Computer Systems Architect - Mid to Expert Level (Maryland)

Fort George G. Meade Complex, MD – GG pay plan, grades 11/1 to 15/10. Open from 2026-08-10 to 2026-08-23.

About the role

Computer Systems Architects at NSA use commercial and government-developed hardware, software, networking, and security products to modernize IT architecture and support national security missions.

Responsibilities

• Modernize IT architecture through analysis of research and introduce changes based on evolving project requirements.
• Integrate industry trends, emerging technologies, and standards, as well as new vendor features.
• Collaborate with experts in technical and application teams to identify, evaluate, and recommend technical solutions to support project requirements.
• Produce compliance results for established project requirements and IT architecture.
• Define and analyze data requirements, mapping legacy data stores and formats to logical and physical data models.
• Propose standard ways for information transport between IT systems and storage within corporate knowledge databases.
• Perform architectural alignment of the enterprise logical data model and physical data models.

Please upload a copy of your transcripts from all schools attended prior to applying for this position. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable at this stage.

Requirements

The minimum qualifications require a degree demonstrating a concentration of Computer Science (CS) courses in foundational CS areas.

Qualifications

The qualifications listed are the minimum acceptable to be considered for the position.

• Degree: Must be in Computer Science (CS). Related fields (e.g., Engineering, Mathematics, Information Technology, Information Systems) may be considered if the program includes a concentration of courses in foundational CS areas: algorithms; computer architecture (not network architecture); programming methodologies and languages; data structures; logic and computation; and advanced mathematics (e.g., calculus, discrete mathematics).
• Relevant Experience: Must include design/development of computer or information systems and involve engineering hardware and/or software over their lifecycle (requirements analysis, design, implementation, testing, integration, deployment/installation, and maintenance), programming, computer systems research, reverse engineering, and/or computer/network security. Completion of military training in a relevant area, such as JCAC (Joint Cyber Analysis Course), may be considered toward the experience requirement (e.g., the 24-week JCAC course counts as 6 months of experience).

Full Performance

• Bachelor’s degree plus 3 years of relevant experience, or
• Master’s degree plus 1 year of relevant experience, or
• Doctoral degree and no experience.
• An Associate’s degree plus 5 years of relevant experience may be considered for individuals with in-depth experience clearly related to the position.

Senior

• Bachelor’s degree plus 6 years of relevant experience, or
• Master’s degree plus 4 years of relevant experience, or
• Doctoral degree plus 2 years of relevant experience.
• An Associate’s degree plus 8 years of relevant experience may be considered for individuals with in-depth experience clearly related to the position.

Expert

• Bachelor’s degree plus 9 years of relevant experience, or
• Master’s degree plus 7 years of relevant experience, or
• Doctoral degree plus 5 years of relevant experience.
• An Associate’s degree plus 11 years of relevant experience may be considered for individuals with in-depth experience clearly related to the position.

Skills

The ideal candidate is a self-starter with a desire for continual learning and strong problem-solving, analytic, and interpersonal skills who is able to:

• Work in a team environment.
• Adapt to change.
• Provide innovative solutions.
• Communicate effectively.
• Multi-task across multiple projects.

Specialized skills and experience in one or more of the following are preferred:

• System administration with Windows, UNIX, and/or Linux.
• Programming and scripting experience (e.g., C, C++, Java, Assembly, Python, Perl, Ruby, Bash, Node.js, Spark, Puppet, SALT, KAFKA, HADOOP).
• Database design/development (e.g., NiFi, MongoDB).
• Network protocols and hardware.
• Virtualization fundamentals.
• Cloud architecture.
• Security architectures and appliances.
• Firewalls boundary device solutions/architecture.
• High performance computing/data center.

Pay

Salary offers are based on candidates' education level, years of relevant experience, and information provided by the hiring manager regarding the work level for the position. Salary range varies by location, work level, and relevant experience.

• Salary Range: $105,262 – $197,200 (Full Performance, Senior, Expert).

Training will be provided based on the selectee's needs and experience.

Benefits

NSA offers a comprehensive benefits package.

Schedule

This is a full-time position, Monday through Friday, with a basic 8-hour/day work requirement between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (flexible).