GIS Systems Architect

Position Description

Ardent is seeking a GIS Systems Architect who will play a critical role in designing, developing, and maintaining advanced geospatial system architectures to support federal government programs. This position provides technical leadership and expertise in systems engineering, integration, and cloud-based geospatial solutions. The architect collaborates closely with stakeholders to assess business needs, recommend emerging technologies, and ensure scalable, secure, and compliant geospatial systems. This role requires a strong understanding of GIS technologies, federal compliance standards, and enterprise IT environments to effectively support and advance geospatial data infrastructure and applications.

Responsibilities and Duties

• Design, develop, and maintain scalable, resilient, and interoperable geospatial system architectures aligned with DHS standards.
• Conduct gap analysis and identify technical and functional requirements to meet geospatial business objectives.
• Research, evaluate, and recommend emerging geospatial technologies and enterprise solutions.
• Lead systems integration and architecture design across cloud (including hybrid) and on-premises environments.
• Manage geospatial data infrastructure including geodatabases, metadata, data warehouses, and cloud-based repositories.
• Support operation, maintenance, troubleshooting, and performance optimization of GIS applications and databases.
• Develop, maintain, and execute testing plans to validate system performance and operational effectiveness.
• Create and update architectural documentation, SOPs, technical guides, and other related artifacts.
• Ensure compliance with federal IT policies, DHS directives, security standards, and accessibility requirements.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams and stakeholders to align technical architecture with organizational goals.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to junior engineers and staff.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree