Geospatial Software Architect

Why do you need to choose between doing important work and having a fulfilling life? At Ardent, we have both. Ardent employees are committed to solving our customers’ most difficult problems—and we are committed to the well-being, personal goals, and professional development of our employee. We are “All In.” We put forth our strongest effort possible to get the mission accomplished and we do it together. We respect the skills and experience you bring to the Ardent team. And we provide a rewarding environment to help you succeed.

We offer highly competitive benefits, professional development opportunities, and an exceptional culture that embraces flexibility, innovation, collaboration, and career growth. A collective service mindset underpins our work, and a shared camaraderie to serve clients, colleagues and our communities set us apart. Our full commitment to being "All In" for our employees and our clients is not just our approach, it is our standard. If this sounds like the perfect fit for you, choose Ardent and make a difference with us.

Ardent is seeking a Geospatial Software Architect to join our team.

This is a full-time, remote position.

Position Overview:

The Geospatial Software Architect will serve as a key technical leader supporting the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) Geographic Information System (GIS) development and operations. This role is responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining enterprise geospatial applications—including the Security Oversight Command and Control System (SOCCS)—to support emergency management, continuity of operations (COOP), incident reporting, and nationwide SSA facility monitoring. The Architect will ensure system security, scalability, and performance across the full SSA software development lifecycle (SDLC): development, validation, integration, and production.

Key Responsibilities:

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System Architecture & Design

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Design enterprise GIS solutions leveraging Esri ArcGIS Server, SQL databases (SDE), HTML5, Angular, and related technologies.

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Define and document IT architecture diagrams, geospatial product standards, and database schema updates aligned with SSA policies and Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) standards.

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Establish and maintain the SSA Enterprise GIS Infrastructure, including basemap, routing, geoprocessing, and predictive analytics services

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Development & Integration

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Lead the development of new GIS functionality enhancements (e.g., proximity alerts, buffer analysis tools, visualization dashboards, biomedical modeling applications).

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Oversee integration of external data sources (e.g., FEMA, DHS, NOAA, USGS) and federal management systems (e.g., DHS OneView, NOC COP).

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Script automated installation/configuration for all environments, ensuring defect-free deployment into SSA’s Windows Production Environment (WPE).

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Security & Compliance

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Ensure compliance with SSA and federal security standards, including NIST SP 800-53 and FISMA requirements

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Implement role-based access controls (RBAC) using Active Directory.

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Identify, mitigate, and document vulnerabilities in third-party GIS components.

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Operations & Maintenance

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Provide technical oversight of system operation, maintenance, and quarterly updates.

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Lead performance tuning, load testing, and optimization of bandwidth utilization.

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Support surge operations for emergency response, ensuring system reliability under crisis conditions.

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Collaboration & Leadership

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Work closely with SSA’s Office of Security and Emergency Preparedness (OSEP), Office of Facilities and Logistics Management (OFLM), and enterprise stakeholders.

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Serve as the technical authority guiding developers, GIS analysts, and integration teams.

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Participate in Agile ceremonies, backlog refinement, sprint planning, and stakeholder reviews

Qualifications:

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Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or related field

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Experience: 5–7 years minimum in software architecture, including federal enterprise IT environments.

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Technical Expertise:

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Proficiency with Esri ArcGIS Enterprise (ArcGIS Server, ArcGIS Pro, Portal, ArcGIS API for JavaScript/TypeScript).

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Strong experience with SQL Server, SDE, geospatial database management, and data modeling.

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Hands-on experience with HTML5, Angular, APIs, and web service development.

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Knowledge of GIS standards (FGDC, OGC) and compliance frameworks (NIST, FISMA)

• Preferred Skills:

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Agile development and DevSecOps/CI-CD experience.

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Prior federal agency support, particularly SSA, DHS, FEMA, or similar.

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Strong communication and documentation skills, including architecture diagrams and system design documentation.

Due to the nature of the work we support, all candidates in consideration for this role must be willing to undergo the government issued background investigation process.

Ardent is an equal opportunity employer. We will not discriminate in employment, recruitment, advertisements for employment, compensation, termination, upgrading, promotions, and other conditions of employment against any employee or job applicant on the bases of race, color, gender, national origin, age, religion, creed, disability, veteran's status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or any other basis protected by state, local, or federal law.