AMS PSR

On behalf of UKRI, we are looking for a Principal Solutions Architect (Inside IR35) for a 6 month contract based REMOTELY with occasional visits to Swindon.

We are looking for a highly skilled Solution Architect to join our team. In this role, you will be responsible for defining and implementing the architectural framework that aligns our technical strategies with business goals. You will oversee the development of high and low-level solution designs for complex projects while ensuring architectural cohesion and governance across enterprise systems. This position requires a strategic mindset, excellent technical skills, and the ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams to build scalable, flexible, and secure technology solutions.

Key Responsibilities

Architecture Design

• Design and develop end-to-end solution architectures for large, complex projects that align with enterprise standards.
• Collaborate with business stakeholders, project managers, and technical teams to translate business requirements into scalable, secure, and compliant technical solutions.
• Provide architectural guidance and oversight during the design, development, and deployment phases to ensure alignment with the architectural vision.
• Option analysis and recommendations towards meeting the conceptual designs and design standards, including development of key design decisions and risk impact assessments
• Transition of designs in coordination with operational teams.
• Ensure adherence to Government Standards and industry best practices.
• Develop and promote best practice for scalable, high-performance architecture.

Integration Strategy

• Design APIs and integration frameworks to connect the custom system with existing business systems (e.g., ERP, CRM, data warehouse).
• Ensure secure and reliable data flow between systems.
• Ensure alignment between solutions and infrastructure, data governance, and security requirements.
• Design architectures for data interoperability, including legacy systems, third-party applications, and cloud platforms.

Technical Leadership

• Provide technical oversight during development, deployment, and maintenance phases.
• Collaborate with the wider architecture team, developers, DevOps, and QA teams to ensure technical alignment.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Work with business stakeholders to gather requirements and translate them into technical designs.
• Communicate technical solutions clearly to non-technical stakeholders.

Governance and Standards

• Establish and enforce coding, deployment, and architectural standards for microservices.
• Ensure the solution meets compliance and security standards.

Key Skills

• TOGAF or similar architecture framework certifications.
• Strong experience in solution architecture for complex, large-scale systems, including cloud-based and on-premises environments.
• Experience with AWS technologies and design patterns.
• Experience with IAM (authentication and authorisation) design patterns.
• Expertise in APIs, RESTful services, and message-based communication.
• Manage solution design governance for the project, ensuring that the designs are aligned with Enterprise Architecture and fit for purpose for approval at governance boards.
• Demonstrated expertise in integrating disparate business systems.

Desirable 

• AWS / Azure Solution Architect Certification.
• Experience with Agile and DevOps environments, containerization (Docker, Kubernetes) and orchestration.
• Command of programming languages.
• Familiarity with GOV.UK Design System (GDS), Secure by Design and Technology Code of Practice (TCoP) principles.
• Experience with middleware tools.

Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not Overseas.

Disability Confident 

As a member of the Disability Confident Scheme, UKRI guarantees to interview all candidates who have a disability and who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of candidates who have a disability who meet all the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group. This scheme encourages candidates with a disability and/or neurodivergence to apply. In exceptional circumstances, we may also need to apply the desirable criteria in our shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

Armed Forces Covenant 

UKRI guarantees to interview veterans or spouses / partners of military personnel who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of ex-military candidates / military spouses or partners, who meet all of the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group. In exceptional circumstances, we may also need to apply the desirable criteria in our shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

In applying for this role, you acknowledge the following "this role falls in scope of the Off Payroll Working in the Public Sector legislation. Any rates of payment quoted will reflect the gross rate per day for the assignment and will be subject to appropriate taxes and statutory costs. As such the payment to the intermediary and your income resulting from this contract will be different".