The Role - Forward Deployed Application ArchitectAs an Application Architect, you embed directly inside the client's environment, run discovery with their stakeholders and end users, and design within their security, compliance, and tooling. You own the architecture for cloud-native platforms that enterprises run their business on and set technical direction for the delivery teams building them.
Much of the work is designing applications from the ground up - greenfield builds as well as brownfield re-architecture of aging systems into modern, cloud-native and AI-enabled products where appropriate. Expect to lead one or more engagements at different stages of delivery, support pre-sales and scoping when needed, stay close to the code, and turn architecture into production outcomes quickly and responsibly.
Responsibilities include: - Solution Design & Architecture
- Own enterprise cloud-native architecture end to end - from discovery and design through delivery and production readiness - so teams ship on time and on intent.
- Design systems that hold up for years: secure, reliable, cost-aware, and easy to maintain long after you've moved on.
- Build & Delivery
- Stand up working prototypes and MVPs fast, putting something real in front of users early and iterating with them in the loop instead of waiting for a perfect design.
- Being a hands-on problem solver and lead from the front in continuously exploring new technology platforms
- Write and review production-grade code yourself when it moves delivery forward.
- Client Engagement & Consulting
- Turn ambiguous business and technical problems into clear, executable architecture engineers can build from day one.
- Support presales and problem definition - work with presales engineers to scope best-in-class solutions that meet client requirements.
- Translate technical status, risk, and trade-offs into language clients and executives can act on.
- Leave the client's team able to run what you built - through documentation, pairing, and hands-on enablement so the solution outlives the engagement.
- Engineering Quality & Operations
- Surface integration risk, operational constraints, and costly trade-offs early - before they become blockers.
- Monitor and improve system performance, scalability, and security, and set the standards and patterns the delivery team builds against.
- Raise the bar for the engineers around you through design reviews, pairing, and direct technical coaching.
- How You Work
- Own your commitments and outcomes like the client and your reputation are on the line; move without waiting for direction and make progress with incomplete information.
- Stay curious and humble - ask as freely as you answer, admit when you're wrong, and treat feedback as fuel.
- Listen before you prescribe - find the real problem, help stakeholders weigh trade-offs, and anticipate the next risk before it lands.
- Stay steady under pressure - handle hard conversations with directness and care, recover from setbacks, and keep the people around you grounded.
- Communicate for your audience and produce executive-quality work that tells a coherent story without dumbing it down.
- Collaborate openly across diverse teams and global delivery models - credit others and make the people around you better.
Required Skills and Professional Experience - 6-8 years building production software, including 1-3 years of real architecture or technical-leadership responsibility on complex systems.
- 4+ Years of hands-on experience designing and shipping production-grade, cloud-native applications on AWS, Azure, or GCP.
- Fluency with any of the following languages and frameworks - for example Java, C#/.NET, Python, Go, JavaScript/TypeScript, React, or Spring - and the judgment to choose well.
- Depth in back-end systems, APIs, distributed architecture, relational and NoSQL data stores, and event-driven patterns.
- Working command of DevOps, CI/CD, containers, infrastructure-as-code, and what it takes to make software production-ready.
- The ability to explain architectural decisions and trade-offs clearly to engineers and non-technical stakeholders alike.
- Demonstrated expertise and leadership in working with business units, product management, development, and operations staff to architect innovative solutions that meet the requirements with respect to functionality, performance, scalability, and reliability, realistic implementation schedules and adherence to architectural goals and principles
- Willingness and ability to travel up to 20% as engagement needs require.
Preferred Skills and Professional Experience - Experience in consulting, professional services, or client-facing delivery.
- Time spent as a Forward Deployed or embedded engineer inside a client's environment.
- Hands-on work with any of the following AI-assisted development, Agentic solutions, DevSecOps, or platform engineering.
- Cloud certifications, or equivalent architecture experience.
- A track record in pre-sales, solutioning, architecture workshops, or SOW scoping.
