Systems Architect II

CSX Corporation; Jacksonville (FL); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

CSX Corporation seeks a Systems Architect II – Data Streaming Platforms to lead design of streaming/integration solutions across CSX. You’ll set architecture patterns, guide end-to-end data streaming across Kafka, Palantir Foundry and Microsoft Fabric Real-Time Intelligence, and own trade-offs for scalable, secure streaming capabilities.

The role emphasizes initiative in AI-enabled patterns, platform automation, and cross-domain collaboration with engineering and product teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in CS/IT or related major.
• 7+ years of engineering/administration experience.
• Equivalent minimum qualifications: 9+ years in information systems.
• Master’s degree and 5+ years in systems engineering are preferred.

Responsibilities

• Design end-to-end data streaming architectures across apps and infra.
• Define event-driven, messaging, and integration patterns (Kafka, Foundry, Fabric).
• Lead architecture reviews for streaming/integration solutions.
• Promote CI/CD, IaC, and AI-enabled patterns in engineering workflows.
• Ensure scalable, secure, and cost-effective streaming implementations.

Skills

Event-driven architecture

Data streaming patterns

Architectural decision-making

Cross-domain integration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in CS/IT or related field

Master’s degree (preferred)

10+ years in Transportation/Intermodal Ops/IT (preferred)

Tools

Kafka

Palantir Foundry

Microsoft Fabric Real-Time Intelligence

Terraform/ArgoCD

Job description

The Systems Architect II – Data Streaming Platforms is a senior technical leader responsible for designing and guiding the evolution of streaming and integration solutions across CSX.

This role serves as a design authority for data streaming platforms, defining architecture patterns, integration approaches, and system designs that enable reliable, scalable data movement across applications, platforms, and infrastructure.

The Systems Architect II leads the design of complex, cross-domain streaming solutions leveraging platforms such as Kafka, Palantir Foundry, and Microsoft Fabric Real-Time Intelligence, ensuring alignment between platform capabilities, engineering delivery, and business outcomes.

The role owns architectural direction, trade-off decisions, and total cost of ownership (TCO) for streaming and integration solutions while advancing AI-enabled patterns across streaming and integration workflows.

Primary Responsibilities:

Streaming Architecture & Design Leadership

• Design and guide end-to-end data streaming architectures across applications, platforms, and infrastructure
• Define and evolve event-driven, messaging, and integration patterns, including:
  • Kafka-based architectures
  • Event pipelines into Palantir Foundry
  • Real-time ingestion and processing patterns within Microsoft Fabric Real-Time Intelligence
• Ensure designs meet requirements for scalability, resiliency, performance, and security
• Align solution designs with data streaming platform capabilities and constraints across:
  • Kafka (event backbone)
  • Palantir Foundry (data modeling and operational analytics)
  • Microsoft Fabric Real-Time Intelligence (real-time reporting and analytics)
• Guide integration between:
  • Data producers and consumers
  • Streaming platforms and downstream systems
  • Operational and analytical platforms
• Guide consistent adoption of approved platform patterns across engineering teams

Standards, Patterns, and Reusability

• Define standard patterns for streaming integration, including:
  • Topic design and partitioning strategies
  • Schema management and data contracts
  • Event design for cross-platform interoperability
• Establish reusable reference architectures and implementation patterns for engineering teams

Infrastructure as Code & Platform Automation

• Define and standardize Infrastructure as Code patterns for provisioning and managing:
  • Streaming infrastructure (Kafka clusters, topics, and supporting services)
  • Platform integrations with Palantir Foundry and Microsoft Fabric
• Guide the use of Terraform and ArgoCD (or equivalent tooling) for consistent, declarative, and repeatable deployments
• Ensure infrastructure is:
  • Version-controlled (source of truth in Git)
  • Environment-consistent (dev/test/prod)
  • Auditable and reproducible
• Promote automated environment provisioning over manual configuration
• Define CI/CD and deployment patterns for streaming and platform solutions, including:
  • Release orchestration, validation, and rollback
  • Code deployment (applications, stream processing logic)
  • Infrastructure deployment (IaC pipelines managed via Git workflows)
  • Configuration and schema promotion across environments
• Build, test, and release automation
• Release governance, validation, and rollback strategies
• Ensure integration of CI/CD pipelines with platform workflows across:
  • Kafka ecosystems
  • Foundry data pipelines
  • Fabric real-time analytics components
• Drive adoption of automated testing, validation, and continuous delivery practices
• Define and promote AI-enabled patterns across data streaming platforms that create measurable value in architecture and operations, including:
  • Real-time data enrichment and intelligent processing of event streams
  • Integration of streaming data with AI/ML and agent-based workflows
  • Event-driven triggers for AI-driven decisioning and automation
• Guide integration of streaming platforms with AI capabilities within Foundry and Fabric, establishing scalable, reusable, and cost-conscious architecture patterns
• Identify opportunities to leverage AI to improve data quality, anomaly detection, operational automation, and real-time decision support
• Enable engineering teams to apply AI effectively in daily work through practical guidance in two areas:
  • AI in the architecture — designing systems that are AI-ready, extensible, and aligned to performance, cost, and operational constraints
  • AI in the team's practices — applying AI-assisted development, analysis, and operational tooling in practical, responsible ways
• Own architectural trade-offs including:
  • Performance vs cost
  • Build vs buy
  • Platform utilization efficiency
• Evaluate run cost, compute usage, and platform economics, including impacts from streaming volume, processing patterns, and AI usage
• Ensure solutions are operationally sustainable and cost-effective

Technical Leadership & Influence

• Provide architectural guidance to engineers, platform teams, and product partners
• Lead design and architecture reviews for streaming and integration solutions
• Mentor engineers in event-driven architecture, platform usage (Kafka, Foundry, Fabric), Infrastructure as Code, CI/CD, and practical use of AI tools in engineering and system design
• Influence direction through technical expertise and clarity of design

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution required in Computer Science, Information Systems/Technology or related major field of study.
• 7 or more years of experiencerequired in engineering/administration.

Equivalent Minimum Qualifications

• 9 or more years of experiencein Information Systems.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree from an accredited institution required in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related major field of study.
• 5 or more years of experiencein systems engineering/administration.
• 10 or more years of experience in Transportation/Intermodal Operations, Information Systems, or Logistics

Knowledge and Skills

• Advanced knowledge of event-driven architecture, data streaming patterns, message broker design, and real-time integration concepts.
• Strong understanding of Kafka-based architectures, including topic design, partitioning strategies, schema management, producers, consumers, and operational considerations.
• Experience designing integrations across enterprise platforms, including Palantir Foundry, Microsoft Fabric Real-Time Intelligence, cloud services, application systems, and analytical environments.
• Knowledge of Infrastructure as Code, GitOps, CI/CD, and automated deployment practices using tools such as Terraform, ArgoCD, Azure DevOps, GitHub, or equivalent technologies.
• Ability to design scalable, secure, resilient, and cost-effective streaming solutions aligned to enterprise architecture standards and operational requirements.
• Working knowledge of AI-enabled development, intelligent automation, real-time enrichment, anomaly detection, and AI/ML integration patterns within streaming and data platforms.
• Strong analytical and architectural decision-making skills, including the ability to evaluate trade-offs across performance, cost, complexity, reliability, and time to delivery.

About Us

CSX is passionate about building a workforce that reflects the values and behaviors of ONE CSX. We are nationally recognized for our commitment to diversity and engagement, as well as our support for veterans and reservists.

CSX, based in Jacksonville, Florida, is a premier transportation company. It provides rail, intermodal and rail-to-truck transload services and solutions to customers across a broad array of markets, including energy, industrial, construction, agricultural, and consumer products. For nearly 200 years, CSX has played a critical role in the nation's economic expansion and industrial development. Its network connects every major metropolitan area in the eastern United States, where nearly two-thirds of the nation's population resides. It also links more than 230 short-line railroads and more than 70 ocean, river and lake ports with major population centers and farming towns alike. More information about CSX Corporation and its subsidiaries is available at www.csx.com. Connect with us on Facebook X LinkedIn Instagram YouTube

Closing Statement

At CSX, two of our six Guiding Principles are Valuing and Developing Employees as well as Operating Safely. We are committed to offering our team members the most competitive compensation and benefits package available, unlimited opportunities for development and growth throughout an exciting and rewarding career, and the safest work environment possible.

CSX is an Equal Opportunity Employer Veterans/Disabled. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.

CSX Transportation and its subsidiaries are not seeking outside assistance or accepting unsolicited resumes from staffing agencies or search firms for employment or contractor opportunities. Any resumes submitted by an outside vendor to any employee at CSX via e-mail, Internet, or directly to hiring managers without a valid written search agreement in place with the Talent Acquisition / HR department will be deemed the sole property of CSX. No placement fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired as a result of the referral, or through other means.

This role offers an annual salary range based on experience and qualifications. In addition to base salary we provide an annual bonus opportunity.

At CSX, we prioritize valuing and developing employees, as well as operating safely. We are committed to offering our team members competitive compensation, a comprehensive benefits package, and unlimited growth opportunities. Our benefits support financial, physical, emotional, and social well-being, with health plans, wellness programs, and customizable coverage options. Learn more about our benefits here .

Job Info

• Job Identification 54793
• Job Category Information Systems Technology
• Locations Jacksonville, FL, United States