Systems Technical Director

ICF Next; Reston (VA); Remote; USD 159,000 - 270,000; Full time

Job summary

ICF Next is seeking a senior engineering leader to serve as the overall technical authority for a cross-functional program. You will guide architectural decisions, balance current .NET operations with modernization, and ensure secure, observable, and scalable delivery across teams.

You will stay close to technology to challenge designs, advise options, and align releases with program priorities while driving cloud adoption and reducing technical debt.

Qualifications

• 7+ years delivering resilient production web applications with .NET stack.
• 5+ years designing APIs or distributed services.
• 3+ years leading engineering teams and Agile delivery.
• 3+ years making architecture decisions across apps, data and cloud.
• 3+ years establishing automated testing, CI/CD and production support.
• 3+ years guiding authentication, authorization and secure data handling.
• Authorization to work in the United Kingdom and ability to obtain background screening.

Responsibilities

• Define and maintain the programme engineering strategy, technical roadmap, architecture guardrails and incremental modernisation approach.
• Lead engineering team leads and multiple development workstreams by aligning priorities, capacity, dependencies, standards and delivery expectations.
• Provide technical direction for .NET applications, APIs, domain and data models, SQL Server solutions, system integrations and cloud-hosted services.
• Establish programme-wide practices for secure development, automated testing, code review, CI/CD, release readiness, documentation and production support.
• Evaluate technical options and communicate recommendations, costs, risks, dependencies and trade-offs to programme leadership and federal stakeholders.
• Partner with product and delivery leaders to shape release plans, estimates, staffing needs and acceptance criteria that are technically achievable.
• Coordinate architecture and delivery across cloud, DevSecOps, database, security, quality assurance, accessibility, data, user experience and operations teams.
• Identify and manage technical debt, performance constraints, reliability risks, integration dependencies and modernisation sequencing.
• Oversee response to complex production issues, root-cause analysis, corrective actions and improvements to monitoring and operational readiness.
• Mentor engineering leads and senior engineers, strengthen technical decision-making and build consistent engineering practices across the programme.
• Maintain technical roadmaps, decision records, interface documentation, standards and executive-ready status reporting.

Skills

Engineering leadership

Agile delivery

C# / .NET

API design

Architecture decisions

CI/CD & security

Cloud architecture

Mentoring

Stakeholder communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/SE

Tools

SQL Server

ASP.NET MVC / Web API

Azure

AWS GovCloud

Job description

Description

At ICF Next, we are fearless in finding new ways to solve problems, relentless in making sure it pays off for our clients and committed to making a positive change in the world.

Join our community of mission-driven creatives, communicators, strategists, and technologists to challenge the status quo.

The Team

You’ll serve as the senior engineering leader for a cross-functional program that includes engineering team leads, software engineers, solution and cloud architects, database administrators, DevSecOps engineers, quality assurance specialists, user experience professionals, business analysts, product managers, data analysts, accessibility and security specialists, and behavioral health subject matter experts. We partner with federal stakeholders to operate and modernise a mission-critical data collection and performance reporting platform used by grantees and program staff.

The Work

In this programme‑level role, you will serve as the overall technical authority for platform operations and maintenance and for development, modernisation, and enhancement. You will connect architecture, delivery, operations and modernisation into a coherent plan; guide multiple engineering workstreams and team leads; make and document consequential technical decisions; establish shared standards; and ensure releases are secure, testable, supportable and aligned with programme priorities.

You will remain close enough to the technology to evaluate designs, challenge assumptions, troubleshoot difficult issues, and advise the client on options and trade‑offs. A key part of the work is balancing reliable operation of the current .NET platform with incremental modernisation, improved cloud and deployment practices, stronger data quality, better observability and a sustainable path for reducing technical debt.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and maintain the programme engineering strategy, technical roadmap, architecture guardrails and incremental modernisation approach.
• Lead engineering team leads and multiple development workstreams by aligning priorities, capacity, dependencies, standards and delivery expectations.
• Provide technical direction for .NET applications, APIs, domain and data models, SQL Server solutions, system integrations and cloud‑hosted services.
• Establish programme‑wide practices for secure development, automated testing, code review, CI/CD, release readiness, documentation and production support.
• Evaluate technical options and communicate recommendations, costs, risks, dependencies and trade‑offs to programme leadership and federal stakeholders.
• Partner with product and delivery leaders to shape release plans, estimates, staffing needs and acceptance criteria that are technically achievable.
• Coordinate architecture and delivery across cloud, DevSecOps, database, security, quality assurance, accessibility, data, user experience and operations teams.
• Identify and manage technical debt, performance constraints, reliability risks, integration dependencies and modernisation sequencing.
• Oversee response to complex production issues, root‑cause analysis, corrective actions and improvements to monitoring and operational readiness.
• Mentor engineering leads and senior engineers, strengthen technical decision‑making and build consistent engineering practices across the programme.
• Maintain technical roadmaps, decision records, interface documentation, standards and executive‑ready status reporting.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, software engineering, information systems or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• 7+ years delivering and supporting resilient, well‑tested production web applications, including 3+ years working with C#, .NET or .NET Core, ASP.NET MVC or Web API and SQL Server.
• 5+ years designing and delivering APIs or distributed application services using .NET or another modern language and framework.
• 3+ years leading engineering teams, technical leads or multiple engineering workstreams, including Agile delivery, estimation, dependency management and technical risk management.
• 3+ years making and documenting architecture decisions across applications, data, integrations, cloud infrastructure, security and operations, and communicating trade‑offs to technical and non‑technical stakeholders.
• 3+ years establishing or improving engineering practices for automated testing, code quality, source control, CI/CD, release management and production support.
• 3+ years guiding the design or implementation of authentication, authorisation, role‑based access, privacy protections and secure handling of sensitive data.
• Authorization to work in the United Kingdom, ability to perform all work within the United Kingdom and ability to obtain and maintain a favourable Public Trust determination and complete required background screening.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading incremental modernisation of a large legacy .NET platform, including sequencing technical debt reduction while maintaining reliable production service.
• Experience guiding AWS or AWS GovCloud architecture and operations, including cost optimisation, capacity planning, observability and service reliability.
• Experience establishing deployment and security automation using CI/CD platforms, containers, infrastructure as code and repeatable environment configuration.
• Experience supporting federal authorisation efforts, including NIST Moderate controls, FedRAMP, ATO processes and preparation of technical evidence.
• Experience overseeing architecture for high‑volume data collection, batch ingestion, ETL, data quality, reporting or business intelligence integrations.
• Experience guiding federated identity architecture, including single sign‑on, multi‑factor authentication and fine‑grained access controls.
• Experience leading complex production incident response, root‑cause analysis and improvements that prevent recurring issues.
• Experience providing technical leadership for federal government, public health, grants management, behavioural health or performance measurement programmes.
• Please note this role is contingent.

Applicants needing an accommodation for disability or religious purposes in connection with the application process should contact [e-mail] for assistance.

Working at ICF

ICF is a global advisory and technology services provider, but we’re not your typical consultants. We combine unmatched expertise with cutting‑edge technology to help clients solve their most complex challenges, navigate change and shape the future.

We can only solve the world’s toughest challenges by building a workplace that allows everyone to thrive. We are an equal opportunity employer. Together, our employees are empowered to share their expertise and collaborate with others to achieve personal and professional goals. For more information, please read ourEEO policy.

We will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Reasonable Accommodations are available, including, but not limited to, for disabled veterans, individuals with disabilities and individuals with sincerely held religious beliefs, in all phases of the application and employment process. To request an accommodation, please [e-mail] we will be happy to assist. All information you provide will be kept confidential and will be used only to the extent required to provide needed reasonable accommodations.

Read more about workplace discrimination rights or our benefit offerings which are included in the Transparency in (Benefits) Coverage Act.

Candidate AI Usage Policy

At ICF, we are committed to ensuring a fair interview process for all candidates based on their own skills and knowledge. As part of this commitment, the use of artificial intelligence tools to generate or assist with responses during interviews (whether in‑person or virtual) is not permitted. This policy is in place to maintain the integrity and authenticity of the interview process.

However, we understand that some candidates may require accommodation that involves the use of AI. If such an accommodation is needed, candidates are instructed to contact us in advance [e-mail]. We are dedicated to providing the necessary support to ensure that all candidates have an equal opportunity to succeed.

Pay Range

There are multiple factors that are considered in determining final pay for a position, including, but not limited to, relevant work experience, skills, certifications and competencies that align to the specified role, geographic location, education and certifications as well as contract provisions regarding labour categories that are specific to the position.

The pay range for this position based on full‑time employment is:

$158,819.00 – $269,993.00

Nationwide Remote Office (US99)