Lead Software Architect, Cloud & AI Modernization

About the Role

Netsmart is seeking a Lead Software Architect, Cloud & AI Modernization to support the continued evolution of our myAvatar platform. This role is ideal for a hands-on software architecture leader who understands complex legacy applications, can guide modernization efforts, and can help engineering teams build scalable, secure, cloud-enabled solutions.
This is not a purely theoretical architecture role. We need someone who has grown through software development, understands how applications are built and maintained, and can partner closely with engineering, DevOps, Product, cloud infrastructure, and business stakeholders. The right candidate will bring practical architecture judgment, strong development credibility, AWS/cloud experience, and curiosity around how AI can responsibly improve healthcare technology.
This position is onsite in Overland Park, KS, and candidates must live in or relocate to the Greater Kansas City metro area.

What You’ll Do
• Lead architecture decisions for the myAvatar platform, balancing legacy application realities with cloud-forward modernization goals.
• Partner with engineering teams to design scalable, maintainable, secure, and high-performing application architecture.
• Provide hands-on technical guidance through design reviews, code reviews, prototyping, and reference architecture.
• Help modernize legacy systems through practical approaches such as modularization, API-first design, domain-driven design, service decomposition, and cloud-native patterns.
• Collaborate with DevOps and cloud infrastructure teams to strengthen deployment, observability, reliability, automation, and operational readiness.
• Guide teams on AWS-based architecture patterns, modernization strategies, and production support considerations.
• Bring an AI-aware mindset to application architecture, helping identify where AI, automation, data-driven workflows, or intelligent capabilities can improve the platform and user experience.
• Partner across Netsmart’s matrixed organization, including Engineering, Product, UX, Data, Security, Compliance, Hosting, and business leadership.
• Communicate complex technical decisions and tradeoffs in a clear, practical way to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Establish reusable patterns, documentation, standards, and architecture guidance that help teams move faster with consistency.

What You’ll Bring

• Strong software engineering background with experience as a Software Architect, Lead Engineer, Technical Lead, Senior Architect, or similar role.
• Hands-on experience with enterprise-scale application development and modernization.
• Experience working with legacy applications and helping teams evolve them toward more scalable, cloud-enabled architecture.
• Strong understanding of AWS, cloud-native patterns, distributed systems, APIs, microservices or modular architecture, CI/CD, observability, and DevOps practices.
• Experience in one or more relevant development ecosystems such as Java, .NET, C#, SQL Server, PostgreSQL, or similar enterprise technologies.
• Ability to earn credibility with engineers by connecting architecture direction to real development and operational realities.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to influence without direct authority in a matrixed environment.
• Interest in AI, machine learning, automation, or data-driven product capabilities, with a practical view of how to bring those capabilities into production responsibly.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent relevant experience.
• Must be onsite in Overland Park, KS.

Preferred Experience

• Healthcare technology, EHR, clinical workflow, human services, post-acute, care management, or regulated industry experience.
• Experience modernizing complex enterprise applications in AWS.
• Experience with Kubernetes, infrastructure-as-code, event-driven systems, DevOps, or platform engineering.
• Exposure to AI/ML, LLMs, MLOps, responsible AI, or intelligent automation within enterprise software.
• Experience partnering with Product and Engineering to translate client or market needs into technical architecture.

What Success Looks Like

Success in this role means you become a trusted technical partner to myAvatar engineering teams. You help clarify architecture direction, reduce complexity, modernize legacy application patterns, and strengthen the path from application development to cloud-ready, AI-aware solutions. You are known for practical judgment, hands-on credibility, strong collaboration, and the ability to help teams move forward with confidence.

Why Netsmart

At Netsmart, you will help build technology that truly matters. This role offers the opportunity to shape modern, cloud-enabled and AI-aware healthcare technology in a mission-driven organization where innovation supports providers, clinicians, clients, and communities every day. #LI-KG1

Netsmart is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer, providing equal employment and advancement opportunities to all individuals. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all associates. All employment decisions at Netsmart, including but not limited to recruiting, hiring, promotion and transfer, are based on performance, qualifications, abilities, education and experience. Netsmart does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, past or present military service, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate.

Netsmart desires to provide a healthy and safe workplace and, as a government contractor, Netsmart is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace in accordance with applicable federal law. Pursuant to Netsmart policy, all post-offer candidates are required to successfully complete a pre-employment background check, including a drug screen, which is provided at Netsmart’s sole expense. In the event a candidate tests positive for a controlled substance, Netsmart will rescind the offer of employment unless the individual can provide proof of valid prescription to Netsmart’s third party screening provider.

If you are located in a state which grants you the right to receive information on salary range, pay scale, description of benefits or other compensation for this position, please use this form to request details which you may be legally entitled.

All applicants for employment must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Netsmart does not provide work visa sponsorship for this position.

Netsmart's Job Applicant Privacy Notice may be found here.