EAG is a dynamic and growing Consulting, IT Outsourcing, and Back Office Outsourcing firm focused on driving customer success. As an EAG team member, you will leverage your customer service and oil and gas industry experience, while continuously driving value both for your clients and EAG.

The Principal Architect is EAG’s IT Outsourcing senior-most client-facing technical authority, serving as the lead architect, working technical lead, and project quality owner across all client engagements. This is a hands-on, player-coach role: designing solutions, leading complex migrations and M&A integrations, and providing PM/QA oversight of EAG’s other Architects to ensure delivery quality, technical consistency, and client outcomes.

The Principal Architect leads client engagements across Azure, Microsoft 365, identity, networking, endpoint, and security — owning technical discovery, current-state assessments, and target-state design for upstream Oil & Gas and other vertical clients. This role also leads technical due diligence for client acquisitions and divestitures, architects and personally executes or oversees Azure migrations and Microsoft 365 tenant-to-tenant migrations and provides PM/QA oversight on projects led by EAG’s other Architects.

The Principal Architect partners with sales on technical pre-sales, establishes and maintains reference architectures, and mentors Architects and senior engineers to develop the next tier of senior technical talent at EAG.

Strong executive presence, written and verbal communication skills — including the ability to hold the room with client CIOs, CFOs, and external stakeholders — are essential, along with the ability to lead and QA other architects’ work. All members of the EAG team are expected to actively participate in our team environment, communicate with customers in a professional and service-oriented manner, and identify process improvement and optimization opportunities. As EAG continues to grow, members must be able to handle changing priorities, new challenges, and multi-tasking.

Key Responsibilities:

Client Architecture & Advisory (~45%)

• Serve as lead architect on client engagements across Azure, Microsoft 365, identity, networking, endpoint, and security for both the Enterprise and Small to Medium Business spaces.
• Own technical discovery, current-state assessments, and target-state design for upstream Oil & Gas and other vertical clients
• Author and own client-facing architecture deliverables: technical SOW sections, HLD/LLD, runbooks, and roadmaps
• Serve as senior technical escalation point for the ITO delivery team on client issues
• Represent EAG in client QBRs, technical design calls, and director or executive-level technical conversations
• Lead client-side security architecture work: Conditional Access, Defender stack, Sentinel, Intune compliance, PIM, and identity governance

M&A and Migration Technical Leadership (~25%)

• Lead technical due diligence for client acquisitions and divestitures (carve-outs, tenant splits, data migration, identity consolidation)
• Architect and personally execute or oversee Azure migrations and Microsoft 365 tenant-to-tenant migrations
• Design integration plans for acquired entities: AD/Entra consolidation, mail flow, file/data migration, endpoint management, and licensing rationalization
• Own the technical risk register on major client projects

PM/QA of EAG Architects (~20%)

• Provide project management and quality assurance oversight on projects led by EAG’s other Architects
• Review architecture documents, designs, and implementation plans before they go to clients
• Run technical gate reviews at key project milestones (discovery, design, cutover, closeout)
• Ensure consistency in deliverable quality, methodology, and client communication across the Architect bench
• Identify risk, scope creep, and technical debt early; escalate to VP of IT when commercial or staffing intervention is needed
• Coach Architects through difficult client situations and complex technical decisions

Practice Standards & Mentorship (~5%)

• Establish and maintain reference architectures, technical patterns, and reusable design assets
• Mentor Architects and senior engineers; develop the next tier of senior technical talent
• Drive technical evaluation of new tooling and vendor solutions for client delivery

Sales Engineering Support (~5%)

• Partner with sales on technical pre-sales: scoping and solution design
• Serve as senior technical voice on competitive pursuits when needed

What Success Looks Like:

A successful Principal Architect will demonstrate measurable impact across client delivery, practice quality, and team development. Within the first year, we expect the following outcomes:

• Reduces VP-of-IT involvement in client technical escalations by 70%+
• Establishes documented reference architectures for EAG’s top client engagement patterns
• Leads at least 2 major client projects end-to-end
• Implements a working PM/QA cadence over the Architect bench with measurable quality improvements (reduced rework, cleaner client deliverables, on-time milestones)

Work Site:

• Hybrid, Onsite 3 days/week.

Experience & Education: 

• Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field, or equivalent experience required
• 12+ years of progressive IT experience, with 5+ years in a senior or principal architect role
• Deep, hands-on expertise in the Microsoft cloud stack: Azure (IaaS, PaaS, networking, governance), Entra ID, Microsoft 365, Intune, Defender, Sentinel, and Purview
• Proven track record leading Azure migrations and Microsoft 365 tenant migrations end-to-end
• Strong identity and access management background: Conditional Access design and Zero Trust architecture
• Prior MSP, CSP, or IT consulting experience with multi-tenant client management
• Demonstrated ability to lead and QA other architects’ work — not just produce your own
• Executive presence: ability to hold the room with client CIOs, CFOs, and external stakeholders
• Strong written communication skills: SOWs, architecture documents, and executive summaries
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, high-energy technical environment
• Advanced analytical and problem-solving skills
• Strong work ethic and excellent organization skills
• Oil and gas industry experience is preferred but not required

Preferred Qualifications:

• Industry experience in Oil & Gas, energy, or regulated/operational technology environments
• M&A technical integration and carve-out experience
• Familiarity with ConnectWise Manage (PSA) and NinjaOne RMM
• Microsoft certifications: Azure Solutions Architect Expert, Cybersecurity Architect Expert, Identity and Access Administrator
• Scripting/automation proficiency: PowerShell, KQL, SQL, AI Agents, and Foundational LLMs
• Experience with OT/SCADA, production accounting systems, or upstream E&P application stacks

Other Requirements:

• Ability to manage multiple responsibilities and deadlines effectively.
• Comfortable with shifting priorities and able to work in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
• Aptitude to learn new technology, products, and concepts quickly.
• Must be based in Houston, Texas.
• Must be eligible to work for ANY employer in the United States (H1B sponsorship not available at this time).