Principal Architect

Brookhaven Science Associates, LLC; United States; Remote; USD 126,000 - 223,000; Full time

Job summary

Brookhaven National Laboratory is seeking a highly skilled Principal Architect to lead the Applications and Software Engineering portfolio within the IT Division. You will shape technology strategy, establish architecture standards, and guide modernization across legacy, custom, and cloud-based applications.

The role requires a strong track record in enterprise architecture, cloud services, and strategic technology evaluation, with the ability to influence executives and engineering teams while

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent technical experience in computer science, information systems, or related field.
• 10+ years of relevant experience.
• Broad knowledge of application architecture, data architecture, identity and access management, and modern software engineering practices.
• Experience establishing architecture principles, design standards, reference architectures, and governance processes across complex environments.
• Experience leading application modernization initiatives, reducing technical debt, and managing enterprise portfolios.
• Strong understanding of strategic and emerging technology trends and their applicability to evolving business needs.
• Experience evaluating enterprise software, cloud services, and technology platforms to support long-term architectural direction.
• Trusted technical leader with ability to influence executives, architects, engineering teams, and partners.
• Technology-neutral mindset with sound judgment and focus on delivering sustainable business value.
• Ability to mentor architects and senior engineers.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain the enterprise application architecture and roadmaps for the Laboratory’s business applications.
• Lead modernization initiatives by evaluating legacy apps, defining modernization strategies, and reducing technical debt.
• Establish and govern architecture standards, reference architectures, and integration patterns with the IT Architect Council.
• Review and approve solution architectures for major initiatives ensuring alignment with security and data standards.
• Evaluate the portfolio for consolidation, cloud adoption, and retirement of obsolete technologies.
• Partner with stakeholders to translate strategic objectives into technology capabilities and roadmaps.
• Evaluate platforms, cloud services, and development frameworks to align with architectural direction.
• Provide technical leadership and guidance to architects and software teams, promoting engineering excellence.
• Serve as the principal advisor for enterprise architecture and technology direction.

Job description

Overview

Brookhaven National Laboratory is seeking a highly skilled technical leader for the Applications and Software Engineering department within the Information Technology Division (ITD). The Principal Architect provides architectural and hands-on technical leadership across multiple strategic initiatives for the Laboratory's portfolio of business applications. They will help shape the technology strategy, solution architecture, and application and platform modernization efforts that support the Laboratory's mission. Working across a broad portfolio of legacy, custom-developed, commercial, and cloud-based applications, this role partners with business stakeholders, application architects, cybersecurity, infrastructure, and leadership to deliver secure, scalable, and sustainable technology solutions. Reporting to the ITD Applications department manager, the Principal Architect serves as the Laboratory's technical authority for enterprise application architecture, providing strategic direction and architectural governance across the business application portfolio. Brookhaven Lab's Information Technology Division's mission is to deliver safe, efficient operations that ensure the delivery of the Lab's research mission by: Developing and deploying state-of-the‑art information and computing systems in support of scientific research and business operations Providing a reliable and secure, high‑speed network infrastructure for scientific and business computing Developing a scientific computing infrastructure that can support the computing needs common among the scientific departments Providing support to scientific and administrative programs to help them address their unique computing challenges Providing a cost‑effective, highly reliable, secure, and standardized computing infrastructure Promoting best practices in the areas of platform support, application development, and customer service Providing cost‑effective information services to the Brookhaven Lab community, including Research Library, publications, records management, and technical editing services, in support of the research mission and in compliance with contractual requirements ITD includes experts in IT infrastructure and operations, cyber security, business systems, data information, and information services, including records management and the Research Library. The ideal candidate is an excellent communicator who is resourceful and innovative, and who understands that collaboration with stakeholders from across the Laboratory is critical to ensure the right expertise and technology are in place to advance our mission of bringing science solutions to the world.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain the enterprise application architecture and technology roadmaps for the Laboratory's business application portfolio
• Lead application modernization initiatives by evaluating legacy applications, defining modernization strategies, and establishing plans that reduce technical debt and improve long‑term sustainability
• Establish and govern application architecture standards, design principles, reference architectures, and integration patterns to ensure consistency across the portfolio in partnership with the IT Architect Council
• Review and approve solution architectures for major initiatives to ensure alignment with enterprise architecture, cybersecurity, infrastructure, data, and integration standards
• Evaluate the application portfolio to identify opportunities for consolidation, rationalization, modernization, cloud adoption, and retirement of obsolete technologies
• Partner with business stakeholders to translate strategic objectives into technology capabilities and multi‑year business and architectural roadmaps
• Evaluate enterprise platforms, cloud services, development frameworks, and commercial software to ensure technology investments align with the Laboratory's long‑term architectural direction
• Provide technical leadership and architectural guidance to application architects and software engineering teams, promoting engineering excellence and sound architectural practices
• Serve as the principal technical advisor for enterprise application architecture, providing recommendations to IT leadership on emerging technologies, strategic investments, architectural risks, and technology direction

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent technical experience, preferably in computer science, information systems, or a related technical field
• 10+ years of relevant experience
• Broad knowledge of application architecture, integrations, data architecture, identity and access management, and modern software engineering practices
• Experience establishing architecture principles, design standards, reference architectures, and governance processes across complex application environments
• Experience leading application modernization initiatives, reducing technical debt, and managing enterprise application portfolios
• Strong understanding of strategic and emerging technology trends and the ability to evaluate their applicability to evolving business needs
• Experience evaluating enterprise software, cloud services, and technology platforms to support long‑term architectural direction
• Trusted technical leader with the ability to influence executives, business leaders, architects, engineering teams, and strategic partners
• Technology‑neutral mindset with sound judgment, intellectual curiosity, and a focus on delivering sustainable business value
• Ability to mentor architects and senior engineers

Preferred Knowledge and Skills

• 15+ years of relevant experience
• Master’s degree in computer science, information systems, or a related field
• Experience with ERP platforms and/or integrations such as PeopleSoft, SAP, or Microsoft Dynamics 365
• Experience with Microsoft development technologies, including Azure, ASP.NET Core, ASP.NET MVC, Entity Framework, IIS, and Azure DevOps
• Experience with AI-assisted and AI‑integrated software development

Other Information

Visa Sponsorship is not available for this postion This position is eligible for remote work

Brookhaven National Laboratory is committed to providing fair, equitable and competitive compensation. This is a multi‑level role and the full salary range for this position is $126000 - $222500 / year. You will be placed at the level and salary commensurate with your experience. Salary offers will be commensurate with the final candidate’s qualification, education and experience and considered with the internal peer group.

Brookhaven National Laboratory is committed to employee success and we believe that a comprehensive employee benefits program is an important and meaningful part of the compensation employees receive. Review more information at BNL | Benefits Program

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As a U.S. Department of Energy laboratory, Brookhaven National Laboratory requires employees to obtain and maintain a DOE Uncleared Personal Identity Verification (UPIV) credential in accordance with Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD‑12) requirements. The credentialing process is completed as part of onboarding and enables access to DOE facilities and information systems. As a condition of employment, the selected candidate must be able to obtain and maintain a UPIV credential. These requirements are established under DOE Order 206.2 Chg. 2, Identity, Credential, and Access Management (ICAM- Identity, Credential, and Access Management (ICAM)), and DOE Order 473.1A- Physical Protection Program- Physical Protection Program.

About Us Brookhaven National Laboratory (www.bnl.gov) delivers discovery science and transformative technology to power and secure the nation’s future. Brookhaven Lab is a multidisciplinary laboratory with seven Nobel Prize‑winning discoveries, 37 R&D 100 Awards, and more than 70 years of pioneering research. The Lab is primarily supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Science. Brookhaven Science Associates (BSA) operates and manages the Laboratory for DOE. BSA is a partnership between Battelle and The Research Foundation for the State University of New York on behalf of Stony Brook University. BSA salutes our veterans and active military members with careers that leverage the skills and unique experience they gained while serving our country, learn more at BNL | Opportunities for Veterans at Brookhaven National Laboratory.

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer Guided by our core values of integrity, responsibility, innovation, respect, and teamwork, Brookhaven Science Associates is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer‑Vets/Disabled. We are committed to fostering a respectful and collaborative environment that fuels scientific discovery. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to any characteristic protected by law. All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply. We ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

VEVRAA Federal Contractor BSA employees are subject to restrictions related to participation in Foreign Government Talent Recruitment Programs, as defined and detailed in United States Department of Energy Order 486.1A. You will be asked to disclose any such participation at the time of hire for review by Brookhaven. The full text of the Order may be found at: https://www.directives.doe.gov/directives-documents/400-series/0486.1-BOrder-a/@@images/file Welcome. If you are looking for your next career move—to a place where your skills and strengths contribute to groundbreaking discovery and innovation—Brookhaven National Laboratory may be where you belong. At Brookhaven Lab, everyone has a role in discovery science and transformative technology that's helping power and secure the nation’s future. We are home to world‑class scientists, engineers, technicians, and other professionals as well as unique facilities that attract thousands of researchers annually from across the country and around the globe. Our track record includes seven Nobel Prize‑winning discoveries, 37 R&D 100 Awards (the \"Oscars of Innovation\"), and countless other advances.