Senior/Principal Software Architect

Objective Area Solutions, LLC

14d•Remote

About The Position

At OAS, we're not just growing; we're soaring! As a dynamic professional services firm, we specialize in powering the aviation industry forward. Our expertise? Crafting tailored strategies that blend cutting-edge technical solutions with deep organizational insights, all aimed at elevating our civilian and military aviation partners. We are seeking a Senior / Principal Software Architect to lead the stabilization and modernization of a mission‑critical legacy application for a federal government agency. This position blends hands-on full stack engineering with enterprise-level architectural leadership, with a strong emphasis on database refactoring, system redesign, and incremental modernization strategies. You will assess a fragmented legacy environment, remediate technical debt, and define a scalable target architecture that balances immediate operational needs with long-term modernization goals. In addition to project delivery, you will serve as a corporate technical subject matter expert, shaping solution approaches for proposals and organizational growth initiatives.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in a relevant field
10+ years of full stack development experience
Strong server-side development experience, including APIs and database integration (MySQL, Oracle, SQL Server)
Experience developing modern web applications using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and frameworks such as React, Angular, or Vue.js
Demonstrated ability to ensure performance, scalability, and secure application development
Familiarity with system architecture principles, version control, and full application lifecycle support
Ability to pass a Public Trust background investigation

Nice To Haves

Experience modernizing legacy systems within federal government environments
Strong background in database redesign and data migration
Proven ability to operate as both a hands-on engineer and architectural leader
Experience implementing incremental modernization strategies (not just full rewrites)
Comfort working in ambiguous, evolving environments with high ownership
AWS Database Specialty certification
Microsoft Certified: Azure Database Administrator Associate certification
Oracle Database Architect Certified Professional certification
Oracle Certified Professional: Java SE Developer certification
Master's degree in a related field

Responsibilities

Assess and stabilize existing application and database environments; resolve critical risks and technical debt.
Analyze and refactor database structures to improve performance, integrity, and maintainability.
Define and implement data migration strategies with minimal operational disruption.
Establish baseline metrics for system performance, capacity, and data health.
Develop a phased modernization roadmap using approaches such as refactor, replatform, or retire.
Define target system and database architecture, including integration patterns and data access strategies.
Establish data models, ownership boundaries, and interface contracts to support scalability.
Document system constraints, risks, and architectural decisions.
Define and enforce non-functional requirements (performance, security, reliability, compliance).
Lead architecture reviews and ensure implementation aligns with target design.
Prioritize immediate fixes versus long-term architectural improvements.
Work closely with program, development, and security teams to align execution with mission needs.
Communicate technical risks, trade-offs, and recommendations to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Identify risks and dependencies and drive mitigation strategies.
Serve as the company's enterprise technical lead, providing insights and recommendations to support business development and proposal efforts.
Contribute architectural guidance and best practices across internal teams.