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.
The Commonwealth of Virginia is located in the South Atlantic region of the United States. It was the 10th state to be admitted to the Union on June 25, 1788. Home to approximately 8 million residents, Virginia is the 12th most populous state in the United States. The capital is Richmond, and its most populous city is Virginia Beach.
The narrative history of the Commonwealth of Virginia often begins with the founding of Jamestown in 1607, near what is now modern day Williamsburg, Virginia. Jamestown became the first permanent English settlement in the New World, and the Virginia General Assembly, established on July 30, 1619, is now recognized as the oldest legislative body in the western hemisphere. When Virginia became a royal colony in 1624, the robust tobacco trade that had been developing in Virginia helped establish the American colonies as a powerful economic force. During the American Revolution, Virginia witnessed the final surrender of British forces at Yorktown and later became known as the birthplace of many revolution-era figures and future American presidents, including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. To date, 8 United States presidents have been born in Virginia, more than in any other state.
The modern government of Virginia is nearly identical in structure to the federal government, and is divided into 3 branches, these being the executive, legislative, and judiciary branches. The Virginia General Assembly is comprised of the 100-member House of Delegates and the 40-member Senate. A governor and lieutenant governor are elected every 4 years. Governors cannot be elected to or serve consecutive terms. Virginia’s judicial system consists of the Supreme Court of Virginia and the Court of Appeals of Virginia, the Circuit Courts, and the lower General District Courts and the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Courts. Virginia has 13 electoral votes in presidential elections, and possesses 11 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.
