Senior Applications Architect

About this role

The Senior Applications Architect is a senior technical leader responsible for designing, developing, and implementing secure, scalable technology solutions that support research, evaluation, and mission-driven programs. This role combines hands-on software engineering and solution architecture with strategic leadership to translate complex business and data requirements into integrated applications, analytics, and decision-support tools.

Working across multidisciplinary teams, the Senior Applications Architect leads the design of data architectures, system integrations, application frameworks, and cloud-based technology solutions that enable clients to leverage data more effectively. The role requires deep technical expertise, strong problem-solving skills, and the ability to troubleshoot and resolve complex issues across systems, data pipelines, and applications.

The ideal candidate has experience delivering end-to-end technology solutions in data-intensive environments and can balance architectural vision with direct technical execution. Experience with Palantir Foundry is highly preferred, including the ability to develop solutions across Foundry's data integration, ontology, analytics, and application layers to support operational decision-making and workflow automation.

This position has the flexibility to work remotely within the United States (U.S.) or from one of our U.S. office locations. This does not include U.S. territories. Occasional travel required for meetings, training sessions, and conferences.

About AIR:

Founded in 1946 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, the American Institutes for Research (AIR) is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization that conducts behavioral and social science research and delivers technical assistance to address some of the most pressing challenges in the United States and globally. We generate evidence and apply data-driven solutions that expand opportunities and improve lives for all.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Hands-on Solution Architecture and Development

• Design, develop, and implement secure, scalable, data-driven applications using modern software development frameworks, APIs, cloud technologies, and enterprise data platforms.

• End-to-End Data Architecture

• Architect integrated solutions spanning source data ingestion, transformation, data modeling, analytics, and user-facing applications to support operational decision-making.

• Data Modeling and Integration

• Develop reusable relational, semantic, and ontology-based data models; integrate and harmonize data from multiple sources; and establish data quality, governance, and traceability from source systems through reported metrics.

• Software Engineering and Technical Implementation

• Contribute directly to application development, integration, testing, debugging, and performance optimization using technologies such as React, TypeScript, Python, SQL, and REST APIs.

• Reusable Architecture and Development Patterns

• Design and implement reusable technical components, integration patterns, and reference architectures that support rapid MVP delivery, maintainability, and future platform expansion.

• Decision Support and Workflow Automation

• Translate complex research, program, and operational requirements into intuitive applications, analytics, and decision-support workflows, incorporating platform-native automation and AI/ML capabilities where appropriate.

• Palantir Foundry/Vantage Development

• Design and implement solutions within Palantir Foundry/Vantage, including data pipelines, ontology models, object types, relationships, actions, permissions, and applications developed using platform-native tools such as Workshop.

Qualifications:

Education, Knowledge, and Experience

• Master’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Data Science, Engineering, Public Health, Public Policy, or a related field with at least seven years of relevant experience; or a Bachelor’s degree in a related field with at least ten years of relevant experience.

• Demonstrated experience designing, architecting, and implementing enterprise-scale applications, data platforms, and integrated technology solutions.

• Experience developing and deploying secure, scalable software applications, system integrations, and cloud-based solutions.

• Experience designing and implementing data architectures, data models, ETL/ELT processes, APIs, and analytics solutions.

• Experience working across multidisciplinary teams to deliver technology solutions that support business, operational, research, or analytical objectives.

• Experience applying software development lifecycle (SDLC) methodologies, including Agile development practices, to deliver high-quality technical solutions.

• Experience with modern software engineering technologies and frameworks, including application development, database technologies, and enterprise platforms.

• Experience with Palantir Foundry, including data integration, ontology design, application development, and analytics capabilities.

Skills

• Strong solution architecture and systems-thinking skills, with the ability to design end-to-end technical solutions that align with organizational and client objectives.

• Strong software engineering and technical problem-solving skills, including the ability to troubleshoot and resolve complex issues across applications, integrations, data pipelines, and infrastructure.

• Strong data architecture and data modeling skills, including relational, semantic, and ontology-based approaches.

• Strong understanding of cloud technologies, APIs, enterprise data platforms, and modern application development frameworks.

• Ability to translate complex business, operational, and research requirements into intuitive applications, analytics, and decision-support solutions.

• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to effectively collaborate with technical and non-technical…