

GENERAL INFORMATION

Selection / Skills Tests Required

Department may administer skills assessment test

SAFETY IMPACT POSITION– NO

SALARY INFORMATION

Factors used in determining the salary offered include the candidate’s qualifications as well as the pay rates of other employees in this classification.

PAY GRADE : 33

EOE Equal Opportunity Employer

The City of Houston is committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.