Lead Application Architect (SME)

About Us
Onyx Government Services, LLC., is a Service-Disable Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia. We specialize in data management, integration, and analysis solutions to provide decision-ready information to Command and Control (C2) and Decision Support Systems.  We have demonstrated expertise in the field of Information Technology, database & COTS integration, and custom software development.

Onyx pairs subject matter and functional experts with developers to provide high quality, tailored solutions. In support of our various efforts, we have developed the Onyx Data Management Toolkit, a combination of Agile Development principles, COTS Integration, and custom software, to deliver flexible, cost-effective solutions to a variety of Department of Defense, Intelligence Community, and Law Enforcement agencies.

Job Summary
We are seeking a Subject Matter Expert (SME)–level Lead Application Architect to design and define the overall structure and framework of applications within the U.S. Census Bureau’s Decennial Transformation and Application Modernization (DTAM) effort. This role provides technical and management leadership on major application architecture assignments, establishing standards, patterns, and types that prioritize interoperability, reliability, scalability, security, and other DevSecOps dimensions.

The Lead Application Architect develops secure multi-cloud application architectures and ensures alignment with Decennial business and operations plans and governance. Decision-making and domain knowledge may have a critical impact on overall program implementation. May supervise others.

Work Location: Suitland, MD
Clearance: U.S. Citizenship required

***This position is contingent upon contract award. ***

Required Skills

• Expert experience defining application architecture standards, patterns, and reference architectures
• Demonstrated ability to design secure multi-cloud application architectures (microservices, IaC, serverless, containerization)
• Strong background in API management — design, security, discovery, and governance
• Experience aligning application lifecycle management with Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA)
• Experience developing Concepts of Operations and briefing architecture governance boards

Desired Skills

• Experience with application FinOps cost optimization and automated monitoring
• Familiarity with DevSecOps CI/CD and cloud-native best practices
• Experience with large-scale federal modernization or System of Systems (SoS) programs
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including executive briefing to senior Government stakeholders

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or a related field
• 15+ years of experience providing technical and management leadership on major application architecture assignments (SME level)

Desired Certifications

• Certified Solutions Architect (AWS / Azure / Google Cloud Professional)
• Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP)
• DevOps Certification

Salary Range: $170,000- $190,000 annually

The salary range for this position represents the anticipated compensation at the time of posting. Actual compensation will be determined based on factors such as the candidate's qualifications, experience, education, skills, contract requirements, funding and other business considerations.

Benefits
Eligible employees have access to a comprehensive benefits package, which currently includes:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) retirement plan
• Paid time off (PTO)
• Company-paid holidays
• Short-term and long-term disability insurance
• Life insurance