Solutions Architect

Job description

About the role

Imperial College London is seeking an experienced Solutions Architect to join our Digital Products and Technology teams, helping shape the digital services that support our world-leading education, research and innovation activities.

As a Solutions Architect working across multiple product domains, you will play a pivotal role in defining the technology solutions that underpin Imperial's digital ecosystem. Working closely with product managers, engineers, platform teams, researchers, academics and professional services colleagues, you will design secure, scalable and sustainable solutions that deliver tangible outcomes for our staff and students.

This is a unique opportunity to influence technology decisions across a diverse portfolio, ensuring that solutions align with Imperial's Digital Strategy, Enterprise Architecture principles and product roadmaps while supporting the University's ambitions for digital transformation.

What you would be doing

As a Solutions Architect, you will:

• Lead the design of solution architectures across multiple product and platform domains, ensuring alignment with Imperial's Digital Strategy and Enterprise Architecture principles.
• Collaborate with product managers, engineers and stakeholders to translate business needs into practical, sustainable technology solutions.
• Develop architecture designs that support scalability, resilience, interoperability and long-term maintainability.
• Produce and maintain architectural artefacts, including solution designs, architecture diagrams, standards and reference architectures.
• Provide architectural leadership throughout the discovery, design, delivery and operational lifecycle of products and services.
• Ensure solutions meet cybersecurity, data protection, accessibility and regulatory requirements.
• Contribute to architecture governance activities, including Technical Design Authority reviews and technology working groups.
• Review solution designs across the digital portfolio and provide technical assurance against established standards.
• Champion modern architectural approaches, including:
  • API-first design
  • Cloud-native development
  • Platform-based architecture
  • DevOps and automation
• Evaluate emerging technologies and provide recommendations that support Imperial's long-term technology strategy.
• Facilitate informed architectural decision-making across multidisciplinary teams.
• Communicate complex technical concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Support the continuous evolution of Imperial's architecture standards, practices and communities of practice.

What we are looking for

We are looking for someone who:

• Loves to learn new technologies
• Has experience designing and delivering complex digital or enterprise solutions within large organisations.
• Has worked across the full product or platform lifecycle, from discovery and design through to operation and decommissioning.
• Demonstrates a strong understanding of enterprise architecture principles and solution architecture practices.
• Has experience working with cloud platforms, enterprise applications, integration technologies and data platforms.
• Understands modern architectural patterns including APIs, microservices and cloud-native architectures.
• Can evaluate technology options and balance business, technical and operational trade-offs effectively.
• Has experience working with suppliers and supporting technology procurement activities.
• Can engage and influence a diverse range of stakeholders, from senior leaders to technical delivery teams.
• Produces high-quality architecture documentation and communicates clearly with both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Demonstrates excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Has an understanding of secure-by-design principles and cybersecurity best practices.

The following would be advantageous:

• Service Now, T4 and Microsoft Dynamics
• Experience contributing to architecture governance, design review or technical assurance processes.
• Experience within Higher Education, research-intensive organisations or other complex institutional environments.
• Knowledge of accessibility and inclusive design principles.
• Understanding of data governance, data quality and information management practices.

What we can offer you

• The opportunity to shape products and services that directly affect the experience of thousands of students.
• A key leadership position within one of the world's leading universities.
• A collaborative and supportive environment where innovation is encouraged and celebrated.
• The opportunity to continue your career at a world-leading institution and be part of our mission to use science for humanity.
• Benefit from a sector-leading salary and remuneration package (including 43 days' annual leave and generous pension schemes).
• Access to a range of workplace benefits including a flexible working policy from day one, generous family leave packages, on-site leisure facilities and cycle-to-work scheme.
• Interest-free season ticket loan schemes for travel.
• Be part of a diverse, inclusive and collaborative work culture with various staff networks and resources to support your personal and professional wellbeing .

Further information

This is a full-time post (35 hours per week).

If you require any further details about the role, please contact: Kavita Kapoor, Director of Digital Products ( [email protected] ).