Geospatial Systems Architecture

About the Role

We are seeking a Senior Application Developer with a strong system architecture background and deep expertise in ESRI's ArcGIS platform to lead the design and delivery of enterprise-grade geospatial solutions for federal clients. This role goes beyond front-end development — you will define the end-to-end technical architecture of geospatial systems, spanning client-side mapping applications, spatial data pipelines, API layers, and ArcGIS Enterprise infrastructure.

Key Responsibilities

Lead the end-to-end architecture of geospatial web applications — from spatial data ingestion and processing through API design, front-end rendering, and deployment topology
Define and enforce architectural standards for ESRI-based solutions: service patterns, layer naming conventions, portal organization, and security models
Design scalable ArcGIS Enterprise deployments including federated servers, datastore configuration, high availability, and disaster recovery planning
Architect integration patterns between ArcGIS REST Services and enterprise systems (ERP, CRM, MDM, data lakes)
Lead technical decisions around ArcGIS Maps SDK for JavaScript (JSAPI 4.x) integrated with React — component structure, state management, SDK lifecycle, performance optimization
Evaluate and recommend geospatial platform strategies: ArcGIS Enterprise vs. ArcGIS Online, hosted vs. managed services, hybrid deployments
Collaborate with data engineers to design spatial ETL pipelines, geodatabase schemas, and feature service publishing workflows
Define API gateway and microservices patterns for geospatial back-end services (Python/FastAPI, Node.js, or .NET)
Conduct architecture reviews, produce Architecture Decision Records (ADRs), and maintain system design documentation
Serve as the senior technical authority on the program; mentor developers and guide the team through complex architectural trade-offs

Required Skills & Qualifications

10+ years of software development experience; 5+ years in a solutions or systems architect capacity
5+ years with ArcGIS Maps SDK for JavaScript (JSAPI 4.x) and React front-end integration
Deep expertise in ArcGIS Enterprise architecture — WebAdaptor, Portal, Server, Datastore, federated services
Strong understanding of spatial data modeling — geodatabase design, feature class schemas, relationship classes, versioning
Proficiency architecting RESTful and GraphQL APIs that serve geospatial data at scale
Experience with cloud infrastructure for GIS workloads — AWS (EC2, S3, RDS, Lambda) or Azure (VMs, Blob, SQL Managed Instance)
Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines and Infrastructure-as-Code (Terraform, ARM templates, CloudFormation)
TypeScript proficiency; strong command of modern JavaScript patterns
Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. federal Public Trust clearance

Preferred Qualifications

Experience designing geospatial architectures for DHS, DoD, or civilian federal agencies
Familiarity with FedRAMP, FISMA, and ATO processes as they apply to geospatial platforms
Working knowledge of ArcGIS Image Server, ArcGIS GeoEvent Server, or ArcGIS Velocity for real-time/streaming data
Exposure to Databricks or cloud data lakehouse patterns feeding spatial feature services
Experience with ArcGIS Experience Builder custom widget architecture or Web Components integration
Knowledge of OGC standards — WMS, WFS, WCS, GeoPackage

Nice to Have

ESRI Certification — ArcGIS Enterprise Administration or ArcGIS Developer
Familiarity with Calcite Design System for UI consistency across ESRI-integrated apps
Experience with Python (ArcPy, ArcGIS API for Python) for geoprocessing automation
Exposure to Tableau or MicroStrategy as a visualization complement to geospatial dashboards

Pay: $70.00 - $110.00 per hour

Benefits:

Flexible schedule

Application Question(s):

Are you US Citizen
Do you hold active Public Trust Clearance
Do you have ESRI GIS Domain experience

Education:

Bachelor's (Required)

Experience:

System architecture: 8 years (Required)
Software development: 8 years (Required)

Ability to Commute:

Washington, DC 20001 (Required)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Washington, DC 20001