OverviewBrookhaven National Laboratory is seeking a highly skilled technical leader for the Applications and Software Engineering department within the Information Technology Division (ITD). The Principal Architect provides architectural and hands-on technical leadership across multiple strategic initiatives for the Laboratory's portfolio of business applications. They will help shape the technology strategy, solution architecture, and application and platform modernization efforts that support the Laboratory's mission.
Working across a broad portfolio of legacy, custom-developed, commercial, and cloud-based applications, this role partners with business stakeholders, application architects, cybersecurity, infrastructure, and leadership to deliver secure, scalable, and sustainable technology solutions.
Reporting to the ITD Applications department manager, the Principal Architect serves as the Laboratory's technical authority for enterprise application architecture, providing strategic direction and architectural governance across the business application portfolio.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities- Develop and maintain the enterprise application architecture and technology roadmaps for the Laboratory's business application portfolio
- Lead application modernization initiatives by evaluating legacy applications, defining modernization strategies, and establishing plans that reduce technical debt and improve long-term sustainability
- Establish and govern application architecture standards, design principles, reference architectures, and integration patterns to ensure consistency across the portfolio in partnership with the IT Architect Council
- Review and approve solution architectures for major initiatives to ensure alignment with enterprise architecture, cybersecurity, infrastructure, data, and integration standards
- Evaluate the application portfolio to identify opportunities for consolidation, rationalization, modernization, cloud adoption, and retirement of obsolete technologies
- Partner with business stakeholders to translate strategic objectives into technology capabilities and multi-year business and architectural roadmaps
- Evaluate enterprise platforms, cloud services, development frameworks, and commercial software to ensure technology investments align with the Laboratory's long-term architectural direction
- Provide technical leadership and architectural guidance to application architects and software engineering teams, promoting engineering excellence and sound architectural practices
- Serve as the principal technical advisor for enterprise application architecture, providing recommendations to IT leadership on emerging technologies, strategic investments, architectural risks, and technology direction
Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities- Bachelor's degree or equivalent technical experience, preferably in computer science, information systems, or a related technical field
- 10+ years of relevant experience
- Broad knowledge of application architecture, integrations, data architecture, identity and access management, and modern software engineering practices
- Experience establishing architecture principles, design standards, reference architectures, and governance processes across complex application environments
- Experience leading application modernization initiatives, reducing technical debt, and managing enterprise application portfolios
- Strong understanding of strategic and emerging technology trends and the ability to evaluate their applicability to evolving business needs
- Experience evaluating enterprise software, cloud services, and technology platforms to support long-term architectural direction
- Trusted technical leader with the ability to influence executives, business leaders, architects, engineering teams, and strategic partners
- Technology-neutral mindset with sound judgment, intellectual curiosity, and a focus on delivering sustainable business value
- Ability to mentor architects and senior engineers
- Applicants must submit both a resume and cover letter for consideration
Preferred Knowledge and Skills- 15+ years of relevant experience
- Master's degree in computer science, information systems, or a related field
- Experience with ERP platforms and/or integrations such as PeopleSoft, SAP, or Microsoft Dynamics 365
- Experience with Microsoft development technologies, including Azure, ASP.NET Core, ASP.NET MVC, Entity Framework, IIS, and Azure DevOps
- Experience with AI-assisted and AI-integrated software development
Other information:- Visa Sponsorship is not available for this postion
- This position is eligible for remote work
- Applicants must submit both a resume and cover letter for consideration
Brookhaven National Laboratory is committed to providing fair, equitable and competitive compensation. This is a multi-level role and the full salary range for this position is $126000 - $222500 / year. You will be placed at the level and salary commensurate with your experience. Salary offers will be commensurate with the final candidate's qualification, education and experience and considered with the internal peer group.
Brookhaven National Laboratory is committed to employee success and we believe that a comprehensive employee benefits program is an important and meaningful part of the compensation employees receive. Review more information at BNL | Benefits Program 
