SOLUTION ARCHITECT

Position Description

The Solution Architect, Cyber Security, is a principal-level individual contributor and technical project lead who will design, implement, and operate an internal network monitoring architecture that enables Santee Cooper to establish and maintain compliance with NERC CIP-015 (Internal Network Security Monitoring). The Architect will review network design at all relevant facilities, ensure network monitoring coverage, work with vendors to build and implement systems necessary for INSM, and lead ongoing efforts to tune the architecture in discerning anomalous network traffic from normal operations in a variety of operational situations and circumstances.

The Architect will work with technical staff at disparate locations, lines of business across Santee Cooper, senior management within Technology and Security and will report directly to the Director, Enterprise Security. This position has a high degree of visibility and is key in maintaining organizational compliance with NERC CIP requirements. The Architect will need deep technical knowledge of all relevant cybersecurity subject matter, the ability to work with and coordinate efforts across lines of business, and the ability to express business and technical acumen in written and verbal form to audiences of varying seniority.

The Architect will work with minimal supervision and must demonstrate personal motivation, proactive communication with leadership, and a willingness to learn about the operational technologies that directly and indirectly participate in communication subject to NERC CIP-015. The scope of this standard is expanding; the Architect must be able to anticipate changes in the scope of this effort and communicate plans and recommendations to accommodate these changes while maintaining compliance.

Essential Job Tasks

• Designs end-to-end technology solutions that align with enterprise architecture standards and utility business objectives.
• Collaborates with project managers, business analysts, cybersecurity teams, infrastructure teams, application teams, and vendors during solution design and implementation.
• Translates business requirements into technical solution architectures and implementation approaches.
• Participates in architecture review and governance processes, including Enterprise Architecture Review Board (EARB) activities.
• Ensures solutions align with cybersecurity policies, risk management standards, and applicable regulatory requirements including NERC CIP where applicable.
• Identifies solution risks, integration challenges, dependencies, and operational impacts.
• Supports modernization initiatives involving cloud platforms, enterprise applications, operational technologies, analytics, and automation.
• Develops solution diagrams, technical standards documentation, integration patterns, and architecture decision records.
• Provides technical leadership during vendor evaluations, proof-of-concept activities, and technology selection processes.
• Partners with operational and support teams to ensure solutions are maintainable, supportable, and operationally sustainable.
• Supports application lifecycle planning, technology rationalization, and technical debt reduction initiatives.
• Drives standardization, simplification, interoperability, and resiliency across technology solutions.
• Maintains awareness of utility industry technology trends, emerging platforms, and best practices.
  
  

Position Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, Business, or related field 5 or more years of progressive experience in solution architecture, systems engineering, infrastructure, applications, or related technology disciplines.
• Must have experience supporting enterprise technology implementations and integration efforts.
• Must have experience working within structured project delivery and governance environments.
• Must have excellent written, verbal, and presentation communication skills.
  
  

Preferred Experience/ Qualifications

• Experience within electric utility, public power, energy, or critical infrastructure industries.
• Knowledge of utility operational technology environments including SCADA, AMI, GIS, EMS, or work management systems.
• Knowledge of NERC CIP cybersecurity requirements and utility regulatory environments. Experience with cloud platforms and hybrid IT/OT architectures.
• Relevant architecture or technology certifications.
  
  

Compensation Information

$116,650 - $145,800 (min. - mid.)