Role Overview:
The Systems Architect leads the design, operation, and modernization of a hybrid enterprise IT environment, with responsibility for both the current on-premises data center and its ongoing migration to a cloud architecture. The on-premises environment includes Cisco network switching, enterprise data storage, and virtualized servers. This role will drive the phased migration of these workloads to the cloud while maintaining a stable, secure, and well-documented hybrid environment for the foreseeable future.
The Systems Architect designs target-state architectures, plans and executes migration workstreams, and ensures on-prem and cloud components operate cohesively throughout the transition - balancing modernization with the reliability of existing infrastructure.
Responsibilities:
- Design, document, and maintain hybrid architectures spanning on-premises infrastructure (Cisco switching, storage, virtualized servers) and cloud environments.
- Analyze user and business requirements and translate them into scalable technical designs for both current operations and future-state cloud architecture.
- Lead migration planning and execution, including workload assessment, sequencing, cloud landing zone design, and data center rationalization.
- Administer and optimize on-premises network and storage infrastructure, ensuring performance, availability, and security during the migration period.
- Architect cloud networking and connectivity (VPCs, routing, VPN, transit gateways) to support hybrid operations.
- Develop governance, security standards, and operational processes spanning both environments, including monitoring, patching, and configuration management.
- Support integration between infrastructure monitoring tools and ServiceNow to drive automated ticket/task generation for operational issues.
- Evaluate and recommend improvements for cost optimization, performance, and operational efficiency across on-prem and cloud.
- Prepare and maintain technical documentation, including architecture diagrams, migration plans, and system designs.
- Collaborate with stakeholders, engineers, and leadership to resolve technical issues and maintain architectural integrity throughout the migration.
Required Minimum Qualifications:
- 8+ years of experience in systems architecture, infrastructure engineering, virtualization, or cloud computing.
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Science, or related discipline.
- Experience with Cisco switching and enterprise network administration.
- Familiarity with enterprise virtualization platforms (e.g., VMware) and storage systems.
- Hands-on experience architecting and deploying solutions on AWS/Azure/GCP, including migrating on-prem workloads to the cloud.
- Experience with infrastructure as code and automation (Terraform, CloudFormation, Ansible).
- Strong understanding of cloud networking, VPCs, routing, load balancers, and hybrid connectivity.
- Experience with system maintenance, patching, monitoring, and advanced troubleshooting across hybrid environments.
- Familiarity with ServiceNow or similar ITSM platforms is a plus, particularly around monitoring integration and automated ticketing (not a core requirement).
- Possess demonstrable experience in at least 3 of the following areas:
- Cloud architecture, migration, and governance
- Cisco networking and network security
- Enterprise storage administration and storage migration to cloud
- Infrastructure as Code and automation
- Vulnerability management and security operations
- IT service management / monitoring integration (e.g., ServiceNow)
- Server virtualization (e.g., VMware)
Certifications - An active professional certification in one of the following is required: AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate or Professional, Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert, or CCNP Enterprise. ServiceNow certification is not required but is a plus.
In addition, U.S Citizenship is required. Select applicants will be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information and be able to obtain a government-granted security clearance. Individuals may also be subject to a background investigation including, but not limited to criminal history, employment and education verification, drug testing, and creditworthiness.
The compensation range for this position is $130,000 - $145,000. Compensation decisions depend on a wide range of factors, including but not limited to location, skill sets, experience and training, security clearances, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs.
