Cloud Data Architect

Company Description

Citizant is a leading provider of professional IT services to the U.S. government. We seek to address some of our country's most pressing challenges in the areas of Agile application development, Enterprise Data Management, Enterprise Architecture, and Program Management support services - focusing on the U.S. Departments of Homeland Security and Treasury. We strive to hire only ethical, talented, passionate, and committed "A Players" who already align with the company's core values: Drive, Excellence, Reputation, Responsibility, and a Better Future. No matter how large we grow, Citizant will retain its collaborative, supportive, small-company culture, where successful team effort to address external and internal customer challenges is valued above all individual contributions.

About the Role

The Cloud Data Architect serves as the senior technical authority responsible for defining, governing, and evolving enterprise architecture to support mission and business objectives. The EA leads the development of architecture strategies, standards, and technical roadmaps that align enterprise platforms, data ecosystems, cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure, and product engineering practices across the organization.

Working closely with executive leadership, engineering teams, product managers, and stakeholders, the Enterprise Architect ensures that solutions are scalable, secure, interoperable, and aligned with enterprise architecture frameworks and federal best practices. The role provides architectural oversight across engineering, product development, infrastructure, data platforms, and digital services to enable efficient, innovative, and mission-driven technology delivery.

Key Responsibilities:

Enterprise Architecture Strategy and Governance

• Develop and maintain the organization's enterprise architecture framework, reference architectures, and technology standards.
• Establish and lead architecture governance processes, including architecture review boards and technical design reviews.
• Ensure enterprise architecture aligns with mission needs, product delivery strategies, and organizational technology investments.
• Maintain enterprise architecture artifacts, including capability models, architecture diagrams, standards, and technology roadmaps.

Architecture Design and Integration

• Define and maintain reference architectures for cloud environments, SaaS platforms, enterprise applications, and data services.
• Guide engineering and development teams in designing integrated, scalable, and resilient solutions.
• Conduct architecture reviews to ensure alignment with enterprise standards, cybersecurity requirements, and operational performance objectives.
• Promote the use of modular architectures, APIs, reusable services, and platform-based development approaches.

Technology Roadmaps and Innovation

• Develop and maintain multi-year technology roadmaps aligned with organizational goals and evolving mission needs.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and recommend adoption strategies to improve scalability, innovation, and operational efficiency.
• Support strategic initiatives, including cloud adoption, digital transformation, and enterprise platform modernization.

Data, Security, and Infrastructure Alignment

• Ensure enterprise architecture aligns with data architecture, cybersecurity frameworks, and Zero Trust principles.
• Collaborate with security, infrastructure, and data teams to ensure secure and efficient integration across platforms and services.
• Provide architectural guidance for identity management, analytics platforms, cloud services, and enterprise applications.

Engineering and Product Collaboration

• Partner with product managers, engineering teams, and program stakeholders to translate mission requirements into scalable architecture solutions.
• Support agile and DevSecOps practices to enable rapid, reliable product delivery.
• Provide architecture leadership for modernization initiatives and enterprise technology integration.

Architecture Documentation and Communication

• Develop and maintain architecture documentation, diagrams, standards, and design guidance.
• Communicate architectural strategies, roadmaps, and recommendations to leadership and technical stakeholders.
• Provide technical briefings and architectural recommendations to support strategic decision-making.

Qualifications

• 10 - 15 years of data governance/architecture/analytics experience; AND 5+ years of federal data governance, metadata, data quality, dashboards
• Demonstrated experience designing and implementing enterprise architectures across cloud platforms, data ecosystems, and enterprise applications.
• Experience establishing architecture governance frameworks and technical standards.
• Strong understanding of cloud architecture, data architecture, DevSecOps practices, and enterprise integration patterns.
• Experience working with federal agencies or large enterprise organizations is highly desirable.

Education

• Master's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or a related technical field.

Certifications

• CDMP (Certified Data Management Professional)
• AWS Data Analytics Specialty OR Azure Data Engineer
• Databricks / Snowflake / modern data platform certification
• AI/ML certification (optional but preferred)

Security Requirements (Required)

• U.S. Citizenship required.
• Must possess or be able to obtain/maintain a Public Trust background investigation

Citizant offers a competitive benefits package, including:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k)
• Generous PTO
• Company-paid life and disability insurance
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Tuition Assistance & Professional Development Program

Additional information

Citizant strives to be an employer of choice in the Washington metropolitan area. Citizant associates accept challenging and rewarding work and in return receive excellent compensation and benefits, as well as the opportunity for personal and professional development.

Citizant is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran status, or disability status.