Staff Software Architect with Security Clearance

Staff Software Architect Senior Level | $125,000 - $150,000 | Onsite | Top Secret Clearance Required | U.S. Citizenship Required Support the development of next-generation strategic mission software by designing secure, scalable software architectures that enable critical national defense capabilities. Join a collaborative engineering team working alongside government engineers to define modern software architectures, integration patterns, and technical roadmaps supporting mission planning and command-and-control (C2) systems. Youll serve as the architectural leader guiding Agile development teams while ensuring software solutions prioritize cybersecurity, performance, resiliency, and long-term maintainability. A Day in the Life - What youll do * Collaborate with government engineers and mission stakeholders to understand evolving software requirements supporting strategic defense missions. * Design and document enterprise software architectures that provide implementation guidance for Agile software development teams. * Develop secure, scalable software solutions that balance cybersecurity, system performance, reliability, maintainability, and mission effectiveness. * Design modern system-to-system integration architectures using RESTful APIs, Kafka messaging, databases, and enterprise integration technologies. * Develop architectural standards, reusable software patterns, and technical frameworks that accelerate Agile software delivery. * Evaluate emerging software technologies and prototype new architectural patterns that improve scalability, security, and developer productivity. * Collaborate closely with software developers, systems architects, cybersecurity engineers, DevSecOps engineers, and product owners throughout the software development lifecycle. * Provide technical leadership during software design reviews, architecture working groups, and engineering planning sessions. * Review software designs to ensure alignment with enterprise architecture standards and long-term modernization objectives. * Develop Java-based reference implementations and architectural prototypes supporting modern web-based mission applications. * Present architecture strategies, engineering trade studies, and technical recommendations to customers, program leadership, and multidisciplinary engineering teams. * Mentor development teams on software architecture best practices, secure software development, and modern engineering methodologies. Required Qualifications * Bachelors degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics) discipline from an accredited university. * U.S. Citizenship required. * Active DoD Top Secret security clearance or the ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret clearance with required special access. * Experience designing enterprise software architectures for complex software-intensive systems. * Experience designing system-to-system interfaces using RESTful APIs, Kafka messaging platforms, databases, and modern integration technologies. * Experience developing software using Java and modern web-based application technologies. * Experience presenting software architecture solutions to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. * Strong understanding of object-oriented design principles, software architecture patterns, and distributed systems. * Strong technical leadership, analytical, and communication skills. * Ability to work onsite full-time in a classified engineering environment. Preferred Qualifications * Experience working within Agile software development environments. * Experience using Atlassian collaboration tools including Jira and Confluence. * Knowledge of U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) missions including Intelligence, Mission Planning, or Command & Control (C2). * Experience evaluating cybersecurity risks, vulnerabilities, and secure software architecture principles. * Experience supporting large-scale, mission-critical software systems. * Experience supporting Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center (AFNWC) systems including: * Strategic Mission Planning and Execution System (SMPES) * Mission Planning and Analysis System (MPAS) * Nuclear Planning and Execution System (NPES) * Experience supporting DevSecOps software development environments and modern CI/CD practices. * Experience designing cloud-native, microservices-based, or event-driven software architectures. * Experience supporting classified Department of Defense software development programs. Who is Caribou Thunder? Caribou Thunder is a HUBZone-certified small business providing advanced technical and engineering services to the U.S. Department of Defense and its mission partners. 35+ states and 20+ countries. Weve delivered trusted solutions for over two decades-strengthening national readiness across missions on land, undersea, in the air, and throughout LEO, MEO, GEO, and deep space. Why Caribou Thunder? TEAM THUNDER - Mission Focused. Delivery Proven. Ready to Serve. * Employee Advocacy * Mission Proven * Global Reach * Skilled Teams * Modern Tools * Empowering Culture Our engineers and innovators ensure capability from sea floor to space frontier-delivering on time, maintaining compliance, and performing with precision in high-consequence environments. We specialize in Software Architecture, Engineering Services, Cybersecurity, Software Development, DevSecOps, Digital Engineering, Modeling & Simulation, and Artificial Intelligence-disciplines powering the nations most complex technical missions. Employee Advocacy + Benefits Our people are the heart of Caribou Thunder. We invest in their growth, flexibility, and well-being-knowing their success drives ours. Benefits include: * Premium Health, Dental & Vision Insurance * 401(k) with 6% Company Match * Flexible PTO & Work Schedule * Education & Certification Reimbursement * Support for Military Leave * Work-Life Balance & Traditional Family Values Your future, your flexibility, your well-being-we invest in you. Apply and lets connect.