Principal IT Architect (Operational Technology)

Xcel Energy Services Inc; Minneapolis (MN); Hybrid; USD 156,000 - 195,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual Incentive Program

Medical/Pharmacy Plan

Dental

Job summary

Xcel Energy (NYSE: XEL) seeks a Principal IT Architect for Operational Technology to lead strategic architecture across mission-critical platforms. You will collaborate with architecture, operations, cybersecurity, and vendor teams to modernize, secure, and sustain critical OT environments and data flows.

Responsibilities include defining roadmaps, governance, and integration patterns while balancing reliability, security, and business continuity for enterprise-wide OT ecosystems.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or 4 years of experience equivalent.
• Ten years of related functional experience.
• Strong architecture acumen across multiple domains including network, infrastructure, software, hosting, data, security.
• Experience owning and driving strategic roadmap planning and simplification of technology ecosystems.

Responsibilities

• Provide Domain architectural leadership for mission-critical platforms.
• Develop technology strategies that support reliable operations and modernization.
• Create and maintain platform roadmaps guiding capability evolution.
• Lead architecture discussions across multiple platforms and stakeholder groups.
• Govern architecture governance and ensure alignment with cybersecurity requirements.

Skills

Architecture leadership

Enterprise architecture

TOGAF/architecture frameworks

Cross-functional collaboration

Security-by-design

Education

Bachelor's degree in Technology/Science/Business

10+ years of related functional experience

Tools

SCADA/EMS/DERMS platforms

Industry OT platforms (OSI, Aveva, PI)

Job description

Xcel Energy (NASDAQ: XEL) is a leading energy provider and Fortune 500 company, dedicated to serving millions of electricity and natural gas customers across eight states: Minnesota, Colorado, Wisconsin, Michigan, North Dakota, South Dakota, New Mexico and Texas. We make energy work better for our customers, helping them thrive every day. That means always raising the bar - delivering better service and providing more reliable, resilient, and sustainable energy. Xcel Energy is a place where you’ll have opportunities to grow, expand your skills, and help lead the clean energy transition. We offer meaningful rewards, recognition, and support to help you build your career and make an impact - both on the job and beyond. Most importantly, it means you’ll be joining a company that knows employees are the driving force behind its success and is committed to helping you be your best. Xcel Energy supports a hybrid work model to enable collaboration and flexibility. Many roles are expected to work onsite three days per week (Tuesday–Thursday); however, work location expectations vary based on role, team, and business needs.

Position Summary

The Principal IT Architect for Operational Technology serves as a strategic technical and architectural authority for mission-critical operational technology platforms and environments. The role provides architectural leadership, operational insight, and cross-functional coordination across complex technology ecosystems where reliability, security, compliance, and business continuity are essential. This role acts as a bridge between architecture, operations, cybersecurity, infrastructure, identity, network, vendor, and business teams, ensuring operational systems are designed, integrated, modernized, and supported in a manner that enables safe, reliable, and sustainable business operations. The Principal Architect is expected to think beyond individual project delivery by developing platform roadmaps, reusable capabilities, architecture standards, and long-term technology strategies that reduce complexity, manage risk, and improve operational outcomes across the enterprise.

Essential Responsibilities

Architecture Strategy & Technology Leadership Provide Domain architectural leadership and technical expertise for mission-critical technology platforms operating in highly available, regulated, and operationally critical environments. Develop, communicate, and operationalize technology strategies that support reliable business operations while enabling modernization, cybersecurity, compliance, and long-term sustainability objectives. Create and maintain technology roadmaps that guide capability evolution, platform modernization, technical debt reduction, technology standardization, and operational sustainability. Lead and influence architecture and design discussions for complex technology initiatives spanning multiple platforms, domains, business functions, and stakeholder groups. Review and influence solution architectures to ensure alignment with enterprise strategy, architecture principles, technology roadmaps, cybersecurity requirements, and operational needs. Drive architecture governance processes that improve design quality, consistency, and long-term technology sustainability. Provide architectural leadership for integrations across operational platforms, enterprise applications, data platforms, cloud services, and external partners. Guide architecture decisions involving real-time and near real-time data exchange, event-driven architectures, telemetry, workflow automation, and complex system integrations. Define and promote integration patterns, architecture standards, and best practices that improve interoperability and reduce complexity across technology ecosystems. Guide architecture decisions involving identity management, access controls, trust boundaries, infrastructure security, network architecture, cybersecurity requirements, and secure operational access patterns. Identify and address architectural risks that may impact system reliability, cybersecurity posture, compliance obligations, operational effectiveness, or business continuity. Advocate for security-by-design principles and ensure appropriate risk management practices are incorporated throughout the solution lifecycle. Advocate for operational readiness, observability, supportability, and resiliency throughout the technology lifecycle. Ensure monitoring, alerting, logging, recovery, performance, and support requirements are incorporated into solution designs and validated before production deployment. Drive Domain architecture practices that improve system reliability, availability, maintainability, operational efficiency, and user experience. Lead collaboration across architecture, engineering, operations, cybersecurity, infrastructure, vendor, and business teams to resolve complex technology challenges. Influence enterprise-wide technology decisions through strategic thinking, technical expertise, relationship management, and practical leadership. Communicate architectural vision, tradeoffs, risks, and recommendations effectively to both technical and executive audiences.

Minimum Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Technology, Science, Business or related field, or 4 years of experience equivalent to the position. Ten years of related functional experience. Excellent communication skills, effective with varying organizational levels and skill sets. Excellent Relationship Management and collaboration skills, with a track record of working as one team cross-organizationally to drive innovation and business results. Strong architecture acumen across multiple domains including network, infrastructure, software, hosting models, applications, data, mobile platforms, and security. Strong knowledge of core aspects of enterprise architecture (Software, Hardware, Network, Integration, Data, hosting models, platform types, etc.). In-depth expertise in at least two areas of: Architecture competency such as SOA, TOGAF, BPM, Data Analytics, standards & governance, or enterprise architecture frameworks. Expertise on future technology trends within area of expertise. Expertise in architectural review and technology lifecycle management disciplines. Experience in a leading role in project delivery & solutions architecture. Experience successfully owning and driving strategic roadmap planning, and simplifying technology eco-systems.

Preferred Requirements

5+ years of experience providing architectural leadership for real‑time SCADA Systems Experience architecting operational technology, industrial control systems, real-time platforms, automation environments, or mission‑critical operational systems. Experience in utilities, energy, manufacturing, oil and gas, transportation, telecommunications, industrial automation, data centers, or other critical infrastructure environments. Experience with OT platforms such as SCADA, ADMS, EMS, DEMS, DERMS, OMS, historian platforms, operational data platforms, or equivalent industrial and mission‑critical systems. Experience with vendors or platforms such as Schneider Electric, GE, Siemens, OSI, Aveva, PI, or equivalent OT/industrial technology ecosystems. Prior involvement in major OT, industrial, or mission‑critical system upgrades, modernization initiatives, cloud/data enablement efforts, or platform transformations.

Our Values

• Connected
• Committed
• Trustworthy
• Safe

Key Benefits

• Annual Incentive Program
• Medical/Pharmacy Plan
• Dental
• Vision
• Life Insurance
• Dependent Care Reimbursement Account
• Health Care Reimbursement Account
• Health Savings Account (HSA) (if enrolled in eligible health plan)
• Limited-Purpose FSA (if enrolled in eligible health plan and HSA)
• Transportation Reimbursement Account
• Short-term disability (STD)
• Long-term disability (LTD)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Fitness Center Reimbursement (if enrolled in eligible health plan)
• Tuition reimbursement
• Transit programs
• Employee recognition program
• Pension
• 401(k) plan
• Paid time off (PTO)
• Holidays
• Volunteer Paid Time Off (VPTO)
• Parental Leave Benefit plans are subject to change and Xcel Energy has the right to end, suspend, or amend any of its plans, at any time, in whole or in part.

Deadline to Apply: 10/16/26

Xcel Energy provides job applicants reasonable accommodations for disabilities throughout the application process. If you are in need of an accommodation to complete the application process, now or at any time in the future, please complete the Applicant Accommodation Request Form.

Non-Bargaining The anticipated starting base pay for this position is: $156,100.00 to $195,000.00 per year

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All Xcel Energy employees and contractors share responsibility for protecting the company's information and systems by adhering to cybersecurity policies, standards, and best practices, recognizing that cybersecurity is everyone's responsibility.

Accessibility Statement Xcel Energy endeavors to make https://www.xcelenergy.com and https://jobs.xcelenergy.com accessible to any and all users. If you are in need of an accommodation to complete the application process, now or at any time in the future, please complete the Applicant Accommodation Request Form. For any other application related questions, including application follow-ups or technical issues, please use our Recruiting Assistance, Electra, for assistance. Electra can be found in the lower right-hand corner of our Xcel Energy Careers site.

You. Us. Together. At Xcel Energy, we’re more than an energy company. We’re reinventing how we power communities. Redefining how we care for customers. Reaffirming our commitment to the planet. We’re committed to leading with equity and inclusion. You’re not waiting for change – you’re creating it. You’re driven to protect the environment, support your community, and seek innovation. You want a career that grows with you and an employer who values you. You are reliable, trustworthy and bring integrity to everything you do. We are leading the way in clean energy. We’re using technology and innovation in every facet of our company. We’re providing safe, stable jobs with robust benefits. We keep our customers at the center of all we do. We’re committed to hiring a workforce that reflects the communities we serve. Together, we can provide carbon‑free electricity by 2050. Together, we can take care of the environment and our communities. Together, we can create a place where everyone belongs. Together we’re building a better tomorrow.