Information Security Architect

American University is a student-centered research institution located in Washington, DC, with highly-ranked schools and colleges, internationally-renowned faculty, and a reputation for creating meaningful change in the world. Learn more about American University.

Information Security

Full time

Regular

Exempt

Hybrid 04 (On Campus 1 day/Month)

SEIU Local 500 - Provost & Enrollment Division

This position is part of a collective bargaining unit represented by SEIU Local 500 - Provost & Enrollment Division. That means the terms and conditions of your employment are governed by university policy (including the Staff Personnel Policies Manual) and any collective bargaining agreement entered into between American University and SEIU Local 500 - Provost & Enrollment Division.

The Information Security Architect serves as the university’s senior technical security architect and a key advisor on enterprise security strategy, architecture, and engineering. Reporting to the Chief Information Security Officer, this role leads the design and integration of security controls across a complex technology environment, including cloud platforms, infrastructure, identity, applications, and research computing. The position partners closely with technical and business stakeholders to ensure security is embedded into solutions by design, aligned with institutional priorities, risk management objectives, and regulatory requirements.

This role also drives security engineering innovation through automation, Infrastructure as Code, Dev Sec Ops , and platform integration. The architect provides leadership on security reviews, technical standards, and emerging technology assessments while mentoring engineering staff and helping strengthen the overall maturity of the university’s security program.

• Develop and maintain enterprise security architectures, reference architectures, and design patterns that integrate security into technology solutions by design.
• Lead architecture and security design reviews for infrastructure, cloud, networking, identity, data, and application initiatives.
• Establish technical security standards and requirements for technology procurement, implementation, and enterprise initiatives.
• Ensure security architecture aligns with university objectives, risk tolerance, regulatory requirements, and industry best practices.

• Design and implement automation solutions using APIs, orchestration technologies, scripting languages, and Infrastructure as Code.
• Define engineering standards, reusable patterns, and technical roadmaps for enterprise security platforms.
• Lead integration efforts between security and enterprise technology platforms.
• Guide adoption of automation, Dev Sec Ops , and Infrastructure as Code practices across the Information Security program.

• Lead security assessments of university technologies, cloud services, applications, vendors, and third-party solutions.
• Evaluate security risks associated with strategic initiatives and recommend mitigation strategies.
• Provide technical security guidance to project teams, architects, engineers, and university leadership.
• Participate in Enterprise Architecture activities and strategic technology planning.
• Support compliance, audit, privacy, and regulatory initiatives through architecture and technical review activities.

• Mentor and provide technical guidance to Security Engineers and Senior Security Engineers, building team capability and depth.
• Establish…