Director, Digital Solutions & Cloud Platforms

RTI International (RTI) is both a global research institute and a leading international development organization based out of North Carolina. At RTI, you will find work you believe in, tackling some of the most complex global challenges of our time. Our mission is to impact the wellbeing of 1 billion people by 2030 through science-based solutions in climate, education, health, and equity. Our staff promote meaningful change around the world helping people live healthier, more productive, and more independent lives.

If you are looking for an opportunity to make a real difference, RTI is the place for you. Join us in our commitment to teamwork, belonging, and the passion to change the world.

The successful incumbent of this role will be part of RTI International's Global Technology Solutions (GTS) team supporting the business. GTS caters to the diverse technology needs of RTI. GTS provides technical support, resources and services to help staff work efficiently and effectively in compliance with RTI policies. GTS also aims to provide technology solutions to support the Institute's Business Units, General and Administrative functions, and make RTI a global leader in finding innovative solutions to technological challenges.

RTI is seeking a results-driven leader to join us as Director - Digital Solutions and Cloud Platforms within our Global Technology Solutions team. The Director of Digital Solutions & Cloud Platforms will lead the strategic development and delivery of cloud-native digital solutions for federal agencies and commercial clients. This role is pivotal in transforming RTI's research computing capabilities into scalable, secure platforms that accelerate scientific discovery and evidence-based decision making; migrating legacy systems to cloud-based solutions; creating replicable analytics environments for projects that meet federal data security and cybersecurity requirements; and conforming to zero trust architectural standards. The Director will also be responsible for evolving RTI Merge and related platforms into enterprise-grade digital products.

• Cloud Strategy Development. Develop and implement a comprehensive digital solutions strategy that aligns with RTI's North Star objectives and business unit growth targets.
• Digital Platform Architecture & Infrastructure. Design, deploy, and manage scalable AWS-based architectures for multi-tenant research environments with automated governance and compliance frameworks.
• Platform Product Management. Lead the evolution of RTI's digital platform portfolio including the Research Analytics Platform (RAP), custom client environments, and ready-to-deploy digital products.
• Security & Compliance. Ensure all cloud environments meet federal data security and cybersecurity requirements (FISMA, HIPAA, GDPR), and conform to zero trust architectural standards, coordinating with various staff and cross-functional teams at RTI.
• Scalable Solutions Development. Create and maintain replicable analytics environments and digital solutions that can be rapidly deployed across diverse client requirements.
• Team Leadership. Build and lead a high-performing team of cloud architects, platform engineers, and solutions specialists, providing guidance, mentorship, and support.
• Vendor Management. Manage relationships with cloud service providers (AWS, Azure) and technology vendors to ensure optimal performance and cost-efficiency.
• Innovation & Best Practices. Stay abreast of the latest trends in cloud technology, research computing, and digital solutions, incorporating them into RTI's platform strategy.
• Budget Management. Develop and manage budgets for cloud platform initiatives, implementing FinOps practices for transparent cost allocation and resource optimization.

Minimum Required Education & Experience:

• Bachelor's Degree with 18+ years of progressive experience in in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field or Master's with 14+ years related experience or equivalent combination of education and experience. relevant certifications (e.g., AWS Certified Solutions Architect, Azure Solutions Architect) are preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in cloud architecture and platform development, with at least 5 years in a leadership role focused on digital solutions and infrastructure.
• Technical Skills. Extensive experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure), Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, CloudFormation), and CI/CD pipeline development. Strong understanding of federal compliance frameworks (FedRAMP, FISMA) and security standards (NIST, ISO, HIPAA).
• Leadership Skills. Proven ability to lead and manage technical teams, with excellent communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.
• Project Management. Strong project management skills, with experience in leading large-scale platform development and migration projects.
• Analytical Skills. Ability to analyze complex technical requirements and develop effective cloud-native solutions.

Desired Skills:

Experience with modern data and analytics platforms such as Snowflake, Databricks, Palantir Foundry, Tableau Cloud, or similar cloud-native solutions for data warehousing, machine learning, and business intelligence applications.

Required Skills & Abilities:

Skills and abilities required to perform the essential duties of this job are listed below. An addendum that clarifies additional skills and abilities for incumbents in this job may be used in addition to this description.

• Strategic Thinking. Strategic thinker with strong business acumen and understanding of government contracting markets.
• Innovation. Innovative and forward-thinking approach to digital platform development.
• Quality Focus. Detail-oriented with a focus on security, compliance, and operational excellence.
• Adaptability. Ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with competing priorities and evolving client requirements.
• Basic understanding of project/program management skills such as planning, scope, quality, time, cost and resource management, communication and status, risk management with small-scale (<$100K) project delivery
• Balance of collaboration and influence to lead without control within a matrix-managed organization
• Strong leadership, teamwork, relationship building, negotiation, conflict resolution, verbal/written communication, partnership orientation, and problem-solving skills
• Strong knowledge of Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio

For San Francisco, CA USA Job Postings Only: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. Further information is available here.

RTI accepts applications to our job openings from candidates with criminal histories or conviction records in accordance with all applicable laws, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act.

For Applicants in Massachusetts Only: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

The anticipated pay range for this role is listed below. Our pay ranges represent national averages and may vary by location as a geographic differential may be applied to some locations within the United States. RTI considers multiple factors when making an offer including, for example: established salary range, internal budget, business needs, and education and years of work experience possessed by the applicant. Further, salary is merely one element to our offer.

At RTI, we demonstrate our commitment to rewarding individual and team achievement through a total rewards package. This package includes (among other things) a competitive base salary, a generous paid time off policy, merit based annual increases, bonus opportunities and a robust recognition program. Other benefits include a competitive range of insurance plans (including health, dental, life, and short-term and long-term disability), access to a retirement savings program such as a 401(k) plan, paid parental leave for all parents, financial assistance with adoption expenses or infertility treatments, financial reimbursement for education and developmental opportunities, an employee assistance program, and numerous other offerings to support a healthy work-life balance.