Lead Solutions Architect

ECS is seeking a Lead Solutions Architect to work in our Memphis, TN office.

Position Summary

ECS is seeking an experienced technologist to preferably work out of our Memphis, TN office, but will consider Hybrid or Remote, who possess both technical depth and strong interpersonal leadership skills to partner with internal and external teams to develop scalable, flexible, and cutting-edge solutions. The Lead Solutions Architect will be responsible for overseeing the end-to-end transition of USPS's Mainframe AEC and AEC II systems to a cloud-based architecture. This role requires strong leadership skills, deep expertise in legacy system modernization, cloud technologies, API development, and a thorough understanding of the core components of the AEC and AEC II services. The ideal candidate will act as a hands-on consultant on project direction, ensuring that the new system meets all functional requirements and aligns with USPS's goals for innovation and efficiency.

Key Responsibilities

• Project Leadership: Lead the planning, design, and execution of the AEC/AEC II system transition project.
• Team Leadership: Guide and mentor a team of developers and engineers throughout the project lifecycle.
• System Analysis: Deeply understand the existing COBOL-based systems, including all functionalities, data structures, and processes. Evaluate customer issues and make educated decisions on technologies, tools and the overall delivery strategy.
• Architecture Design: Develop a scalable, secure, and resilient system architecture on AWS, incorporating necessary AWS services (e.g., EC2, Lambda, S3, RDS).
• API Development: Define and oversee the implementation of RESTful APIs that replicate and enhance the functionalities of the existing AEC and AEC II systems.
• Stakeholder Collaboration: Work closely with USPS stakeholders, including technical teams and business units, to gather requirements and ensure alignment. Collaborate with operations, technical and business development managers, and ECS Centers of Excellence on key architectural components of large solutions. Successfully communicate to customers, contract program managers, industry partners, and ECS senior management.
• Data Migration Strategy: Develop strategies for data transformation and migration from legacy Mainframe systems to the new cloud-based solution.
• Compliance and Security: Ensure that all solutions comply with USPS policies, federal regulations, and industry best practices for security and data protection.
• Risk Management: Identify potential risks and develop mitigation strategies to ensure project success.
• Documentation: Produce comprehensive documentation, including architectural diagrams, technical specifications, and user guides.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field.

Experience:

• Minimum of 10 years of experience in IT solutions architecture and system integration.
• 8 years of software development tools and methodologies experience.
• Proven experience leading legacy system migrations, particularly COBOL-based systems to modern platforms.
• Proven experience leading cross-functional teams on enterprise software projects.
• Extensive experience with AWS cloud services and cloud architecture best practices.
• Strong background in API design and development, especially RESTful APIs utilizing Spring Boot in a Java environment.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills across internal and external organizations.
• Ability to prioritize and manage a number of projects / priorities simultaneously; able to be hands-on as well as strategic.

Technical Skills:

• Proficiency in modern programming languages such as Java, Python, or C#.
• Familiarity with mainframe systems and COBOL codebase.
• Experience with data migration tools and ETL processes.
• Knowledge of database systems (e.g., Amazon RDS, DynamoDB).
• Understanding of infrastructure as code (IaC) tools like AWS CloudFormation.

Soft Skills:

• Excellent leadership and project management abilities.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Effective communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams.

Certifications (preferred):

• AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional
• PMP Certification