Chief Automation and Digital Solutions Architect
No salary listed
Expert
Bachelor's, Master's
Eglin AFB, FL, USA
In Person
Software EngineeringBackend Engineering
No H1B Sponsorship
US Citizenship Required
About the job
Requirements
- U.S. citizenship is required.
- A bachelor's degree in computer science, cybersecurity, information systems, software engineering, data engineering, information technology, or a related technical discipline is required.
- Relevant professional certifications in enterprise architecture, cloud architecture, systems engineering, cybersecurity, program management, or agile delivery, such as CISSP, CISM, or GSLC, or equivalent, are required.
- Extensive experience in enterprise application development, workflow automation, digital modernization, data engineering, solution architecture, or comparable technical leadership roles is required.
- Demonstrated experience leading multifunctional technical teams and coordinating complex modernization efforts across development, infrastructure, cybersecurity, and mission organizations is required.
- Advanced experience designing and implementing relational databases, SQL queries, database schemas, data models, and data-quality processes is required.
- Demonstrated experience with Microsoft Power Platform technologies, including Power Apps, Power Automate, Power BI, and Microsoft Dataverse, is required.
- Experience designing, developing, or integrating RESTful APIs and enterprise application interfaces is required.
- Proficiency with one or more modern programming or scripting languages, such as JavaScript, TypeScript, C, or similar technologies, is required.
- Knowledge of Azure services, cloud-based application architecture, identity and authentication concepts, and secure application-development practices is required.
- Experience applying Application Lifecycle Management, source control, release management, testing, change control, and documentation practices to enterprise applications is required.
- Ability to independently gather requirements, develop solution approaches, manage stakeholder expectations, and execute technical work with minimal supervision is required.
- Strong written, verbal, technical briefing, and stakeholder-engagement skills are required.
- Ability to meet applicable customer access, security, onsite-work, and mission-support requirements is required.
- Must be able to obtain or maintain an active Secret security clearance.
Responsibilities
- Serve as the chief developer and senior technical advisor for enterprise automation, digital modernization, data-centric solution engineering, and associated technical architecture.
- Engage directly with senior leaders, mission owners, functional organizations, and cross-functional stakeholders to identify operational challenges, gather requirements, and translate needs into actionable data-driven business solutions.
- Lead the design and implementation of scalable digital products, automated workflows, data pipelines, dashboards, applications, and integrated enterprise services.
- Establish and promote technical standards, reusable design patterns, development practices, and governance processes for enterprise automation solutions.
- Independently lead solution discovery, requirements refinement, architecture design, technical execution, stakeholder engagement, and continuous-improvement activities with minimal oversight.
- Assess evolving mission requirements and recommend modernization opportunities that improve usability, efficiency, readiness, resilience, and data-informed decision-making.
- Architect, oversee, develop, and sustain advanced enterprise database solutions using SQL, relational data-modeling principles, Microsoft Dataverse, and enterprise data-assurance practices.
- Design secure and maintainable database schemas, data models, data-integration patterns, and data-quality controls.
- Develop and optimize data pipelines that support automated personnel, equipment, workflow-management, and mission-support capabilities.
- Ensure data solutions support appropriate data integrity, availability, traceability, access control, and lifecycle-management requirements.
- Identify database performance, integration, data-quality, and sustainability issues and develop corrective recommendations.
- Lead enterprise-scale application and automation development using Microsoft Power Apps, Power Automate, Power BI, Microsoft Dataverse, Azure services, and RESTful API integrations.
- Develop and oversee custom business logic, user interfaces, workflow automations, approval processes, notifications, dashboards, reporting tools, and integrated data solutions.
- Apply modern programming and scripting capabilities as needed, including JavaScript, TypeScript, C, JSON, and related technologies.
- Develop technical approaches that enable secure interoperability among enterprise applications, data sources, APIs, cloud services, and mission-support systems.
- Guide application lifecycle practices from requirements definition and design through development, testing, deployment, sustainment, and retirement.
- Advise leadership and technical teams on secure system architecture, identity and authentication, access management, application security, and cybersecurity best practices.
- Support Application Lifecycle Management practices, including source control, environment management, release planning, change control, testing, documentation, and sustainment.
- Ensure automation and digital solutions are designed and implemented in accordance with applicable Air Force, Department of War, customer, and enterprise security requirements.
- Identify, document, track, and mitigate technical risks, security concerns, integration dependencies, and potential single points of failure.
- Promote secure-by-design and data-protection principles throughout the solution-development lifecycle.
- Provide strategic technical direction, mentorship, structured development, and quality oversight to developers, automation specialists, network engineers, cybersecurity personnel, and other technical team members.
- Build effective working relationships among mission stakeholders, system owners, developers, cybersecurity teams, infrastructure teams, and enterprise IT organizations.
- Communicate technical concepts, implementation options, risks, timelines, dependencies, and recommendations to technical and executive-level audiences.
- Maintain comprehensive documentation for development processes, solution architectures, application configurations, data schemas, workflows, interfaces, integration patterns, and operating procedures.
- Lead continuous evaluation and improvement of enterprise applications, workflows, data pipelines, and automation capabilities to remain aligned with mission needs and modernization objectives.
Desired Qualifications
- A master's degree in computer science, cybersecurity, information systems, software engineering, data science, or a related field is preferred.
- Experience supporting the U.S. Air Force, Department of War, federal, defense, research and development, or similarly mission-critical environments is preferred.
- Experience implementing enterprise governance for low-code/no-code platforms and citizen-development ecosystems is preferred.
- Experience with DevSecOps, agile software delivery, infrastructure as code, cloud integration, API management, or enterprise data platforms is preferred.
- Experience developing automation solutions for personnel management, equipment management, workflow tracking, asset management, readiness reporting, or business-process modernization is preferred.
- Experience with enterprise reporting, dashboard development, data visualization, performance metrics, and executive decision-support products is preferred.
- Experience developing technical standards, solution patterns, development playbooks, or governance processes for enterprise automation portfolios is preferred.
About the company
Torch Technologies is a 100% employee-owned technology services and solutions provider focused on defense. It delivers end-to-end product design and development, taking concepts from inception through production and long-term sustainment. Its software development and engineering teams work in agile ways to deliver value, with capabilities spanning prototyping, technology integration, and long-term support. As a major defense contractor, Torch Technologies supports the armed forces and wins contracts that fund its research and development. Headquartered in Huntsville, Alabama, the company operates a large Design, Development and Integration campus and eight regional offices, underscoring its substantial physical footprint in delivering technical solutions to government customers.
Company Size
1,001-5,000
Company Stage
Seed
Total Funding
$15.1M
Headquarters
Huntsville, Alabama
Founded
2002
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Torch ranked 59th on Washington Technology Top 100 in 2026, boosting credibility.
- Inc.'s 2026 Best Workplaces recognition supports recruiting in Huntsville and beyond.
- OASIS, D3I, and TMAS vehicles give Torch multiple renewal paths through 2031.
What critics are saying
- Defense contract dependence leaves Torch exposed to protest losses and recompete pressure.
- Revelio data shows headcount fell 22.2% from 2023 to 2026, signaling strain.
- Bill Roark's March 2025 retirement removes a founder-era anchor; succession risk rises.
What makes Torch Technologies unique
- 100% employee-owned and Evergreen since 2011; Torch aligns incentives with retention.
- Torch won $992 million TMAS Tenants work in August 2026, showing scale.
- Torch holds over $5 billion in contract ceiling across defense programs.
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Benefits
- Company Equity
- 401(k) Company Match
- Health Insurance
- Dental Insurance
- Vision Insurance
- Disability Insurance
- Health Savings Account/Flexible Spending Account
- Paid Vacation
- Paid Holidays
- Professional Development Budget
- Life Insurance