Systems Architect/ Technical Lead

Unissant; Bethesda (MD); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Unissant, Inc. in Bethesda, MD seeks a System Architect / Technical Lead to guide complex applications from design through deployment, ensuring scalable, secure solutions.

You will mentor teams, define system architecture, review designs, and drive cloud-based delivery, DevSecOps, and automation across programs.

This hands-on leadership role requires strong communication with stakeholders and a proven track record of delivering reliable IT solutions for federal and civilian agency clients.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years providing technical leadership to a delivery team.
• Minimum 8 years in systems integration, application development, and package implementation.
• Minimum 3 years supporting IT projects of similar size and complexity.
• Experience with cloud computing and cloud-based technologies.
• Solid understanding of software engineering disciplines and lifecycle stages.
• Experience gathering requirements with business and technical stakeholders.
• Ability to learn new technologies quickly and mentor others.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical direction to developers, testers, business analysts, and delivery personnel.
• Design, implement, test, validate, and deploy solutions with cross-functional teams.
• Define and implement system architecture using modern cloud-based technologies.
• Lead coding, testing, troubleshooting, and integration activities across releases.
• Review requirements, designs, and artifacts for quality and security.
• Oversee deployment activities and ensure maintainability of deliveries.
• Support release planning, risk management, and lessons learned.
• Assess emerging technologies and provide recommendations for upgrades.
• Mentor junior staff and promote AI-assisted development and DevSecOps practices.
• Model business processes and integrate capabilities with enterprise systems.

Skills

Technical leadership

Delivery leadership

Cloud computing

Systems integration

Architecture definition

Mentoring

Requirements gathering

Problem solving

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

Job description

Unissant, Inc. delivers innovative capabilities to the agencies that keep our nation healthy and safe. We apply our domain expertise, data acumen, and technology know-how to achieve breakthrough results for our clients. Working collaboratively, we advance missions and careers through a focus on honesty, integrity, and dependability. We continuously look for talent excited to join that effort. To learn more about our exciting organization, please visit www.unissant.com.

We are seeking a System Architect / Technical Lead to join our team and support our client.

The ideal candidate is an experienced hands‑on technical leader who provides system architecture, technical direction, and delivery oversight for a complex application program. This individual will guide cross‑functional teams through the full software development life cycle and ensure high‑quality, secure, scalable technical solutions.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide technical direction to application developers, database developers, testers, business analysts, and other delivery personnel.
• Partner with system owners, business owners, technical teams, and functional teams to design, implement, test, validate, and deploy solutions.
• Define and implement system architecture using sound engineering practices, object‑oriented analysis and design techniques, reusable patterns, and modern cloud‑based technologies.
• Lead and contribute to coding, unit testing, technical troubleshooting, system integration, operations and maintenance, and enhancement activities.
• Review and approve requirements analysis, technical designs, development work products, and testing artifacts during each release cycle.
• Oversee implementation and deployment activities; ensure the quality, reliability, security, and maintainability of technical deliveries.
• Assess and develop level‑of‑effort estimates for change requests, defects, enhancements, and other technical tasks.
• Support release planning, scheduling, task assignments, technical risk management, and incident/lessons‑learned activities.
• Assess emerging technologies and provide technical recommendations for future initiatives, upgrades, and modernization.
• Mentor junior personnel and promote adoption of AI‑assisted development, DevSecOps, automation, and cloud‑native engineering practices.
• Model business processes and integrate application capabilities with existing enterprise systems.

Work Experience and Job Skills:

• Minimum 10 years of experience providing technical leadership to a delivery team.
• Minimum 8 years of experience in systems integration, application development, and package implementation.
• Minimum 3 years of experience supporting IT projects of similar size, complexity, and technology environment.
• Demonstrated experience with cloud computing and cloud‑based technologies.
• Solid understanding of software engineering disciplines, including requirements, design, implementation, testing, integration, deployment, and operations and maintenance.
• Experience gathering and documenting requirements with business and technical stakeholders.
• Ability to rapidly learn and apply new technologies, strong technical problem‑solving, estimation, communication, and mentoring skills.
• Experience leading technical quality reviews and coordinating cross‑functional delivery activities.

Education:

• Bachelor's degree required; preferred field of study in Computer Science, Information Technology, Information Systems, Engineering, or a related field.
• Master's degree in a relevant field preferred.

Certificates, Licenses and Registrations:

• Cloud, DevSecOps, agile, architecture, or relevant technical certification is preferred.

Communication Skills:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to translate technical concepts, risks, designs, and recommendations for technical and nontechnical stakeholders.
• Ability to write clear, concise content and manage sensitive information in a highly confidential manner.

Clearance Requirements:

• Ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust clearance is required.

Travel:

• Travel may be required based on client and business needs.
• Mainly a routine office environment.
• May be required to lift up to ten (10) pounds.
• Flexible in working extended hours as needed.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the individual(s) assigned to this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and skills required. Unissant management reserves the right to modify, add, or remove duties and to assign other duties as necessary. In addition, where applicable and available, reasonable accommodation(s) may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions of this position.

Please note: Candidate(s) will be required to go through pre-employment screening.

Unissant, Inc. is a proud Equal Opportunity Employer! (EOE; M/F/Disability/Vets)