IT Architect job description: duties, skills and qualifications.

Core duties

16

O*NET task statements

O*NET occupation

Computer Systems Engineers/Architects

O*NET-SOC 15-1299.08

Preparation

Job Zone 3 of 5

medium preparation

Data Government data groups this job as Computer Systems Engineers/Architects (O*NET-SOC 15-1299.08). O*NET 31.0 lists “IT Architect” in its Sample of Reported Titles (the titles job holders report) for this occupation only (also listed from O*NET job-incumbent data). 1 other occupation carries it only as an alternate title (from the U.S. Employment and Training Administration), never as a reported title or a SOC Index title. O*NET figures on this page are for that occupation. BLS publishes no wage or projection for it on its own: it is counted within the residual group Computer Occupations, All Other, whose figures are not shown. TryHired has no separate career page for this title yet.

1. Communicate with staff or clients to understand specific system requirements. importance 4.2 of 5
2. Investigate system component suitability for specified purposes, and make recommendations regarding component use. importance 4.2 of 5
3. Provide customers or installation teams guidelines for implementing secure systems. importance 4.2 of 5
4. Direct the analysis, development, and operation of complete computer systems. importance 4.2 of 5
5. Direct the installation of operating systems, network or application software, or computer or network hardware. importance 4.1 of 5
6. Monitor system operation to detect potential problems. importance 4.1 of 5
7. Identify system data, hardware, or software components required to meet user needs. importance 4.0 of 5
8. Perform ongoing hardware and software maintenance operations, including installing or upgrading hardware or software. importance 4.0 of 5
9. Verify stability, interoperability, portability, security, or scalability of system architecture. importance 4.0 of 5
10. Research, test, or verify proper functioning of software patches and fixes. importance 3.9 of 5
11. Configure servers to meet functional specifications. importance 3.9 of 5
12. Collaborate with engineers or software developers to select appropriate design solutions or ensure the compatibility of system components. importance 3.8 of 5
13. Design and conduct hardware or software tests. importance 3.7 of 5
14. Evaluate existing systems to determine effectiveness, and suggest changes to meet organizational requirements. importance 3.7 of 5
15. Document design specifications, installation instructions, and other system-related information. importance 3.7 of 5
16. Perform security analyses of developed or packaged software components. importance 3.7 of 5

Work activities O*NET rates most important here: Working with Computers, Making Decisions and Solving Problems, Getting Information, Processing Information and Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge.

Also part of the job

Supplemental tasks O*NET lists for this occupation: less central than the core duties above, and not done in every job.

• Develop application-specific software.

Knowledge areas: Computers and Electronics, English Language, Telecommunications, Customer and Personal Service and Engineering and Technology.

Software O*NET lists for this occupation: Amazon Web Services AWS CloudFormation, Ansible software, Atlassian JIRA, Docker, Git, GitHub. These are examples O*NET records for the job, not a list of tools every employer uses or a checklist of what you must know.

• Education and training: BLS publishes no entry-level education, experience or training category for this occupation on its own (it is counted within Computer Occupations, All Other).
• Preparation: O*NET places the job in Job Zone 3 of 5 (medium preparation). Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations.
• Licenses and certifications: not listed here. A license is a legal requirement set by a state; a certification is a credential from a private or professional body. Rules vary by state and employer, and a missing entry on this page does not mean none is required: check with your state's licensing board.

The most common answer among O*NET's occupation experts for this occupation is a post-secondary certificate (41%).

Job title: IT Architect
[Company] · [City, State] · [Full-time or part-time] · [Pay range, where your state requires one]

About the role
[Company] is hiring an IT Architect to design and develop solutions to complex applications problems, system administration issues, or network concerns.
[One sentence on your team and why this role matters.]

What you will do
- Communicate with staff or clients to understand specific system requirements.
- Investigate system component suitability for specified purposes, and make recommendations regarding component use.
- Provide customers or installation teams guidelines for implementing secure systems.
- Direct the analysis, development, and operation of complete computer systems.
- Direct the installation of operating systems, network or application software, or computer or network hardware.
- Monitor system operation to detect potential problems.
- Identify system data, hardware, or software components required to meet user needs.
- Perform ongoing hardware and software maintenance operations, including installing or upgrading hardware or software.

What we are looking for
- [Education this role truly needs]
- Strength in reading comprehension, active listening and critical thinking
- Working knowledge of Computers and Electronics and English Language
- [Software your team uses, e.g. Amazon Web Services AWS CloudFormation or Ansible software]
- [Any license or certification your state or company requires]

[Schedule, benefits and how to apply]

Illustrative: every name, employer, school, date and number in these samples is fictional or a bracketed placeholder. Replace each bracket with your own true details; never copy a result you did not achieve.

Not a real job posting. This template is TryHired's illustration built from government occupational data. It is not an opening at any employer, and no employer wrote it.

BLS publishes no wage and no employment projection for Computer Systems Engineers/Architects on its own. The occupation is counted within Computer Occupations, All Other, a residual group of unrelated jobs, so no figure from that group is shown here as IT architect pay.

• Read a real IT architect posting next to the core duties above. Duties it repeats, such as “Communicate with staff or clients to understand specific system…”, tell you what that employer weighs most; anything it adds is specific to that team.
• Tailor your resume to the posting, not to this page: describe only IT architect work you have actually done, with your own results.
• Prepare a story for each of the top-rated skills (reading comprehension and active listening): a real situation, what you did and what changed.