Technology Architecture Lead

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: No relocation assistance available CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: No CLEARANCE TYPE: Secret TRAVEL: Yes, 10% of the Time

Description

At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work — and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible. Our employees are not only part of history, they're making history.

At the heart of Defining Possible is our commitment to missions. In rapidly changing global security environments, Northrop Grumman brings informed insights and secure technological solutions to enable strategic objectives. We’re looking for innovators who can help us keep building on our wide portfolio of secure, affordable, integrated, and multi-domain systems and technologies that fuel those missions. By joining in our shared mission, we will support yours by expanding your personal network and developing skills, whether you are new to the field or an industry thought leader. At Northrop Grumman, you will have the resources, support, and team to do some of the best work of your career.

Northrop Grumman is seeking a Staff Computer Systems Architect to serve as the Technology Architecture Lead to define and guide enterprise technology architecture across the architecture function’s strong core within Strategy and Architecture, part of the Governance & Strategy organization in the Chief Information & Digital Office. This role will serve as the lead for technology architecture direction covering foundational platforms, infrastructure-aligned patterns, integration-enabling technology, environment strategy, technical standards, and modernization guardrails that support the broader business and application landscape.

The Technology Architecture Lead is responsible for helping ensure that local platform, hosting, middleware, infrastructure-adjacent, and foundational technology decisions add up to a coherent enterprise technology posture rather than fragmented or duplicative technical choices. This role is expected to work closely with IT Infrastructure & Operations, the Office of the Chief Engineer, and adjacent delivery organizations to align foundational technology direction with enterprise engineering, infrastructure, and modernization needs.

The successful candidate will:

• define enterprise technology standards, reference patterns, and target-state direction for shared technical capabilities;

• guide technology modernization and platform decisions through an enterprise architecture lens;

• partner with application, data, security, infrastructure, and delivery stakeholders to improve interoperability, resilience, reuse, and technical coherence; and

• help peer domain leads translate enterprise priorities into practical technology architecture roadmaps and guardrails.

This position will be available as a virtual telecommuter, however, the incumbent most be within 90 miles of a major Northrop Grumman location for ad hoc onsite meetings.

Key Responsibilities: 

• Serve as the Technology Architecture Lead for the enterprise architecture function.

• Define and maintain enterprise technology principles, standards, reference architectures, and target-state patterns for foundational technical capabilities.

• Guide technology architecture decisions related to hosting patterns, platform direction, integration-enabling technologies, shared services, and cross-stack technical guardrails.

• Identify fragmentation, duplication, technical sprawl, interoperability gaps, and modernization opportunities across the enterprise technology landscape.

• Shape enterprise technology roadmaps for foundational platforms and shared technical capabilities in alignment with business, application, data, and security needs.

• Partner with application, data, security, infrastructure, and delivery stakeholders to evaluate technical trade-offs and improve long-range coherence in technology decisions.

• Participate in architecture reviews, standards governance, and decision forums involving major platform, infrastructure-aligned, and foundational technology initiatives.

• Drive decisions that improve resiliency, maintainability, reuse, and long-term technical sustainability across the enterprise.

• Mentor architects and technical leaders on enterprise technology architecture methods, guardrails, and expectations.

• Support executive-facing architecture communication and leadership visibility into enterprise technology risks, standards decisions, and modernization priorities.

Basic Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, or related technical discipline and 12+ years of relevant experience, or a Master’s degree with 10+ years, or a PhD with 8+ years.
• Candidates must have the ability to obtain, and maintain, a U.S. Government Secret level security clearance as a condition of continued employment.

• Demonstrated experience in technology architecture, platform architecture, infrastructure architecture, or enterprise technical standards leadership.

• Experience defining standards, patterns, roadmaps, or architecture guardrails for shared technology environments.

• Strong understanding of platform modernization, technical interoperability, resiliency, lifecycle planning, and enterprise technology trade-offs.

• Experience influencing enterprise technology decisions across multiple teams, organizations, or technical domains.

• Ability to connect application, infrastructure, data, security, and business needs into coherent technology architecture direction.

• Knowledge of TOGAF ADM, UAF, or other Architecture Frameworks

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Experience leading enterprise technology strategy, platform modernization, or foundational architecture efforts in a large organization.

• Experience in defense, aerospace, federal, or other regulated environments.

• Experience with shared platforms, middleware, integration technologies, cloud-aligned patterns, hosting strategies, or enterprise technical services.

• Experience supporting architecture review boards, standards governance, or enterprise modernization planning.

• Ability to balance long-range technology direction with practical delivery and operational constraints.

• Ability to work effectively across technical and non-technical stakeholders, including senior leaders.

We offer flexible work arrangements, phenomenal learning opportunities, exposure to a wide variety of projects and customers, and a very friendly team environment.  At Northrop Grumman, we are on the cutting edge of innovation.  Our diverse portfolio of programs means there are endless paths to cultivating your career.  We also offer exceptional benefits/healthcare, a 9/80 work schedule option, and a great 401k matching program. Come join us!

Primary Level Salary Range: $161,000.00 - $241,400.00 The above salary range represents a general guideline; however, Northrop Grumman considers a number of factors when determining base salary offers such as the scope and responsibilities of the position and the candidate's experience, education, skills and current market conditions. Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay. Annual bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results. Employees in Vice President or Director positions may be eligible for Long Term Incentives. In addition, Northrop Grumman provides a variety of benefits including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, savings plan, Company paid holidays and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business. The application period for the job is estimated to be 20 days from the job posting date. However, this timeline may be shortened or extended depending on business needs and the availability of qualified candidates. Northrop Grumman is an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. For our complete EEO and pay transparency statement, please visit U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.