Principal Domain Architect - Enterprise Connectivity

Principal Domain Architect

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Job Overview and Responsibilities

The Principal Domain Architect provides architectural direction for United's enterprise connectivity domain, shaping the future-state strategy, standards and design direction across network, security, automation, and associated connectivity platforms. The role defines scalable architectural patterns that integrate security, policy, and operational controls into connectivity services, ensuring platforms evolve as a unified enterprise capability rather than isolated technologies.

Partnering with engineering, operations, cybersecurity, and enterprise architecture teams, the position drives convergence of network and security capabilities while guiding roadmap development, standards adoption, and emerging technology alignment. The role emphasizes forward looking design, reusable patterns, and system-level thinking to prepare Enterprise Connectivity and Operations (ECO) for increasingly software-defined policy-driven, and AI-enabled infrastructure models.

Please note this is a hybrid role and will require attendance 2-3 days per week onsite at our Chicago or Houston office.

• Define Enterprise Connectivity Domain Architecture:
  • Develop and maintain the enterprise connectivity reference architecture across network, security, and automation domains
  • Establish domain-level design principles that guide platform selection, deployment models, and service integration so architecture evolves as an integrated system rather than independent platform deployments
  • Define multi-year future-state architectural direction supporting hybrid, cloud, and distributed domain-based connectivity models
  • Define and maintain the enterprise connectivity architectural roadmap in partnership with engineering and operations leadership.
• Drive Network and Security Convergence:
  • Define integrated connectivity patterns that embed security controls directly into network design standards
  • Guide adoption of identify-aware and policy-driven access models across connectivity services
  • Partner with Cybersecurity to translate enterprise policy into reusable connectivity architectural patterns
• Translate Industry Direction into Enterprise Standards:
  • Assess emerging technologies such as AI-enabled operations, agent-based automation, and identity-driven policy frameworks for beneficial use within United's enterprise connectivity system
  • Translate external innovation into internal standards, reference designs, and architectural guidance
  • Participate in industry forums, vendor briefings, and architectural reviews to maintain forward visibility to recommend technology adoption strategies aligned with long-term enterprise capability goals
• Lead Architectural Governance and Standards Adoption:
  • Define domain architecture standards governing connectivity implementation
  • Collaborate with Enterprise Architecture, Infrastructure, and Cybersecurity teams to maintain domain alignment
  • Participate in governance forums to evaluate proposed solutions against enterprise architecture direction and validate that engineering design conform to approved architectural standards and domain strategy
  • Identify architectural gaps or conflicts across connectivity-related initiatives
  • Provide architectural oversight to ensure adherence to approved standards and resolve deviations impacting enterprise design consistency
• Advance Software-defined and Policy-driven Connectivity Models:
  • Define continued architectural progress from hardware centric designs to software-defined connectivity frameworks
  • Promote adoption of automation-enabled provisioning and policy-driven configuration models
  • Define architectural models supporting logical enforcement, microsegementation, and programmable infrastructure capabilities
  • Ensure connectivity designs support scalable automation and future integration of agent-based operations
• Communicate Domain Strategy and Direction:
  • Develop and present connectivity architecture strategy to senior leadership and technical stakeholders
  • Provide periodic executive level insights into domain maturity, risks, and emerging technology impacts
  • Produce architectural roadmaps that align technical direction with enterprise priorities

Serve as the primary architectural advisor, informing connectivity domain decisions through standards, reference designs, and enterprise alignment across platform domains

Qualifications

What's needed to succeed (Minimum Qualifications):

• Bachelor's degree
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field preferred
• 7+ years of experience in network automation in support of enterprise connectivity network services and security engineering
• Proven experience designing and evolving enterprise-scale connectivity or infrastructure architecture spanning network, security, cloud, and automation domains
• Demonstrated ability to define multi-year architectural roadmaps aligned with business and technology strategy
• Experience developing reference architectures, domain standards, and reusable design patterns across complex enterprise environments
• Strong systems-thinking capability with the ability to evaluate connectivity service as integrated enterprise capabilities rather than isolated technologies
• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States for any employer without sponsorship
• Successful completion of interview required to meet job qualification
• Reliable, punctual attendance is an essential function of the position

What will help you propel from the pack (Preferred Qualifications):

• Proven ability to collaborate across Enterprise, architecture, cybersecurity, infrastructure engineering, and application teams to maintain architectural alignment
• Experience defining and governing enterprise architecture standards across multi-domain technology environments
• Experience supporting architectural governance processes and enterprise design review practices.
• Strong ability to identify architectural risk, technical debt, and capability gaps across enterprise connectivity initiatives
• Familiarity with infrastructure automation orchestration and configuration management concepts supporting modern connectivity models
• Experience with hybrid, and cloud networking environments
• Understanding of observability, logging and telemetry concepts supporting operational visibility across connectivity services

The base pay range for this role is $140,600.00 to $183,108.00. The base salary range/hourly rate listed is dependent on job-related, factors such as experience, education, and skills. This position is also eligible for bonus and/or long-term incentive compensation awards.

You may be eligible for the following competitive benefits: medical, dental, vision, life, accident & disability, parental leave, employee assistance program, commuter, paid holidays, paid time off, 401(k) and flight privileges.

United Airlines is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We recruit, employ, train, compensate, and promote without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, age, veteran status, or any other protected category under applicable law. We provide reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. To request an accommodation, contact View email address on click.appcast.io.