IT Architect-Applications

City of Houston•500 Jefferson, TX

5d•Onsite

About The Position

The IT Architect – Fire Applications serves as a technical leader responsible for designing, implementing, and transforming enterprise application architectures for the City of Houston and Houston Fire Department. The role applies expertise in modern application frameworks, integration strategies, and cloud-based solutions while maintaining and modernizing legacy systems. The architect defines application standards and designs scalable, secure, high-performing solutions; supports critical legacy applications and leads modernization and migration efforts; integrates legacy systems with APIs, modern platforms, and cloud services; and designs hybrid and cloud-native architectures. The role also provides technical governance and guidance throughout the software development lifecycle, collaborates with stakeholders to deliver solutions, documents architectures and integrations, mentors team members, and addresses application performance, security, reliability, and architectural risks. A bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Management and Information Systems, or a closely related field is required, along with multiple application-specific technical certifications and at least ten years of specialized experience in application systems analysis and development. A master's degree in a related field may substitute for up to two years of experience. CJIS Certification, or the ability to obtain it within 90 days of hire, is mandatory. Candidates must pass a comprehensive background check, including criminal-history review and fingerprinting, and maintain eligibility to access sensitive law enforcement systems and data. The position is based at 500 Jefferson, Houston, Texas. The work environment is an essentially normal office setting with acceptable lighting, temperature, and air conditioning. The stated schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., subject to change. The department may administer a skills assessment. All new hires and rehires must pass a pre-employment drug test and are subject to a physical examination and verification of provided information.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Management and Information Systems (MIS), or a closely related field.
Multiple application-specific technical certifications; recognized mastery of a particular technical discipline.
At least 10 years of specialized experience in application systems analysis and development.
Strong proficiency in enterprise architecture frameworks such as TOGAF or Zachman.
Advanced knowledge of application development technologies such as .NET, Java, and microservices.
Expertise in cloud platforms such as Azure and AWS, and containerization technologies such as Docker and Kubernetes.
Skills in API design, integration patterns, and middleware technologies.
Experience with legacy system modernization and migration strategies.
Understanding of security standards, compliance, and data governance.
CJIS Certification, or ability to obtain it within 90 days of hire, is mandatory.
Must pass a comprehensive background check, including criminal-history review and fingerprinting, in accordance with Houston Police Department and CJIS standards.
Must maintain eligibility for access to sensitive law enforcement systems and data.
A master's degree in Computer Science, MIS, or a closely related field may substitute for up to two years of experience.

Nice To Haves

Eligible veteran applicants may receive preference, provided they possess the necessary qualifications, are among the most qualified candidates, and meet the other applicable factors under Executive Order 1-6.

Responsibilities

Define and maintain enterprise application architecture standards, patterns, and best practices.
Design scalable, secure, high-performing application solutions aligned with business requirements.
Evaluate emerging technologies and recommend strategies to modernize application ecosystems.
Support critical legacy applications to ensure stability and reliability.
Develop and execute strategies to transform legacy architectures into modern, cloud-ready platforms.
Lead migrations from monolithic systems to microservices or modular architectures.
Implement modernization roadmaps that minimize operational disruption while improving performance and security.
Integrate legacy systems with modern platforms, APIs, and cloud services.
Design and implement hybrid architectures connecting on-premises and cloud environments.
Optimize application architecture for scalability, performance, and compliance in cloud-native ecosystems.
Provide architectural guidance to development teams throughout the software development lifecycle.
Establish governance processes for application design, coding standards, and deployment practices.
Conduct architecture reviews and ensure compliance with security and regulatory standards.
Partner with business stakeholders, IT leadership, and cross-functional teams to translate requirements into technical solutions.
Document architecture diagrams, technical specifications, and integration workflows.
Mentor team members and promote knowledge sharing across the organization.
Optimize application performance through effective design and tuning.
Implement security measures, including identity management, encryption, and compliance controls.
Monitor and address architectural risks to ensure system reliability and resilience.