What are the responsibilities and job description for the IS Technical Architect position at Ramsey County, MN?
Position Summary
The current vacancy is in the Information Systems department. The eligibility list created by this vacancy may be used to hire other vacancies in the department or County.
Ramsey County is seeking a Solution Architect who can seamlessly bridge the gap between business objectives and technology implementation. This high-impact role ensures that our technology investments directly support, enhance, and scale with our business operations. We’re looking for a professional who combines deep technical expertise with exceptional communication and interpersonal skills. The right candidate is someone who can engage confidently with business users, coordinate with IT teams, and ensure that solutions are both technically sound and business driven.
Core Responsibilities Include:
- Partnering with business stakeholders to understand goals, requirements, and constraints; and translating them into effective technical solutions.
- Evaluating, designing, and recommending solutions using both new and existing technologies.
- Providing expert architectural guidance from initial concept through deployment and operationalization.
- Identifying, communicating, and mitigating technical risks across projects.
- Ensuring all technical solutions align with broader organizational strategy, standards, and long-term roadmaps.
Responsible for directing the design, development, and implementation of new business applications, infrastructure, and security. Review the technical architecture, determine tools and third-party software used; hardware needed for development and production processing based on the business needs and county standards. Responsible for security review of all new applications; provide technical advice; work with leaders, peers and project teams to develop and maintain technical and security standards including developing and maintaining principles and guidelines; and to perform related duties as assigned.
Flexible Workplace:
This position is identified under the designation of ‘flex work eligible’, meaning that the employee can formally opt to be in-office full-time or work a flex schedule in which at least two-days per week are performed in office and other days can be performed in a remote-first environment. Regardless of selection, the position carries expectations regarding on-site responsibilities and will require schedule flexibility beyond the minimum expectations set forth in the county’s flexible workplace policy. To view Ramsey County’s Flexible Workplace policy, go to: Flexible Workplace Policy
Examples of Work Performed
- Define the development, testing, and production processing hardware, software or security environments for new systems and major system enhancements. Establish the technical standards for the project. Create the “vision” for the new system or major enhancement. Evaluate and determine feasibility of alternative approaches, designs, and techniques.
- Lead the work of project staff to provide technical guidance; monitor and assess operational impacts to County systems; write and implement technical and security standards and guidelines.
- Research and evaluate new and emerging technology to determine the benefits and costs to the County and its effectiveness in the County’s technical environment. Participate in the review, selection and purchase of tools; mentor and train others on tool usage.
- Design interfaces and integrations between systems; identify needed processes and structures to ensure proper system performance; create tools, templates and patterns to improve productivity.
- Develop, test and maintain processes for cloud architecture design and development, migration, and support; determine the best approach for storing and moving data through the County’s network and storage infrastructure to minimize the risk to the County; review and apply the County security components to ensure regulatory compliance.
- Analyze, troubleshoot, and investigate information system anomalies based on security platform reporting, network traffic, log files, host based and automated security alerts. Review application and database security for new development projects and for purchased applications.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
Minimum Qualifications
Education: Bachelor’s degree in computer sciences, management information systems, or a closely related field.
Experience: Seven years of progressive experience with methods, systems, and analysis in application development, data management, infrastructure or security.
Substitutions: Equivalent combination of education and related experience.
Certifications/Licensure: None.
Exam/Screening Process Information
The examination process will consist of the following section with each section weighted as indicated:
- Training and Experience Rating = 100%
The examination for IS Technical Architect will consist of a training and experience rating, comprised of the questions in the attached supplemental questionnaire. Not all applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will pass the training and experience rating. The rating on this supplemental questionnaire will depend on your answers to the questions –do not mark “see resume” or “see work history” as a response. Please answer all your questions clearly and completely. Failure to respond could affect your score and final rank on this examination.
Eligible List: The names of all applicants who filed a properly completed application and passed the examination/screening process shall be placed on the eligible list for an employment opportunity as an IS Technical Architect. This list will be certified to the appointing authority which may use this list to conduct interviews to fill a vacancy. Candidates will remain on the list for 30 days or until hired, whichever occurs first. A notice will be sent to applicants at the time the eligible list is posted.
Veteran's Preference: This is a classified position requiring an open, competitive selection process. Veteran's Preference points will be applied after a candidate passes the examination process. Applicants who are eligible for veteran's preference should update their veteran's DD214, and other supporting documents, and submit them as an attachment at the time of application.
Criminal Background Checks: All employment offers are conditioned upon the applicant passing a criminal background check. Convictions are not an automatic bar to employment. Each case is considered on its individual merits and the type of work sought. However, making false statements or withholding information will cause you to be barred from employment, or removed from employment.
E-Verify Participation: Ramsey County participates in the federal E-Verify program. This means that Ramsey County will provide the Social Security Administration (SSA) and, if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), with information from each new employee's Form I-9 to confirm work authorization. If the Government cannot confirm that you are authorized to work, Ramsey County is required to give you written instructions and an opportunity to contact DHS and/or the SSA before taking adverse action against you, including terminating your employment. Employers may not use E-Verify to pre-screen job applicants and may not limit or influence the choice of documents you present for use on the Form I-9.
Equal Opportunity Employer: Ramsey County provides equal access to employment, programs, and services without regard to race, color, creed, religion, age, sex (except when sex is a Bona Fide Occupational Qualification), disability, familial or marital status, sexual orientation or gender identity, public assistance status, place of residence, political affiliation, or national origin.
Eligible List: The names of all applicants who filed a properly completed application and passed the examination/screening process shall be placed on the eligible list for an employment opportunity as an IS Technical Architect. This list will be certified to the appointing authority which may use this list to conduct interviews to fill a vacancy. Candidates will remain on the list for 30 days or until hired, whichever occurs first. A notice will be sent to applicants at the time the eligible list is posted.
Veteran's Preference: This is a classified position requiring an open, competitive selection process. Veteran's Preference points will be applied after a candidate passes the examination process. Applicants who are eligible for veteran's preference should update their veteran's DD214, and other supporting documents, and submit them as an attachment at the time of application.
Criminal Background Checks: All employment offers are conditioned upon the applicant passing a criminal background check. Convictions are not an automatic bar to employment. Each case is considered on its individual merits and the type of work sought. However, making false statements or withholding information will cause you to be barred from employment, or removed from employment.
E-Verify Participation: Ramsey County participates in the federal E-Verify program. This means that Ramsey County will provide the Social Security Administration (SSA) and, if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), with information from each new employee's Form I-9 to confirm work authorization. If the Government cannot confirm that you are authorized to work, Ramsey County is required to give you written instructions and an opportunity to contact DHS and/or the SSA before taking adverse action against you, including terminating your employment. Employers may not use E-Verify to pre-screen job applicants and may not limit or influence the choice of documents you present for use on the Form I-9.
Equal Opportunity Employer: Ramsey County provides equal access to employment, programs, and services without regard to race, color, creed, religion, age, sex (except when sex is a Bona Fide Occupational Qualification), disability, familial or marital status, sexual orientation or gender identity, public assistance status, place of residence, political affiliation, or national origin.
Ramsey County is deeply committed to advancing racial equity and promoting diversity and inclusion within all areas of its workforce. The county strives being equitable, inclusive, transparent, respectful, and impactful in how we serve and engage with residents, as well as Ramsey County employees. Advancing racial equity ensures all people who need access to opportunities and services we provide, will receive them. Racial equity is achieved when race can no longer be used to predict life outcomes, and outcomes for all are improved.
To print a paper application for this posting click: Paper Application You will need to print this posting and answer the supplemental questions associated with this exam and submit them with your completed paper application.
For further information regarding this posting, please contact: Crystal.Diaz@co.ramsey.mn.us
To print a paper application for this posting click: Paper Application You will need to print this posting and answer the supplemental questions associated with this exam and submit them with your completed paper application.
For further information regarding this posting, please contact: Crystal.Diaz@co.ramsey.mn.us
Ramsey County provides a wide range of employee benefits to support health, well-being, and work/life balance. Benefits eligibility can vary depending on union status/contract language. A summary of benefits is provided below. Detailed information is available for review at https://www.ramseycounty.us/employees/employee-open-enrollment-2025-benefits
- Medical, dental and vision insurance
- The County contributes a bargained percentage to the medical and dental monthly premium
- Employees choose from four enrollment tiers: Single, Employee legally married spouse, Employee Child(ren), Family
- Blue Cross Blue Shield Medical insurance – three plan options including a High Deductible Plan with a Health Saving Account offered. Earn up to $20/month in electronic gift cards for each enrolled employee or spouse for wellness activity
- MetLife Dental Insurance – two plan options offered
- VSP Vision Insurance – Advantage Plan offered
- Pre-tax Benefit Program
- Pre-tax medical, dental, vision monthly premium deduction option
- Dependent and Health Care Flexible Spending Accounts
- County monthly contribution to a Health Savings Account for employees who elect the High Deductible medical plan
- Paid time off
- Vacation hours, accrued based on years of service, ranging from 12 to 25 days per year (pro-rated for part-time employees)
- 11 scheduled holidays and two floating holidays
- Up to eight weeks of 100% paid parental leave, plus additional use of sick time as noted below
- Sick hours accrued at a rate of three weeks per year, which can be used for medical and dental care; injury or illness for you, your spouse or children; the birth or adoption of a child (up to 80 hours) or the death of a family member (up to 40 hours)
- Wellness incentive allows conversion of unused sick time to vacation or pay
- Retirement benefits
- Pension - The county contributes at least 7.5% of your salary to your pension, depending on bargaining unit. Unlike other retirement investments, pension payments are a lifetime benefit once you start collecting payments
- New employees become vested after three years. For the Police and Fire union, employees are vested after 10 years
- Deferred compensation - 457(b) account with employer match
- Health Care Savings Plan - all benefits-eligible employees contribute 1% of gross regular salary to a Health Care Savings Plan account for eligible health care expenses after retirement. Interest accrues tax free. County provides a scheduled contribution after five years of participation
- Transit and parking
- Fully funded Metropass.
- Transportation/parking expenses reimbursement account
- Employee well-being
- Employee assistance program, including telephone counseling, financial counseling, rideshare benefits, etc.
- Wellness programming
- Flexible work policy with hybrid work options for eligible positions
- Life Insurance and Disability leave
- County provided Basic Life coverage - 1x annual salary, minimum $10,000 up to a maximum of $50,000. Optional supplemental coverage available
- Long-term Disability – County provided coverage replaces 40% of the employee’s lost income after six months of disability, subject to a $5,000 monthly maximum. Option to purchase an additional 20% income replacement up to $7,500 monthly maximum
- Short-term Disability – option to purchase 60% income replacement coverage with 30, 60 or 90-day waiting period
- Career development
- Tuition reimbursement, up to $4,000 per year
- Online professional development opportunities through the Learning & Development Center
- County employment qualifies as a public service organization for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
- Employee resource groups – help employees build connections through common bonds with colleagues
For information about Ramsey County's 2025 benefits, visit: https://www.ramseycounty.us/employees/employee-open-enrollment-2025-benefits