Senior Software Architect/Engineer

By working at Harvard University, you join a vibrant community that advances Harvard's world-changing mission in meaningful ways, inspires innovation and collaboration, and builds skills and expertise. We are dedicated to creating a diverse and welcoming environment where everyone can thrive.

Why join Harvard University Central Administration?

Harvard University's Central Administration (CADM) is a 5,000+ employee organization that supports the university's overall excellence by understanding and serving the needs of its schools, students, faculty, staff, alumni, and surrounding communities. Through dynamic and collaborative partnerships, CADM provides high-quality and efficient services to the schools to help them achieve their goals.

Harvard University Information Technology (HUIT) is a community of Information Technology professionals committed to understanding our users and devoted to making it easier for faculty, students, and staff to teach, research, learn, and work through the effective use of information technology.  We are recruiting an IT workforce that has both breadth in their ability to collaborate and innovate across disciplines – and depth in specific areas of expertise.  HUIT offers opportunities for IT professionals to learn and work in a unique technology landscape and service-focused environment.  If you are a technically proficient, nimble, user-focused and accountable IT professional who also connects with the importance of collaborating well in a team environment we are looking for you!  

More About HUIT: 

Our Mission: huit.harvard.edu/about 

We empower the Harvard community with essential and transformative technologies to advance education, knowledge, and discovery. 

HUIT’s core values are:  

• Human-centered  
• University-focused
• Innovation-driven 
• Team-oriented 

IT Academy (designed for IT Staff): 

HUIT’s IT Academy aims to enable each IT staff person to grow professionally and become a trusted partner to her or his team. The IT Academy is built on the belief that every IT staff member across the University (including technology employees at each school and campus) can grow in her or his area of expertise as well as building strong people and project management skills. Learn more here: https://itacademy.harvard.edu/. 

Reporting to the Associate Director of Research Administration and Compliance Solutions, the Senior Software Engineer/Architect serves as the primary architectural authority for the Grants Management Application Suite (GMAS), accountable for its long-term technical strategy, architectural integrity, scalability, and sustainability, Harvard’s enterprise system of record for sponsored programs. While focused on GMAS, this team member will also advise and execute projects in other areas across the IT portfolio.

This role leads comprehensive development efforts for highly complex, large-scale, multi-faceted enterprise applications. The position delivers strategic and expert technical leadership, defines overarching development strategy, and partners with IT leadership to shape the long-term application portfolio roadmap.

• Define and drive the long-term architectural vision and technical roadmap for GMAS and related research administration systems.
• Provide strategic technical oversight and architectural guidance, while remaining capable of hands-on contribution when necessary. 
• Lead development of technical solutions for highly complex business requirements.
• Guide modernization, scalability, performance optimization, and integration strategy.
• Ensure alignment of system architecture with University-wide IT standards while influencing enterprise architectural direction through participation in governance and review boards.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and make strategic recommendations for adoption.
• Accountable for architectural governance, resolution of complex cross-system design challenges, and mitigation of systemic technical risk across the application portfolio.
• Lead cross-functional development initiatives spanning multiple modules or systems.
• Oversee multiple concurrent technical initiatives of significant scope and complexity.
• Ensure delivery of high-quality, secure, scalable enterprise applications.
• Champion engineering excellence, DevOps maturity, and continuous improvement practices.
• Collaborate closely with business analysts, QA, security, infrastructure, and other enterprise teams.
• Represent application architecture in University-wide forums and cross-functional governance groups.
• Mentor senior and junior developers; elevate engineering standards across the team.
• Lead design reviews and architectural governance discussions.
• Provide architectural oversight for production release planning and complex deployment activities.
• Support complex production deployments as needed.
• Participate in rotating on-call support for research administration systems.
• Promote adherence to Harvard IT technical standards, policies, and Code of Conduct.

Basic Qualifications:

Basic Qualifications are the minimum threshold a candidate must meet in order to be considered for this role. 

• Minimum of seven years’ post-secondary education or relevant work experience

Additional Qualifications and Skills:
Required Technical Expertise:

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field — or equivalent practical experience.
• Minimum 7 years of progressively responsible experience in enterprise application development and architecture, including demonstrated leadership in defining enterprise technical strategy.
• Demonstrated highly specialized expertise in Java/JEE enterprise architecture.
• Proven experience leading development for large-scale, complex, multi-tier enterprise systems.
• Experience contributing to long-term strategic planning and technical roadmap development.
• Demonstrated ability to operate at both strategic and hands-on technical levels.
• Strong systems-thinking mindset with focus on long-term sustainability.
• Proven ability to influence technical direction beyond immediate project teams.
• Experience working in Agile and DevOps environments
• Commitment to continuous learning and technical innovation.
• Java/JEE (7+ years): JSP, Servlets, JDBC, JMS, JSF (PrimeFaces), Spring Framework.
• Enterprise Architecture & Multi-tier application design.
• REST and SOAP Web Services; API design and governance (Apigee preferred).
• Hibernate, SQL, PL/SQL, Oracle data modeling.
• Integration architecture and service-oriented design.
• CI/CD pipelines (Jenkins, GitLab CI).
• Git-based source control.
• Application servers: WebLogic, Tomcat.
• Linux/Unix environments.
• XML schema development and validation.

Standard Hours/Schedule: Monday-Friday - Support planned production releases, occasionally during extended hours or weekends.

This position can be fully remote or hybrid.

• Travel to the campus may be required for important project events with advance notice.
• Works hours are on east coast time.
• Harvard employees must live and work from one of the following states; California, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, or Washington.
• Relocation assistance is not available.

Visa Sponsorship Information: Harvard University is unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position

Pre-Employment Screening: Identity, Education

Other Information:
Please provide a cover letter and resume as one document with your application.
This position has a 180-day orientation and review period. 

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Work Format Details

This position has been determined by school or unit leaders that some of the duties and responsibilities can be effectively performed at a non-Harvard location. The work schedule and location will be set by the department at its discretion and based upon operational needs. When not working at a Harvard or Harvard-designated location, employees in hybrid positions must work in a Harvard registered state in compliance with the University’s Policy on Employment Outside of Massachusetts. Additional details will be discussed during the interview process. Certain visa types and funding sources may limit work location. Individuals must meet work location sponsorship requirements prior to employment.

Salary Grade and Ranges

This position is salary grade level 059. Please visit  Harvard's Salary Ranges  to view the corresponding salary range and related information. 

Benefits

Harvard offers a comprehensive benefits package that is designed to support a healthy work-life balance and your physical, mental and financial wellbeing. Because here, you are what matters. Our benefits include, but are not limited to: 

• Generous paid time off including parental leave 
• Medical, dental, and vision health insurance coverage starting on day one 
• Retirement plans with university contributions 
• Wellbeing and mental health resources 
• Support for families and caregivers 
• Professional development opportunities including tuition assistance and reimbursement 
• Commuter benefits, discounts and campus perks 

Learn more about these and additional benefits on our Benefits & Wellbeing Page. 

EEO/Non-Discrimination Commitment Statement

Harvard University is committed to equal opportunity and non-discrimination. We seek talent from all parts of society and the world, and we strive to ensure everyone at Harvard thrives. Our differences help our community advance Harvard's academic purposes.

Harvard has an equal employment opportunity policy that outlines our commitment to prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, religion, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or identified in the university's non-discrimination policy. Harvard's equal employment opportunity policy and non-discrimination policy help all community members participate fully in work and campus life free from harassment and discrimination.