Senior Modernization Engineer

Texas Health and Human Services; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 102,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Pension plan

Time off benefits

Career advancement opportunities

Job summary

Texas Health and Human Services in Austin, TX, seeks a Senior Modernization Engineer (Systems Analyst VII) to lead enterprise application modernization efforts, assess legacy systems, and design domain-driven modernization roadmaps. The role emphasizes secure, scalable, AI-assisted approaches and collaboration across CTO teams to deliver maintainable platforms.

This full-time, onsite position offers a competitive salary, 100% health insurance for eligible employees, a defined benefit pension,

Qualifications

• Knowledge of enterprise modernization practices, domain-driven design, and technical debt reduction.
• Experience with legacy system assessment, modernization roadmaps, and AI-assisted analysis.
• Understanding of secure coding, cloud-ready design, and modern application frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Analyzes legacy applications, source code, data flows, and domain boundaries to create modernization roadmaps.
• Refactors and implements modernized components, APIs, and domain services using DDD principles.
• Troubleshoots and stabilizes modernized applications and integrations to meet security and performance needs.
• Produces architecture mappings, technical flowcharts, and implementation guidance for multiple teams.
• Supports governance with secure coding, DevSecOps practices, and cloud readiness.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Skills

Enterprise modernization

Domain-driven design

AI-assisted engineering tools

Troubleshooting

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

AI-assisted engineering tools

API and service integration patterns

CI/CD practices

Job description

Join the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) and be part of a team committed to creating a positive impact in the lives of fellow Texans. At HHSC, your contributions matter, and we support you at each stage of your life and work journey. Our comprehensive benefits package includes 100% paid employee health insurance for full-time eligible employees, a defined benefit pension plan, generous time off benefits, numerous opportunities for career advancement and more. Explore more details on the Benefits of Working at HHS webpage.

Job Title: Senior Modernization Engineer (also known as Systems Analyst VII)
Agency: Health & Human Services Comm
Department: Chief Technology Office EI 3b
Salary Range: $8,488.33 - $11,666.66 per month
Closing Date: 10/10/2026
Work Schedule: Regular, Full time, Exempt
Location: Austin, TX (701 W 51ST ST)
Onsite Requirement: This onsite role requires the selected candidate to work from an HHS office in Austin, Texas.
Eligibility: This position is open to U.S. Citizens and permanent residents.

Performs highly complex computer systems analysis work for the CTO team with a primary focus on enterprise application modernization, legacy system transformation, domain-driven design, and responsible use of AI-assisted engineering practices. Work involves assessing aging technology platforms, analyzing complex legacy codebases and system dependencies, identifying business domains and bounded contexts, reducing technical debt, and developing practical strategies to modernize applications for improved scalability, security, interoperability, and long-term maintainability. The position supports modernization planning, source code analysis, migration of business logic, refactoring of monolithic applications, design of modular and cloud-ready service patterns, application of domain-driven design principles, responsible use of AI tools to assist code analysis and modernization planning, implementation of secure development practices, and transition of legacy functionality into modern application frameworks. Work includes preparing technical documentation, mapping current-state and target-state architectures, troubleshooting application issues, supporting modernization roadmaps, and collaborating with engineering, architecture, cloud, security, data, AI, and program teams to align technical solutions with agency business needs. The position contributes to modernization efforts that improve system reliability, strengthen maintainability, enable future technology adoption, and support more efficient delivery of enterprise services. Works under general supervision, with moderate latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment.

Essential Job Functions (EJFs)

• Analyzes legacy applications, source code, data flows, business rules, system dependencies, domain boundaries, bounded contexts, and technical debt; develops modernization assessments, target-state recommendations, and practical roadmaps to transition aging systems to secure, scalable, AI-ready, and maintainable platforms. 35%
• Refactors, rewrites, configures, and implements modernized application components, business logic, interfaces, domain services, and APIs using domain-driven design principles, secure design practices, approved development standards, AI-assisted engineering tools where appropriate, and modern application frameworks to support upgraded agency business capabilities. 30%
• Troubleshoots, tests, and stabilizes modernized applications, code libraries, integrations, and runtime environments; identifies defects, resolves performance or service issues, and validates that modernized components meet functional, security, and operational requirements. 15%
• Prepares modernization documentation, domain models, current-state and target-state architecture mappings, technical flowcharts, AI-assisted analysis findings, and implementation guidance; provides consultation to architects, engineers, security, cloud, data, AI, and program teams to align modernization work with enterprise standards and business needs. 10%
• Supports modernization governance by promoting domain-driven design, secure coding, DevSecOps practices, responsible use of AI-assisted development tools, cloud readiness, quality standards, reusable patterns, and compliance with agency technology and architecture standards. 5%
• Performs other duties as assigned. 5%

Knowledge, Skills And Abilities (KSAs)

• Knowledge:
  • Thorough knowledge of enterprise application modernization practices, domain-driven design, legacy system assessment, technical debt reduction, modernization roadmaps, and AI-assisted modernization analysis.
  • Thorough knowledge of legacy enterprise computing frameworks, modern application frameworks, modular architecture, bounded contexts, domain services, API and service integration patterns, and cloud-ready design approaches.
  • Thorough knowledge of secure application development, OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities, DevSecOps practices, CI/CD concepts, testing practices, responsible AI-assisted development practices, and approved technology standards.
  • Knowledge of translating legacy business rules, workflows, data dependencies, and domain concepts into modern technical requirements, domain models, and implementation designs.
• Skills:
  • Strong skill in reading, reverse-engineering, documenting, and assessing undocumented legacy application structures, data flows, business rules, domain boundaries, and tightly coupled code paths.
  • Strong skill in applying domain-driven design concepts to refactor and rewrite legacy business logic into modular, maintainable, secure, AI-ready, and cloud-ready application components and services.
  • Strong skill in troubleshooting application defects, integration issues, performance constraints, runtime environments, and service-to-service communication errors.
  • Skill in using AI-assisted engineering tools responsibly to accelerate code understanding, pattern identification, documentation, modernization planning, and developer productivity while validating outputs for accuracy, security, and compliance.
• Abilities:
  • Ability to develop modernization blueprints, domain models, technical documentation, architecture mappings, and implementation guidance that describe how legacy systems will transition to modern platforms.
  • Ability to translate legacy business processes, system behavior, and domain concepts into clear technical requirements, design options, integration patterns, modernization work items, and services aligned to business capabilities.
  • Ability to collaborate with architects, engineers, security, cloud, data, AI, vendor, and program teams; provide technical guidance; and support modernization decisions during planning and implementation.

Registrations, Licensure Requirements Or Certifications

None

Initial Screening Criteria

• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with major coursework in computer science, computer engineering, or a related field. Experience may substitute for education on a year-for-year basis.
• Minimum of 4 years of experience in enterprise systems refactoring, legacy migration, or application modernization.

Additional Information

Any employment offer is contingent upon available budgeted funds. The offered salary will be determined in accordance with budgetary limits and the requirements of HHSC Human Resources Manual.

Selected candidates must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. without sponsorship.

Selected candidate must be willing to commute to the office on the required days.

Active Duty, Military, Reservists, Guardsmen, And Veterans

Military occupation(s) that relate to the initial selection criteria and registration or licensure requirements for this position may include, but not limited to those listed in this posting. All active-duty military, reservists, guardsmen, and veterans are encouraged to apply if qualified to fill this position. For more information please see the Texas State Auditor’s Job Descriptions, Military Crosswalk and Military Crosswalk Guide at Texas State Auditor's Office - Job Descriptions.

ADA Accommodations

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), HHSC and DSHS agencies will provide reasonable accommodation during the hiring and selection process for qualified individuals with a disability. If you need assistance completing the on-line application, contact the HHS Employee Service Center at 1-888-894-4747. If you are contacted for an interview and need accommodation to participate in the interview process, please notify the person scheduling the interview.

Pre-Employment Checks And Work Eligibility

Depending on the program area and position requirements, applicants selected for hire may be required to pass background and other due diligence checks.

HHSC uses E-Verify. You must bring your I-9 documentation with you on your first day of work. Download the I-9 Form

Telework Disclaimer

This position may be eligible for telework. Please note, all HHS positions are subject to state and agency telework policies in addition to the discretion of the direct supervisor and business needs.