Solutions Architect
The Solutions Architect is responsible for owning early-stage customer technical engagement and defining end-to-end solution architectures that meet customer, market, and business requirements. This role establishes technical credibility with customers, translates requirements into feasible system-level solutions, and serves as the technical integrator across engineering disciplines. The Solutions Architect is accountable for solution definition, architectural integrity, and technical feasibility, while partnering closely with execution, program management, and operations teams through prototype and validation phases.
Primary Responsibilities
Customer Engagement & Requirements Ownership
- Lead early-stage customer engagement to establish technical credibility and trust
- Elicit, clarify, and synthesize both stated and unstated customer requirements
- Translate customer, market, and business inputs into clear technical problem statements and solution objectives
Solution Architecture & Concept Development
- Own creation of end-to-end conceptual solution architectures that optimally meet customer requirements
- Determine applicability of off-the-shelf platform solutions versus need for customization
- Define system-level architecture, performance targets, interfaces, and key technical tradeoffs
Technical Feasibility & Validation
- Design and execute rapid experiments, analyses, or test setups to validate solution concepts
- Interpret technical data to confirm feasibility and reduce technical and commercial risk
- Support customer decision-making with clear, data-backed technical insights
Cross-Functional Technical Leadership
- Serve as the technical integrator across mechanical, electrical, software, and controls engineering
- Provide architectural guidance, design intent, and technical direction to engineering teams
- Adjust level of hands-on involvement based on solution complexity, risk, and team maturity
Prototype Transition & Technical Handoff
- Guide the transition from conceptual architecture to prototype-ready designs
- Ensure clear and effective technical handoff from solution definition to execution teams
- Identify and proactively address technical risks, assumptions, and long-lead items prior to execution
Customer Communication & Technical Representation
- Communicate technical progress, validation results, and performance data to customers
- Support development of technical documentation, specifications, and datasheets aligned with validated performance
- Act as the technical representative in customer-facing discussions and reviews
Interface with Execution & Program Management
- Collaborate with program management, operations, procurement, and test teams during build and validation
- Provide technical interpretation, guidance, and advisory support during execution phases
- Support issue resolution without owning day-to-day execution planning or delivery commitments
Scalability & Knowledge Transfer
- Contribute to platformization, standardization, and reuse of solution architectures
- Mentor and enable other engineers to take on elements of conceptual solution development
- Capture and transfer architectural knowledge to improve organizational scalability and consistency
Role Boundaries & Accountability
- Accountable for solution definition, architectural integrity, and technical feasibility
- Not solely accountable for detailed execution planning, resource allocation, or delivery schedules once projects transition to operations-led execution
Qualifications
Education Requirement
- Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Engineering or a related technical discipline
- Advanced degree preferred
Required Experience
- 6+ years of experience in systems engineering, solution architecture, or complex technical product development
- Proven ability to translate customer needs into system-level technical solutions
- Demonstrated experience leading cross-functional technical efforts
Desired Experience
- Experience working in customer-facing technical roles
- Background in developing modular or platform-based solutions
- Experience with prototyping, validation testing, and technical risk mitigation
- Strong ability to balance technical tradeoffs with cost, schedule, and performance considerations
Additional Attributes
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex technical concepts clearly
- Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities
- Ability to manage multiple technical workstreams in a dynamic, fast-paced environment
- Comfortable working collaboratively across engineering, commercial, and operations teams
- Willingness and ability to travel as required
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