Title: Solution Architect (Hybrid Schedule)

State Role Title: Salary Non-Specified

Hiring Range: 140,000-158,000

Pay Band: UG

Agency: Virginia Retirement System

Location: Virginia Retirement System

Agency Website: www.varetire.org/careers

Recruitment Type: General Public - G

Job Duties

The Virginia Retirement System (VRS) is seeking a Solution Architect, a technical role responsible for the design, governance, and delivery of solutions using Microsoft Power Platform, Azure, and Copilot Studio platforms.

In this role you will develop architecture standards and reference patterns aligned with enterprise governance, security, and compliance frameworks. You will also translate business requirements into enterprise-ready solution designs using Microsoft Power Platform and Microsoft Azure, in accordance with applicable standards and best practices. The Solution Architect will also be responsible for developing AI-enabled automation workflows, including Copilot Studio agents, to reduce manual effort and improve productivity. Additionally, you’ll develop machine learning models using Azure Machine Learning, to support business use cases.

The ideal candidate develops and validates architecture, resolves engineering challenges, and ensures that solutions adhere to security and governance standards.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.
• Defines and owns the enterprise architecture strategy for Microsoft 365, Power Platform, and associated Azure services, aligning platform capabilities to long-term organizational objectives.
• Translate business requirements into enterprise-ready solution designs using Microsoft Power Platform and Microsoft Azure, in accordance with applicable standards and best practices.
• Develop AI-enabled automation workflows, including Copilot Studio agents, to reduce manual effort and improve productivity.
• Develop machine learning models using Azure Machine Learning, to support solution objectives.
• Design end-to-end solution architectures, including integrations, data flows, identity, and operational considerations.
• Lead technical delivery from discovery through deployment, including estimates, risk management, and design reviews.
• Establish application lifecycle management (ALM) practices for Power Platform and Azure, including environment strategy, source control, and CI/CD.
• Produce architecture documentation and implementation guidance, and mentor engineering teams to ensure consistent adoption.
• Leads tenant-level governance for Microsoft 365 and Power Platform, including environment strategy, DLP policies, identity integration, data classification, and compliance frameworks.
• Partners with security and infrastructure teams to ensure alignment with VRS security policies, Microsoft best practices, VITA SEC 530, and NIST 800-53 standards.
• Establishes and maintains governance documentation, standards, and operating models, including Power Platform Center of Excellence (CoE) frameworks.
• Oversees platform health at a strategic level, identifying systemic risks and recommending long-term remediation plans.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or a closely related field is required.
• Five (5) years in software/cloud engineering/architecture experience in SaaS or cloud collaboration platforms (Microsoft 365, Azure or similar ecosystems).

Additional Considerations

• Experience in Power Platform, Dataverse, Azure Functions, Logic Apps, and Python.
• Experience building and maintaining APIs.
• Demonstrated leadership in enterprise solution design reviews, ensuring scalability, performance, maintainability, and compliance standards are met.
• Experience operating within regulated or highly governed environments (e.g., public sector, financial services, insurance, healthcare).
• Strong understanding of modern software delivery practices (Agile, Scrum, hybrid) and MLOps.

Special Instructions

You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to “Your Application” in your account to check the status of your application for this position.

VRS is unable to provide sponsorship for this position now or in the future. Applicants must have authorization to work in the United States without the need for sponsorship now or in the future.

The current hybrid schedule for technology employees is 3 days onsite (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) in Richmond, VA and 2 days remote (Monday and Friday). All employees must be able to work the current hybrid schedule and report to the office as needed on designated remote days.

Contact Information

Name: Human Resources

Email: careers@varetire.org

In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly COD) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI). Service-Connected Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their AHP Letter. Requesting an AHP Letter can be found at AHP Letter or by calling DARS at 800-552-5019.

Note: Applicants who received a Certificate of Disability from DARS or DBVI dated between April 1, 2022- February 29, 2024, can still use that COD as applicable documentation for the Alternative Hiring Process.