Senior Solutions Architect

540 is seeking a Senior Solutions Architect to support our partnership with Google and the DoD in building new capabilities for an Air Force integration platform. This platform leverages Google Cloud, Apigee, and Kubernetes to enable scalable, secure, and mission-critical systems. 

In this role, you will lead technical architecture efforts and ensure the successful delivery of complex, distributed systems that support Air Force operations. 

Location: Remote within the continental United States
Citizenship & Clearance Requirement: per client requirements, candidates must be a U.S. Citizen with the ability to obtain a DoD Secret clearance
Education Requirement: Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science or related engineering field (preferred)
540 Internal Thrive Level: Senior Solutions Architect

WHY 540?

540 is a forward-thinking company that the government turns to in order to #getshitdone. We don’t just talk about innovation – we deliver it. We break down barriers, build impactful technology, and solve mission-critical problems.

HOW YOU’LL DRIVE IMPACT

• Lead the technical architecture and delivery of an Air Force integration platform built on Google Cloud, Apigee, and Kubernetes
• Design and guide implementation of scalable, secure, and maintainable cloud architectures
• Partner with engineers, architects, and product stakeholders to translate mission needs into technical solutions and platform capabilities
• Support engineering teams in the design, building, and troubleshooting distributed systems and cloud-native applications
• Guide decisions across cloud architecture, networking, system design, and service integrations
• Design and support CI/CD pipelines and automated deployment workflows for multiple services
• Collaborate with technical and non-technical stakeholders to gather requirements, evaluate tradeoffs, and deliver practical solutions
• Produce clear technical documentation for architecture decisions, system design, and platform configurations
• Provide hands-on technical leadership, contributing to implementation when needed
• Work directly with client stakeholders and delivery teams to ensure solutions meet mission needs and timelines

REQUIRED SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

• 8+ years of experience in a technical leadership or architecture role
• Experience designing and building enterprise cloud architectures (AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud)
• Strong experience working with Kubernetes and containerized environments (Kubectl, Helm)
• Strong programming ability in a typed language (Java, Kotlin, C#, etc.)
• Experience designing and operating cloud-based and distributed systems
• Experience building or supporting CI/CD pipelines and automated deployment workflows
• Understanding of authentication and authorization protocols (SAML, OAuth, etc.)
• Professional-level cloud architecture certification, preferably Google Cloud Professional Cloud Architect
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to work across technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Ability to work independently with clients while also collaborating effectively with engineering teams

NICE TO HAVE

• Experience with identity and access management tools (Keycloak)
• Experience with AI/ML platforms (Vertex AI)
• Experience with database design and development
• Familiarity with DevSecOps practices
• Experience with Linux administration (especially RHEL)
• Experience with API gateways or API management platforms (Apigee preferred)
• Experience working in Agile development environments
• Experience supporting U.S. Federal Government programs, particularly DoD environments

BENEFITS & PERKS

• Flexible PTO + all Federal holidays off
• Health, dental and vision insurance plans
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• 401k with employer match
• Company-sponsored life insurance, short- and long-term disability 
• Professional development (training, certifications, conferences)
• Paid cloud developer accounts
• Referral bonuses
• HQ office perks (parking / metro reimbursement, nitro coffee & lunches) 
• Annual social events (540 Week, hackathon, charity golf tournament, etc.)
• Access to 540’s Washington Capitals & Nationals tickets

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY (EEO)

540's policy is to provide equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.