Staff Software Architect

Caribou Thunder; Omaha (NE); On-site; USD 125,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) plan

Flexible PTO

Education reimbursement

Military leave

Work-life balance

Job summary

Caribou Thunder seeks an experienced Staff Software Architect to lead secure, scalable software architectures for national defense missions. You will guide Agile teams, shape technical roadmaps, and ensure cybersecurity, performance, and maintainability across systems.

The role requires DoD Top Secret clearance, on-site work, and collaboration with government engineers to deliver enterprise integration and modern web-based mission applications.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field.
• U.S. Citizenship required.
• Active DoD Top Secret security clearance or ability to obtain one.
• Experience designing enterprise software architectures for complex systems.
• Experience designing system interfaces using RESTful APIs, Kafka, and databases.
• Experience developing Java-based web applications.
• Ability to present architectures to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Strong OO design and distributed systems knowledge.
• Onsite work in a classified environment.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with government engineers and stakeholders to understand software requirements for strategic defense missions.
• Design and document enterprise architectures guiding Agile teams.
• Develop secure, scalable software solutions balancing cybersecurity, performance and reliability.
• Create system-to-system integration architectures using RESTful APIs, Kafka, databases, and enterprise technologies.
• Develop architecture standards, reusable patterns, and frameworks to accelerate delivery.
• Evaluate new technologies and prototype architectural patterns for scalability and security.
• Provide technical leadership during design reviews and planning sessions.
• Review designs for alignment with standards and modernization goals.
• Develop Java-based reference implementations and architectural prototypes for web-based mission apps.
• Present architecture strategies and trade studies to customers and leadership.
• Mentor teams on best practices and modern engineering methods.

Skills

Java

RESTful APIs

Kafka

Security architecture

Agile methods

Team leadership

Enterprise architecture

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/Eng

Tools

Jira

Confluence

Job description

Staff Software Architect

Senior Level | $125,000 - $150,000 | Onsite | Top Secret Clearance Required | U.S. Citizenship Required

Support the development of next-generation strategic mission software by designing secure, scalable software architectures that enable critical national defense capabilities. Join a collaborative engineering team working alongside government engineers to define modern software architectures, integration patterns, and technical roadmaps supporting mission planning and command-and-control (C2) systems. You'll serve as the architectural leader guiding Agile development teams while ensuring software solutions prioritize cybersecurity, performance, resiliency, and long-term maintainability.

A Day in the Life - What you'll do

• Collaborate with government engineers and mission stakeholders to understand evolving software requirements supporting strategic defense missions.
• Design and document enterprise software architectures that provide implementation guidance for Agile software development teams.
• Develop secure, scalable software solutions that balance cybersecurity, system performance, reliability, maintainability, and mission effectiveness.
• Design modern system-to-system integration architectures using RESTful APIs, Kafka messaging, databases, and enterprise integration technologies.
• Develop architectural standards, reusable software patterns, and technical frameworks that accelerate Agile software delivery.
• Evaluate emerging software technologies and prototype new architectural patterns that improve scalability, security, and developer productivity.
• Collaborate closely with software developers, systems architects, cybersecurity engineers, DevSecOps engineers, and product owners throughout the software development lifecycle.
• Provide technical leadership during software design reviews, architecture working groups, and engineering planning sessions.
• Review software designs to ensure alignment with enterprise architecture standards and long-term modernization objectives.
• Develop Java-based reference implementations and architectural prototypes supporting modern web-based mission applications.
• Present architecture strategies, engineering trade studies, and technical recommendations to customers, program leadership, and multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Mentor development teams on software architecture best practices, secure software development, and modern engineering methodologies.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics) discipline from an accredited university.
• U.S. Citizenship required.
• Active DoD Top Secret security clearance or the ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret clearance with required special access.
• Experience designing enterprise software architectures for complex software-intensive systems.
• Experience designing system-to-system interfaces using RESTful APIs, Kafka messaging platforms, databases, and modern integration technologies.
• Experience developing software using Java and modern web-based application technologies.
• Experience presenting software architecture solutions to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of object-oriented design principles, software architecture patterns, and distributed systems.
• Strong technical leadership, analytical, and communication skills.
• Ability to work onsite full-time in a classified engineering environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working within Agile software development environments.
• Experience using Atlassian collaboration tools including Jira and Confluence.
• Knowledge of U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) missions including Intelligence, Mission Planning, or Command & Control (C2).
• Experience evaluating cybersecurity risks, vulnerabilities, and secure software architecture principles.
• Experience supporting large-scale, mission-critical software systems.
• Experience supporting Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center (AFNWC) systems including:
  • Strategic Mission Planning and Execution System (SMPES)
  • Mission Planning and Analysis System (MPAS)
  • Nuclear Planning and Execution System (NPES)
• Experience supporting DevSecOps software development environments and modern CI/CD practices.
• Experience designing cloud-native, microservices-based, or event-driven software architectures.
• Experience supporting classified Department of Defense software development programs.

Who is Caribou Thunder?

Caribou Thunder is a HUBZone-certified small business providing advanced technical and engineering services to the U.S. Department of Defense and its mission partners.

35+ states and 20+ countries.

We've delivered trusted solutions for over two decades—strengthening national readiness across missions on land, undersea, in the air, and throughout LEO, MEO, GEO, and deep space.

Why Caribou Thunder?

TEAM THUNDER — Mission Focused. Delivery Proven. Ready to Serve.

• Employee Advocacy
• Mission Proven
• Global Reach
• Skilled Teams
• Modern Tools
• Empowering Culture

Our engineers and innovators ensure capability from sea floor to space frontier—delivering on time, maintaining compliance, and performing with precision in high-consequence environments.

We specialize in Software Architecture, Engineering Services, Cybersecurity, Software Development, DevSecOps, Digital Engineering, Modeling & Simulation, and Artificial Intelligence—disciplines powering the nation's most complex technical missions.

Employee Advocacy + Benefits

Our people are the heart of Caribou Thunder. We invest in their growth, flexibility, and well-being—knowing their success drives ours.

Benefits include:

• Premium Health, Dental & Vision Insurance
• 401(k) with 6% Company Match
• Flexible PTO & Work Schedule
• Education & Certification Reimbursement
• Support for Military Leave
• Work–Life Balance & Traditional Family Values

Your future, your flexibility, your well-being—we invest in you.