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Chief Architect Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Intrepid

Chief Architect

Lincoln, MA · On-site

SPA has a need for a Chief Architect, who will serve as the lead designer of the Mission Planning Enterprise architecture and steward its evolution over the life of the program. This leader will ...

Legion

Chief Architect

Chief Architect Remote - US Legion Technologies is building the AI-powered operating system for the hourly workforce. We are hiring a Chief Architect to serve as Legion's most senior hands-on ...

NTT DATA North America

Chief Architect

Washington, DC · On-site

NTT DATA North America is a leading business and technology services provider, and they are seeking a Chief Architect to join their team. The role involves developing and implementing business ...

ITSC Secure Solutions

Chief Architect

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$190K - $228K/yr

Impact of the Role The Chief Architect directly influences the technical coherence and engineering integrity of the FORGE enterprise. This role ensures system level requirements, designs, and ...

BambooHR

Chief Architect

Draper, UT · Hybrid

As the Chief Architect at BambooHR, you will be responsible for defining the architectural vision, prioritizing architectural and platform-level technology investments, and sponsoring growth of a ...

Chubb

Chief Architect, Claims

Jersey City, NJ

$170K - $220K/yr

Chief Architect - Global Claims The Chief Architect will lead technology architecture for Chubb's Claims functional segment globally. Responsibilities * Work in conjunction with the Global Claims ...

NTT DATA Services

Chief Architect

Washington, DC · On-site +1

$142K - $237K/yr

We are currently seeking a Chief Architect to join our team in Washington, District of Columbia (US-DC), United States (US). Job Duties: * Assist, as requested, in the development and implementation ...

Employ

Chief Architect

About the Opportunity The Chief Architect is responsible for defining the technical architecture of the company's product landscape and future. This role will shape how the company moves from a ...

NTT DATA Services

Chief Architect

Washington, DC · On-site +1

$142K - $237K/yr

We are currently seeking a Chief Architect to join our team in Washington, District of Columbia (US-DC), United States (US). Job Duties: * Assist, as requested, in the development and implementation ...

Chubb

Chief Architect, Claims

Jersey City, NJ · On-site

$170K - $220K/yr

The Chief Architect will lead technology architecture for Chubb's Claims functional segment globally. Responsibilities * Work in conjunction with the Global Claims technology and business leaders ...

GDIT

Chief Architect

Offutt Air Force Base, NE

As a Chief Architect, you will lead the development and curation of enterprise architectures using Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) methods in alignment with Unified Architecture Framework (UAF ...

Redhorse Corporation

Chief Architect

Chantilly, VA · On-site

$200K - $250K/yr

To support this mission, we are seeking a Chief Architect to lead the technical design and evolution of high-impact data solutions for our government partners. In this role, you will be the visionary ...

Chubb

Chief Architect, Claims

Jersey City, NJ · On-site

$170K - $220K/yr

Chief Architect - Global Claims The Chief Architect will lead technology architecture for Chubb's Claims functional segment globally. Responsibilities * Work in conjunction with the Global Claims ...

Redhorse Corporation

Chief Architect

Chantilly, VA · On-site

$200K - $250K/yr

To support this mission, we are seeking a Chief Architect to lead the technical design and evolution of high-impact data solutions for our government partners. In this role, you will be the visionary ...

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Chief Architect information

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$104.5K

$177.6K

$253K

How much do chief architect jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 23, 2026, the average yearly pay for chief architect in the United States is $177,571.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $150,000.00 and $195,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are Chief Architects?

Chief Architects are senior-level professionals responsible for overseeing the architectural design and technical vision of an organization's systems, products, or infrastructure. They set the overall strategy for technology and ensure that all solutions align with business goals and standards. Chief Architects work closely with stakeholders, development teams, and other architects to guide projects, manage technical risks, and maintain the integrity of the enterprise architecture. Their role often involves evaluating emerging technologies, establishing best practices, and ensuring long-term scalability and security.

What is the highest paying architect position?

The highest paying architect position is typically that of a Chief Architect or Lead Architect in large firms or specialized industries, earning six-figure salaries. These roles often require extensive experience, advanced technical skills, and leadership responsibilities, with compensation influenced by industry, location, and project scope.

How does a Chief Architect typically collaborate with cross-functional teams during large-scale projects?

A Chief Architect plays a central role in coordinating with product managers, developers, operations, and business stakeholders to ensure architectural alignment with organizational goals. They facilitate technical discussions, mediate between different teams to resolve architectural challenges, and provide guidance on best practices. By maintaining open communication and regular check-ins, the Chief Architect ensures that project requirements are clearly understood and technical solutions are scalable and maintainable, fostering a collaborative and efficient work environment.

What is the difference between Chief Architect vs Software Architect?

AspectChief ArchitectSoftware Architect
CredentialsBachelor's or Master's in Computer Science, relevant certificationsBachelor's or Master's in Computer Science, relevant certifications
Work EnvironmentLeadership role overseeing multiple projects or teams, strategic planningDesigning software solutions, technical leadership within projects
Employer & Industry UsageTech companies, large enterprises, consulting firmsSoftware development firms, tech departments, startups
Common Search & ComparisonOften compared for leadership scope and strategic influenceFocused on technical design and architecture decisions

The main difference is that a Chief Architect holds a higher-level leadership role, overseeing overall architectural strategies across multiple projects or departments, while a Software Architect focuses on designing specific software solutions within projects. Both roles require strong technical skills and relevant certifications, but the Chief Architect's responsibilities include strategic planning and team leadership at an organizational level.

What Is a Chief Architect?

A chief architect manages a project, focusing on the strategic and visual components. Their duties include designing structures that are safe and visually pleasing. People in this career often strive to create cost-effective and environmentally-friendly buildings. Qualifications include a bachelor’s or master’s degree in architectural engineering. They also need math and drafting skills, and mastery of computer engineering software. Job seekers usually serve an internship to gain experience before taking the Architect Registration Exam, a requirement in all states.

What is the salary of a Chief Architect?

The salary of a Chief Architect typically ranges from $120,000 to $200,000 annually, depending on experience, industry, and location. Senior roles may include bonuses, stock options, or other benefits, and strong technical skills and leadership experience are often required.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Chief Architect, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Chief Architect, you need deep expertise in systems architecture, software engineering, and solution design, often supported by a degree in computer science or a related field. Familiarity with architectural frameworks (like TOGAF), cloud platforms (such as AWS or Azure), and enterprise modeling tools is typically required. Strong leadership, strategic thinking, and communication skills are crucial for guiding teams and aligning technology with business goals. These skills ensure scalable, secure, and efficient technology solutions that support organizational growth and innovation.

What does a Chief Architect do?

A Chief Architect is responsible for overseeing the design and development of an organization's technical architecture, ensuring alignment with business goals. They lead technical teams, establish standards, and select tools and technologies to support scalable and efficient systems. Strong leadership, communication skills, and expertise in system design are essential for this role.

Is it hard to become a Chief Architect?

Becoming a Chief Architect typically requires extensive experience in software or systems architecture, often over 10 years, along with strong technical skills, leadership abilities, and relevant certifications. The role involves managing complex projects and guiding technical strategy, making it a challenging position to attain without significant expertise and proven success in the field.
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Chief Architect jobs near you
Infographic showing various Chief Architect job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 95% Full Time, 1% Part Time, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 82% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 13% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $177,571 per year, or $85.4 per hour.
Chief Architect

Chief Architect

Intrepid

Lincoln, MA • On-site

Other

Medical, Life, Retirement

Posted 3 days ago

Job description

Overview
Systems Planning and Analysis, Inc. (SPA) delivers high-impact, technical solutions to complex national security issues. With over 50 years of business expertise and consistent growth, we are known for continuous innovation for our government customers, in both the US and abroad. Our exceptionally talented team is highly collaborative in spirit and practice, producing Results that Matter . Come work with the best! We offer opportunity, unique challenges, and clear-sighted commitment to the mission. SPA: Objective. Responsive. Trusted.
The Sea, Land, Air Analysis Group's mission is to deliver objective analyses, plans and strategies to US Navy, US Marine Corps, USAF, other DoD, and Australian Defence Force clients to support technology development, acquisition, delivery and sustainment decisions. The group provides the core of SPA thought leadership on Undersea Strategy, Software Development and Cost Estimating, with additional benchmark capabilities in AI/ML & Decision Analytics, Modeling and Simulation, and Future Force Assessments.
SPA has a need for a Chief Architect, who will serve as the lead designer of the Mission Planning Enterprise architecture and steward its evolution over the life of the program. This leader will ensure that software, data, and infrastructure form a cohesive, scalable, and interoperable system aligned with DoD and Air Force standards and the government's reference architectures. The Chief Architect will be responsible for defining mission threads, use cases, and interface constructs that keep vendor and platform solutions aligned with enterprise requirements. #FC #DICE
Responsibilities
The Chief Architect leads the design and evolution of the overall mission planning enterprise architecture, ensuring that software, data, and infrastructure form a cohesive, scalable, and interoperable system. They align architecture with DoD and Air Force technical standards, the mission planning enterprise engineering vision, and the government's reference architectures. The Chief Architect drives mission threads, use cases, interface specifications, and architecture conformance monitoring, and leads the comparison of vendor and platform-specific designs against government requirements. They play a central role in architecture-related working groups and interface control activities, helping ensure consistent implementation of architectural decisions across programs and vendors.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications:
  • 10+ years of architecture experience on complex, distributed, software-intensive systems, with at least 5 years in DoD C2, mission planning, or related domains
  • Demonstrated experience designing or managing architectures that include frameworks, common components, and platform-unique components, including internal and external interfaces
  • Strong knowledge of DoD architecture frameworks and technical standards, including net-centric and interoperability considerations
  • Experience with component configuration management and architectural baselines, including tracking versions of frameworks, components, tools, and utilities across multiple environments
  • Bachelor's degree in computer science, engineering, or related field
  • An active Secret clearance

Desired Qualifications
  • Master's degree in systems architecture/software engineering, or systems engineering plus experience leading architecture and interface control working groups and authoring/maintaining interface control documents
  • Hands-on familiarity with .NET and native Windows environments and with planning migrations across operating system versions and standard desktop configurations
  • Experience monitoring, enforcing, and evolving architecture conformance across multiple programs and vendors
  • Demonstrated ability to develop architecture products (views, mission threads, use cases, models) that directly support requirements decomposition, test planning, and integration evaluations
  • Prior experience evaluating vendor or COTS/GOTS architectures and products against government reference architectures in source-selection or trade-study contexts

Pay Range Information
At SPA, we strive to deliver a robust total compensation package that will attract and retain top talent. Elements of the compensation package include competitive base pay and variable compensation opportunities. SPA provides eligible employees with an opportunity to enroll in a variety of benefit programs, generally including health insurance, flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, retirement savings plans, life and disability insurance programs, and a number of programs that provide for both paid and unpaid time away from work. The specific programs and options available to any given employee may vary depending on eligibility factors such as geographic location, date of hire, etc. Please note that the salary information shown below is a general guideline only. Salaries are commensurate with experience and qualifications, as well as market and business considerations. Massachusetts, Pay Transparency Salary range: USD $205,000.00/Yr. - USD $245,000.00/Yr.

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