Principal Architect – AI-Enabled Legacy Modernization at CompQsoft Inc. – KITTERY, Maine

CompQsoft is seeking a senior technical leader to drive an AI-enabled modernization initiative supporting a mission-critical U.S. Navy environment.

Position: Principal Architect – AI-Enabled Legacy Modernization

Location: Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, NH (The position is full time remote, but will require a 1 week onboarding onsite. The company will pay for the travel.)

Clearance: Active DOD Secret

This role will be responsible for establishing a definitive understanding of the current legacy architecture, synthesizing historical modernization lessons learned, defining the future-state architecture, and identifying an executable modernization entry point (MVP).

This individual will operate at the intersection of architecture, modernization strategy, and emerging AI-assisted software development practices.

This is a hands-on strategic leadership role — not a pure advisory position.

Key Responsibilities

Architectural Discovery & Assessment

• Lead comprehensive analysis of a large-scale monolithic system and its dependencies (~30+ interfaces).

• Document current-state architecture, data flows, integrations, and operational constraints.

• Evaluate hosting, security, and IL4/IL5 considerations where applicable.

Modernization Strategy

• Develop a pragmatic, phased modernization roadmap.

• Identify high-value, low-risk opportunities for initial transformation.

• Recommend architectural patterns (modular, services-based, microservices, hybrid, etc.).

• Align strategy with DevSecOps and cloud adoption objectives.

AI Enablement

• Evaluate where AI-assisted development can materially accelerate modernization.

• Establish guardrails to prevent tool-driven rather than architecture-driven decisions.

• Translate emerging capabilities (agentic workflows, code generation, automated documentation) into practical delivery models.

Historical Failure Analysis

• Perform root-cause analysis of prior modernization attempts.

• Identify stakeholder, interface, adoption, and cost factors that contributed to program challenges.

• Ensure future strategy explicitly mitigates those risks.

Executive & Stakeholder Engagement

• Serve as a senior technical advisor to CompQsoft leadership and government stakeholders.

• Translate complex architectural concepts into clear decision frameworks.

• Support modernization briefings and strategic planning sessions.

MVP Definition & Execution Path

• Recommend an initial modernization pilot with measurable success criteria.

• Define ROM-level cost ranges and delivery approach.

• Establish architectural governance patterns for follow-on efforts.

Required Qualifications:

• 12–15+ years in enterprise architecture or large-scale system modernization.

• Demonstrated success modernizing legacy federal or defense systems.

• Experience decomposing monolithic applications.

• Strong integration architecture background.

• Familiarity with secure cloud environments.

Must Also Demonstrate:

• Exceptional architectural judgment

• Ability to operate in ambiguous environments

• Executive communication skills

• Bias toward execution over theory

Strongly Preferred:

• DoD or Navy experience

• Active clearance

• Experience with IL5 environments

• DevSecOps transformation exposure

• AI-assisted development familiarity

About Us:

CompQsoft Inc. Established in 1997, headquarters in Houston, TX and office in Leesburg, VA. CompQsoft offers a range of comprehensive Cyber Security, Infrastructure, Cloud solutions, ERP implementation, Business Intelligence, Application development, Ecommerce applications and Management consulting services. CompQsoft is Certified CMMI Level 3 practitioner for Development and Services, ISO 9001:2015, ISO 27001:2013 & ISO 200001:2011 Certified. CompQsoft is a fast growing company with a strategy and methodology that is strongly focused on the success of our clients, predominantly the Federal government.

CompQsoft provides equal opportunity in all aspects of employment and in the working environment to all employees and applicants. CompQsoft does not take any nonmerit factors like race, color, religion, sex (gender), mental/physical disability, and age into account for purposes of recruitment, hiring and development.