Senior AWS Cloud Architect (Active TS/SCI )

Strategic Business Systems (SBS); Chantilly (VA); Hybrid; USD 130,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) retirement plan with company match

Annual professional development support

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage

Telework and flexible-schedule support

Job summary

Strategic Business Systems (SBS) is seeking a Senior AWS Cloud Architect to lead the design and delivery of cloud solutions for federal customers. This role involves defining architectures, guiding modernization initiatives, and ensuring engineering excellence in AWS environments.

Ideal candidates will have extensive experience with AWS services, a security clearance, and a strong understanding of cloud-native applications. SBS offers a flexible work environment and a comprehensive benefits package including medical coverage and professional development support.

Qualifications

• Experience as a Lead Developer, Technical Lead, or Solution Architect on cloud transformation initiatives.
• Deep expertise in designing highly available distributed systems on AWS.
• Strong understanding of security-by-design methodologies and Zero Trust principles.

Responsibilities

• Lead the architecture, design, and delivery of applications on AWS.
• Define technical roadmaps aligning with AWS best practices.
• Translate business requirements into secure architectural solutions.

Skills

Cloud-native application development

Microservices adoption

Technical leadership

DevSecOps practices

Infrastructure-as-Code

Education

AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional

AWS Certified DevOps Engineer

Tools

AWS CDK

Terraform

CloudFormation

Job description

Senior AWS Cloud Architect – AWS Professional Services

Location: Chantilly, VA

Work Arrangement: Flexible – primarily onsite

Citizenship: U.S. Citizenship required

Security Clearance: Active Top Secret/SCI clearance

Strategic Business Systems, Inc. (SBS) delivers AWS-aligned mission‑critical cloud, cybersecurity, software engineering, and data modernization solutions to the U.S. Department of Defense, the Intelligence Community, and federal civilian agencies. We hire engineers, architects, and consultants who want to do hands‑on work on high‑impact national‑security programs while collaborating directly with AWS Professional Services. Our culture is technical, lean, and clearance‑friendly: we invest in certifications, retain talent through long‑duration prime engagements, and provide a comprehensive benefits package.

Position Summary

SBS is expanding its AWS Professional Services delivery team and is seeking a Senior AWS Cloud Architect to lead the design and implementation of mission‑critical cloud solutions supporting Federal customers. This individual will serve as a senior technical leader responsible for defining cloud‑native architectures, guiding modernization initiatives, and driving engineering excellence across complex AWS environments. Working directly with AWS Professional Services architects, government stakeholders, and cross‑functional delivery teams, this role will shape technical strategy, establish architectural standards, and oversee the successful delivery of secure, scalable, and resilient solutions supporting national security missions. An active TS/SCI clearance is preferred. U.S. citizen candidates without a current clearance may be considered for unclassified delivery efforts where contract requirements permit.

Architecture Responsibilities

• Lead the end‑to‑end architecture, design, and delivery of enterprise‑scale applications and platforms deployed within AWS environments.
• Define reference architectures and technical roadmaps that align customer mission objectives with AWS best practices and long‑term modernization strategies.
• Serve as the technical authority for cloud‑native application development, microservices adoption, event‑driven architectures, and distributed systems design.
• Partner with AWS architects, customer technical leadership, and program stakeholders to translate business and mission requirements into scalable, secure architectural solutions.
• Drive modernization efforts by transforming legacy applications into cloud‑native services utilizing containers, serverless technologies, and managed AWS services.
• Establish engineering standards and architectural governance related to security, reliability, observability, performance, resiliency, and cost optimization.
• Lead architecture reviews, design sessions, and technical decision‑making forums while documenting Architecture Decision Records (ADRs) and design artifacts.
• Define and champion DevSecOps practices, CI/CD strategies, Infrastructure‑as‑Code approaches, and automated testing frameworks to accelerate secure software delivery.
• Architect integrations across enterprise systems, APIs, data platforms, and external mission partner environments.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and AWS capabilities, developing recommendations that improve mission effectiveness, operational efficiency, and technical agility.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to software engineers, fostering engineering maturity and promoting adoption of architectural best practices.
• Support proposal efforts, technical solutioning activities, and customer briefings by articulating architectural approaches and implementation strategies.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience serving as a Lead Developer, Technical Lead, Solution Architect, or Software Architect on large‑scale cloud transformation initiatives.
• Deep expertise designing highly available, fault‑tolerant distributed systems on AWS.
• Experience architecting with services such as Lambda, ECS/EKS, API Gateway, EventBridge, Step Functions, DynamoDB, Aurora/RDS, S3, SQS/SNS, and IAM.
• Strong understanding of Zero Trust principles, security‑by‑design methodologies, and secure software development practices within regulated environments.
• Experience implementing Infrastructure‑as‑Code using AWS CDK, Terraform, or CloudFormation.
• AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional and/or AWS Certified DevOps Engineer certification preferred.
• Experience supporting classified, DoD, Intelligence Community, or other highly regulated environments strongly desired.

Compensation & Benefits

SBS offers a comprehensive total‑rewards package, including a market competitive salary along with:

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage; HSA‑eligible plan options available
• 401(k) retirement plan with company match (vesting schedule per Plan Document)
• Paid Time Off, federal holidays, and floating holiday for personal observance
• Annual professional development support for AWS certifications, training, and conferences
• Employee referral program where applicable and documented by program policy
• Life, AD&D, and short‑ / long‑term disability insurance
• Telework and flexible‑schedule support where mission and contract permit
• Mission‑focused federal contractor supporting national‑security customers

Equal Employment Opportunity

SBS is an equal opportunity employer; all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, gender, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, color, race, creed, national origin, religion, marital status, parental status, citizenship status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, military status, or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local laws.

Accommodations

If you need an accommodation while seeking employment with SBS, please email [e-mail]. Accommodations are made on a case‑by‑case basis.