About the job
PermitSF is at the forefront of transforming San Francisco’s permitting landscape, aiming to create a streamlined, efficient, and user-friendly permitting process. Our initiative involves consolidating over 30 outdated systems into a single, cohesive permitting platform that will debut in 2026.
The Department of Technology is in search of a PermitSF Solutions Architect. This pivotal role will oversee the City’s technical strategy, integration architecture, and system interoperability for the new permitting platform built on the OpenGov Permitting & Licensing framework.
The Architect will play a crucial role in ensuring that data is consistently shared across all permitting systems, creating an integration architecture that allows OpenGov to function effectively with essential City systems, including Accela, Oracle Forms, and Clariti. Responsibilities include defining enterprise standards, leading architectural decisions, and collaborating with various departments such as PermitSF, DataSF, Digital Services, the Mayor’s Office of Innovation (MOI), and DT to promote alignment on data governance, API standards, and modernization strategies.
Furthermore, the Architect will devise a long-term strategy for phasing out legacy permitting systems while guiding technical decisions to ensure the City’s new permitting ecosystem is scalable, resilient, and sustainable.
Key responsibilities include:
- Providing strategic direction for PermitSF’s integration and system architecture, ensuring seamless data exchange and interoperability across various departments.
- Leading architectural decisions for connecting OpenGov with City systems, including legacy platforms and infrastructure components like API gateways and cloud services.
- Establishing and maintaining enterprise architecture standards related to integrations, data exchange, GIS addressing, identity management, document management, and API design.
- Defining an integration layer that decouples City systems and user interfaces from OpenGov logic to ensure future flexibility.
- Aligning with citywide strategies pertaining to cloud computing, cybersecurity, privacy, and digital transformation.
- Architecting the system landscape for PermitSF, which includes data synchronization, workflow coordination, data pipelines, GIS services, document management, and API/event-driven integrations.
- Occasionally engaging in light technical prototyping or proof-of-concept work to validate integration strategies or architectural assumptions.
- Guiding implementation partners and vendors to ensure adherence to architectural standards and long-term sustainability.
- Advising on configurations to reduce customizations and technical debt.
- Developing the roadmap for transitioning from legacy systems.

