Principal Architect Visa Sponsorship Jobs in Washington DC
Principal architect visa sponsorship jobs in Washington DC concentrate in federal contracting, defense technology, and cloud infrastructure firms. Major employers include Booz Allen Hamilton, Leidos, SAIC, and Amazon Web Services, all active sponsors with established immigration programs. DC's unique blend of government-adjacent tech projects and national security architecture roles creates sustained demand for principal-level design talent.
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Get Access To All JobsLocation: Washington, DC
About The Role
We are seeking a Principal Architect to drive the design, development, and deployment of our agentic AI products in a fast-paced, collaborative, extremely high-visibility environment. In this role, you will lead a team of 50+ engineers, providing both strategic and technical guidance. You’ll be responsible for high-impact architectural decisions, cross-company collaboration, and executive level engagements.
What You’ll Do
- Team Leadership: Lead and mentor a high-performing engineering team of 50+, fostering a culture of technical excellence and ownership.
- Technical Direction: Guide your team through complex challenges involving LLMs, AI agents, and large-scale distributed systems.
- Executive Stakeholder Engagement: Represent Scale AI in high-stakes negotiations and strategic discussions with senior external partners, demonstrating strong technical competence and credibility.
- Strategic Planning & Communication: Develop and communicate a compelling vision for Scale AI’s technology applied to your program. Provide regular updates to senior leadership and key stakeholders on progress, risks, and opportunities.
- Culture & Teamwork: Foster a culture of speed, unity of purpose, resilience, and teamwork. Lead through uncertainty with determination and adaptability.
What We’re Looking For
- 10+ years of software engineering experience, including 5+ years in a technical leadership or staff role.
- Deep understanding of modern AI/ML technologies, including experience working with LLMs and AI agents.
- Proficient in one or more modern programming languages (Python, JavaScript/TypeScript).
- Hands-on experience with Kubernetes and cloud infrastructure (AWS, GCP, or Azure).
- Strong product and business sense, with a track record of aligning engineering efforts with company goals.
- Ability to operate effectively in ambiguous, fast-changing environments and guide your team to do the same.
- Experience in executive level engagement with industry partners and Public Sector customers.
Success Metrics
Within 6 months:
- Successful demonstration of agentic AI’s mission value in high-stakes customer demonstrations.
- Establish Scale AI as the preferred agentic AI partner for the PEO.
- Establish high velocity, agile engineering cadence both internally and with our industry partners.
Within 12–18 months:
- Secure follow-on contract award with expanded scope for Scale.
- Position Scale AI as the global AI leader in this mission area.
- Establish developed solutions as Scale product offerings to deliver on future contracts.
Compensation
Compensation packages at Scale for eligible roles include base salary, equity, and benefits. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for the position, determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, interview performance, and relevant education or training. Scale employees in eligible roles are also granted equity based compensation, subject to Board of Director approval. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process, and confirm whether the hired role will be eligible for equity grant. You’ll also receive benefits including, but not limited to: comprehensive health, dental and vision coverage, retirement benefits, a learning and development stipend, and generous PTO. Additionally, this role may be eligible for additional benefits such as a commuter stipend. The base salary range for this full-time position in the location of Washington DC is: $257,000—$321,000 USD.
PLEASE NOTE:
Our policy requires a 90-day waiting period before reconsidering candidates for the same role. This allows us to ensure a fair and thorough evaluation of all applicants.
About us:
At Scale, our mission is to develop reliable AI systems for the world's most important decisions. Our products provide the high-quality data and full-stack technologies that power the world's leading models, and help enterprises and governments build, deploy, and oversee AI applications that deliver real impact. We work closely with industry leaders like Meta, Cisco, DLA Piper, Mayo Clinic, Time Inc., the Government of Qatar, and U.S. government agencies including the Army and Air Force. We are expanding our team to accelerate the development of AI applications.
We believe that everyone should be able to bring their whole selves to work, which is why we are proud to be an inclusive and equal opportunity workplace. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability status, gender identity or Veteran status.
We are committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with physical and mental disabilities. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation in the application or recruiting process due to a disability, please contact us at accommodations@scale.com. Please see the United States Department of Labor's Know Your Rights poster for additional information.
We comply with the United States Department of Labor's Pay Transparency provision.
PLEASE NOTE:
We collect, retain and use personal data for our professional business purposes, including notifying you of job opportunities that may be of interest and sharing with our affiliates. We limit the personal data we collect to that which we believe is appropriate and necessary to manage applicants’ needs, provide our services, and comply with applicable laws. Any information we collect in connection with your application will be treated in accordance with our internal policies and programs designed to protect personal data. Please see our privacy policy for additional information.
Location: Washington, DC
About The Role
We are seeking a Principal Architect to drive the design, development, and deployment of our agentic AI products in a fast-paced, collaborative, extremely high-visibility environment. In this role, you will lead a team of 50+ engineers, providing both strategic and technical guidance. You’ll be responsible for high-impact architectural decisions, cross-company collaboration, and executive level engagements.
What You’ll Do
- Team Leadership: Lead and mentor a high-performing engineering team of 50+, fostering a culture of technical excellence and ownership.
- Technical Direction: Guide your team through complex challenges involving LLMs, AI agents, and large-scale distributed systems.
- Executive Stakeholder Engagement: Represent Scale AI in high-stakes negotiations and strategic discussions with senior external partners, demonstrating strong technical competence and credibility.
- Strategic Planning & Communication: Develop and communicate a compelling vision for Scale AI’s technology applied to your program. Provide regular updates to senior leadership and key stakeholders on progress, risks, and opportunities.
- Culture & Teamwork: Foster a culture of speed, unity of purpose, resilience, and teamwork. Lead through uncertainty with determination and adaptability.
What We’re Looking For
- 10+ years of software engineering experience, including 5+ years in a technical leadership or staff role.
- Deep understanding of modern AI/ML technologies, including experience working with LLMs and AI agents.
- Proficient in one or more modern programming languages (Python, JavaScript/TypeScript).
- Hands-on experience with Kubernetes and cloud infrastructure (AWS, GCP, or Azure).
- Strong product and business sense, with a track record of aligning engineering efforts with company goals.
- Ability to operate effectively in ambiguous, fast-changing environments and guide your team to do the same.
- Experience in executive level engagement with industry partners and Public Sector customers.
Success Metrics
Within 6 months:
- Successful demonstration of agentic AI’s mission value in high-stakes customer demonstrations.
- Establish Scale AI as the preferred agentic AI partner for the PEO.
- Establish high velocity, agile engineering cadence both internally and with our industry partners.
Within 12–18 months:
- Secure follow-on contract award with expanded scope for Scale.
- Position Scale AI as the global AI leader in this mission area.
- Establish developed solutions as Scale product offerings to deliver on future contracts.
Compensation
Compensation packages at Scale for eligible roles include base salary, equity, and benefits. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for the position, determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, interview performance, and relevant education or training. Scale employees in eligible roles are also granted equity based compensation, subject to Board of Director approval. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process, and confirm whether the hired role will be eligible for equity grant. You’ll also receive benefits including, but not limited to: comprehensive health, dental and vision coverage, retirement benefits, a learning and development stipend, and generous PTO. Additionally, this role may be eligible for additional benefits such as a commuter stipend. The base salary range for this full-time position in the location of Washington DC is: $257,000—$321,000 USD.
PLEASE NOTE:
Our policy requires a 90-day waiting period before reconsidering candidates for the same role. This allows us to ensure a fair and thorough evaluation of all applicants.
About us:
At Scale, our mission is to develop reliable AI systems for the world's most important decisions. Our products provide the high-quality data and full-stack technologies that power the world's leading models, and help enterprises and governments build, deploy, and oversee AI applications that deliver real impact. We work closely with industry leaders like Meta, Cisco, DLA Piper, Mayo Clinic, Time Inc., the Government of Qatar, and U.S. government agencies including the Army and Air Force. We are expanding our team to accelerate the development of AI applications.
We believe that everyone should be able to bring their whole selves to work, which is why we are proud to be an inclusive and equal opportunity workplace. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability status, gender identity or Veteran status.
We are committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with physical and mental disabilities. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation in the application or recruiting process due to a disability, please contact us at accommodations@scale.com. Please see the United States Department of Labor's Know Your Rights poster for additional information.
We comply with the United States Department of Labor's Pay Transparency provision.
PLEASE NOTE:
We collect, retain and use personal data for our professional business purposes, including notifying you of job opportunities that may be of interest and sharing with our affiliates. We limit the personal data we collect to that which we believe is appropriate and necessary to manage applicants’ needs, provide our services, and comply with applicable laws. Any information we collect in connection with your application will be treated in accordance with our internal policies and programs designed to protect personal data. Please see our privacy policy for additional information.
Principal Architect Job Roles in Washington DC
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Search Principal Architect Jobs in Washington DCPrincipal Architect Jobs in Washington DC: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies sponsor visas for principal architects in Washington DC?
Federal IT contractors and defense technology firms dominate sponsorship activity for principal architects in DC. Booz Allen Hamilton, Leidos, SAIC, Peraton, and General Dynamics IT regularly file Labor Condition Applications for senior architecture roles. Large cloud and enterprise technology employers such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, and Deloitte also maintain active sponsorship programs in the DC metro area for principal-level technical positions.
What visa types realistically fit principal architect roles in Washington DC?
Principal architect roles qualify as specialty occupations requiring a directly related bachelor's degree, making H-1B visa the most common path. Australian citizens can pursue the E-3 visa, which has no lottery. Chilean and Singaporean citizens may qualify under H-1B1 visa. Canadian and Mexican citizens holding an architecture degree or license may qualify under TN visa status as an Architect. EB-2 or EB-3 green card sponsorship is also available through PERM labor certification for permanent roles.
How to find principal architect visa sponsorship jobs in Washington DC?
Migrate Mate lists Washington DC employers with verified sponsorship history for principal architect roles, so you can focus on companies already familiar with the LCA and petition process. Because DC's market skews heavily toward federal contractors with security clearance requirements, filtering specifically for architecture roles in the DC metro on Migrate Mate helps identify sponsors whose open positions align with your clearance eligibility and technical specialization.
Which areas in Washington DC have the most principal architect sponsorship jobs?
The highest concentration of sponsored principal architect roles sits in the DC-Maryland-Virginia metro corridor. Tysons Corner and Reston in Northern Virginia house major defense and cloud contractors. Bethesda and Rockville in Maryland host federal health IT and biodefense firms. Central DC itself concentrates government-adjacent consulting and cloud architecture roles, particularly around the Capitol Hill and Foggy Bottom corridors where agencies headquarter their technology modernization programs.
Are there state-specific or role-specific factors principal architects should know about sponsorship in Washington DC?
DC's federal contracting environment adds a layer of complexity: many principal architect roles require active security clearances, which can complicate sponsorship timelines for candidates still in the visa petition stage. Employers who regularly sponsor at the principal level in DC are generally experienced with the intersection of clearance sponsorship and H-1B petitions. Architecture licensing requirements vary, so Canadian and Mexican nationals pursuing TN status should confirm their degree and licensure meet USMCA Architect profession criteria before applying.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored principal architect jobs in Washington DC?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.