Senior Solutions Architect

540 is seeking a Senior Solutions Architect to support our partnership with Google and the DoW 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 drive the design and delivery of complex, distributed systems. A key focus of this work is enabling disconnected operations (offline-first) capabilities that ensure platform reliability and continuity in degraded or low-connectivity environments supporting 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 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 designing, building, and troubleshooting distributed systems and cloud-native applications Drive architectural decisions across cloud, networking, system design, and service integrations, and define conflict resolution and data convergence frameworks Design and support CI/CD pipelines and automated deployment workflows across 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 designs, 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 Strong programming ability in a typed language (Java, Kotlin, C#, etc.) Strong understanding of modern browser capabilities (Service wWorkers, Web Workers, File System Access API) Experience designing and building enterprise cloud architectures (AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud) Strong experience working with Kubernetes and containerized environments (Kubectl, Helm) Deep experience with distributed systems patterns, including eventual consistency, CAP theorem tradeoffs, and data synchronization strategies 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 (Google Cloud Professional Cloud Architect preferred), or the ability to obtain within 30 days of hire Excellent communication skills, with the ability to work across technical and non-technical stakeholders Ability to work independently with clients while collaborating effectively with engineering teams NICE TO HAVE Experience designing Progressive Web App (PWA) architectures for enterprise-scale deployments Familiarity with browser-based storage and synchronization engines Experience with data survivability strategies in disconnected or high-security environments Experience with identity and access management tools (e.g., Keycloak) Experience with AI/ML platforms (e.g., 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 DoW 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.