Principal Domain Architect - Enterprise Connectivity

United Airlines•Chicago, IL

About The Position

Provides architectural direction for United’s enterprise connectivity domain, shaping the future-state strategy, standards and design direction across network, security, automation, and associated connectivity platforms. The role defines scalable architectural patterns that integrate security, policy, and operational controls into connectivity services, ensuring platforms evolve as a unified enterprise capability rather than isolated technologies. Partnering with engineering, operations, cybersecurity, and enterprise architecture teams, the position drives convergence of network and security capabilities while guiding roadmap development, standards adoption, and emerging technology alignment. The role emphasizes forward looking design, reusable patterns, and system-level thinking to prepare Enterprise Connectivity and Operations (ECO) for increasingly software-defined policy-driven, and AI-enabled infrastructure models.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree
Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field preferred
7+ years of experience in software development, automation, or security engineering
Proven experience designing and evolving enterprise-scale connectivity or infrastructure architecture spanning network, security, cloud, and automation domains
Demonstrated ability to define multi-year architectural roadmaps aligned with business and technology strategy
Experience developing reference architectures, domain standards, and reusable design patterns across complex enterprise environments
Strong systems-thinking capability with the ability to evaluate connectivity service as integrated enterprise capabilities rather than isolated technologies
Must be legally authorized to work in the United States for any employer without sponsorship
Successful completion of interview required to meet job qualification
Reliable, punctual attendance is an essential function of the position

Nice To Haves

Proven ability to collaborate across Enterprise, architecture, cybersecurity, infrastructure engineering, and application teams to maintain architectural alignment
Experience defining and governing enterprise architecture standards across multi-domain technology environments
Experience supporting architectural governance processes and enterprise design review practices.
Strong ability to identify architectural risk, technical debt, and capability gaps across enterprise connectivity initiatives
Familiarity with infrastructure automation orchestration and configuration management concepts supporting modern connectivity models
Experience with hybrid, and cloud networking environments
Understanding of observability, logging and telemetry concepts supporting operational visibility across connectivity services

Responsibilities

Define Enterprise Connectivity Domain Architecture: Develop and maintain the enterprise connectivity reference architecture across network, security, and automation domains
Establish domain-level design principles that guide platform selection, deployment models, and service integration so architecture evolves as an integrated system rather than independent platform deployments
Define multi-year future-state architectural direction supporting hybrid, cloud, and distributed domain-based connectivity models
Define and maintain the enterprise connectivity architectural roadmap in partnership with engineering and operations leadership.
Drive Network and Security Convergence: Define integrated connectivity patterns that embed security controls directly into network design standards
Guide adoption of identify-aware and policy-driven access models across connectivity services
Partner with Cybersecurity to translate enterprise policy into reusable connectivity architectural patterns
Translate Industry Direction into Enterprise Standards: Assess emerging technologies such as AI-enabled operations, agent-based automation, and identity-driven policy frameworks for beneficial use within United’s enterprise connectivity system
Translate external innovation into internal standards, reference designs, and architectural guidance
Participate in industry forums, vendor briefings, and architectural reviews to maintain forward visibility to recommend technology adoption strategies aligned with long-term enterprise capability goals
Lead Architectural Governance and Standards Adoption: Define domain architecture standards governing connectivity implementation
Collaborate with Enterprise Architecture, Infrastructure, and Cybersecurity teams to maintain domain alignment
Participate in governance forums to evaluate proposed solutions against enterprise architecture direction and validate that engineering design conform to approved architectural standards and domain strategy
Identify architectural gaps or conflicts across connectivity-related initiatives
Provide architectural oversight to ensure adherence to approved standards and resolve deviations impacting enterprise design consistency
Advance Software-defined and Policy-driven Connectivity Models: Define continued architectural progress from hardware centric designs to software-defined connectivity frameworks
Promote adoption of automation-enabled provisioning and policy-driven configuration models
Define architectural models supporting logical enforcement, microsegementation, and programmable infrastructure capabilities
Ensure connectivity designs support scalable automation and future integration of agent-based operations
Communicate Domain Strategy and Direction: Develop and present connectivity architecture strategy to senior leadership and technical stakeholders
Provide periodic executive level insights into domain maturity, risks, and emerging technology impacts
Produce architectural roadmaps that align technical direction with enterprise priorities
Serve as the primary architectural advisor, informing connectivity domain decisions through standards, reference designs, and enterprise alignment across platform domains