IT Principal Architect

Job Description

Postion : IT Principal Architect

Contract Length : 6-months with potential extension to one year

Location : Hybrid to Denver, CO twice a week preferred but can also be 100% remote

Project Overview / Background

Our state agency client's Health Information Technology (HIT) team is seeking a highly experienced and skilled Principal Technical Architect with deep expertise in Health Information Technology (HIT) to lead the architectural design, development and implementation of critical HIT initiatives for a full-time, one-year engagement. This technical consulting role will be instrumental in shaping our technology roadmap, ensuring scalable, secure and interoperable solutions that align with business objectives and regulatory requirements (e.g., HIPAA, Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources [FHIR], ONC Cures Act). We are seeking consulting support that understands public service and healthcare delivery and is passionate about delivering the best experience for vulnerable populations in the forensic mental health space. The successful consultant will provide strategic technical leadership, mentor junior technical architects and collaborate extensively with various stakeholders including business leaders, IT teams and external vendors.

Vision :

• Understand and strategically advance the Health Information Technology vision as defined by the Director of Health Information Technology.
• Communicate this vision to other state agencies and vendors to ensure alignment, understanding and success of technical partners.

Scope of Work & Objectives

The Principal Technical Architect will be responsible for, but not limited to, the following :

Strategic Architectural Leadership :

o With input from the Director of Health Information Technology and product managers, define and drive the overall technical architecture strategy for HIT systems, aligning with enterprise architecture principles and business goals.

o Evaluate and recommend new technologies, platforms and tools relevant to the healthcare industry.

o Develop and maintain architectural roadmaps for key HIT initiatives.

o Orchestrate and lead technical execution across vendors and state agency technical teams.

o Drive development and operational efficiency to minimize costs while maximizing delivery on product strategy.

o Lead the design and development of robust, scalable, secure and interoperable HIT solutions (e.g., EHR integrations, HIE platforms, clinical data warehouses, patient engagement portals, telehealth solutions).

o Create detailed architectural diagrams, technical specifications and documentation (e.g., system context diagrams, data flow diagrams, API specifications).

o Ensure designs adhere to industry best practices, regulatory compliance (e.g., HIPAA) and security standards.

Interoperability & Integration :

o Design and implement integration strategies for various HIT systems, leveraging standards such as FHIR, HL7 (v2, v3, CDA), DICOM, and XDS.

o Oversee the development of APIs and data exchange mechanisms to facilitate seamless data flow between disparate systems.

o Troubleshoot complex integration issues and propose effective solutions.

Technical Governance & Standards :

o Establish and enforce architectural governance processes, standards and guidelines for HIT solutions.

o Conduct architectural reviews to ensure adherence to established principles and best practices.

o Participate in the evaluation and selection of third-party HIT solutions and vendors.

Security & Compliance :

o In collaboration with OIT CISO, ensure security and compliance to protect system availability, data integrity and confidentiality.

o Ensure adherence to all relevant state and federal security and compliance regulations.

o Accessibility : Ensure State websites and applications meet Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and WCAG 2.1AA requirements.

Technical Mentorship & Collaboration :

o Provide technical guidance and mentorship to other architects, developers and project teams.

o Collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, including product management, project management, operations and security.

o Communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders clearly and concisely.

Problem Solving & Innovation :

o Identify and resolve complex technical challenges, offering innovative and practical solutions.

o Stay abreast of emerging technologies and trends in the HIT landscape.

Key Deliverables

The contractor shall deliver the following, as agreed upon during the engagement :

Architectural Strategy Documentation : Comprehensive document(s) outlining the long-term technical architecture vision for HIT.

Integration Specifications : Documentation outlining data exchange formats, protocols, and API specifications for system integrations.

Architectural Review Reports : Documentation of architectural assessments and recommendations for existing or proposed systems.

Contractor Qualifications & Experience

The ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications :

Experience :

o Minimum of 10-15 years of progressive experience in software architecture and design, with at least 5-7 years specifically in Healthcare Information Technology.

o Proven experience as a Principal Architect, Lead Architect or similar senior architectural role in a complex healthcare environment.

o Extensive experience with various healthcare information systems (e.g., EHR / EMR, PACS, LIS, RIS, Revenue Cycle Management, HIE).

o Deep understanding and practical experience with healthcare interoperability standards (e.g., FHIR, HL7 v2.x, HL7 v3, CDA, DICOM, XDS).

o Strong background in designing and implementing secure, scalable and high-performance cloud-based solutions in a healthcare technology environment.

o Experience with microservices architecture, API management and event-driven architectures.

o Familiarity with data warehousing, big data and analytics platforms in a healthcare context.

o Solid understanding of healthcare regulatory compliance (HIPAA, HITECH, GDPR, 21st Century Cures Act).

o Experience with agile development methodologies (Scrum, Kanban) and tooling (Jira, Confluence).

Technical Skills :

o Proficiency in one or more programming languages (e.g., Java, Python, C#, Node.js).

o Expertise in database technologies (relational and NoSQL).

o Experience with containerization and orchestration (Docker, Kubernetes).

o Knowledge of cybersecurity principles and best practices for healthcare data.

Soft Skills :

o Exceptional analytical and problem-solving skills.

o Strong leadership, communication and interpersonal skills.

o Ability to work independently and as part of a distributed team.

o Excellent presentation and documentation skills.

o Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines effectively.