Solution Architect - Data & AI Platform (Public Sector)

Your tasks

About the Role We are seeking an Enterprise Data and AI Platform Architect to provide architecture leadership, governance oversight and hands-on technical expertise for ATLAS, NP’s Enterprise Data and AI Platform.

You will define the platform architecture, data governance framework, security architecture, integration patterns and AI enablement capabilities. You will also validate recommendations through proof-of-concepts, reference implementations and architecture assurance activities.

Working closely with internal stakeholders, implementation vendors and delivery teams, you will help ensure that solutions are scalable, secure, governable, supportable and aligned with NP’s enterprise architecture strategy.

Architecture and Technical Leadership

• Lead the end-to-end architecture for ATLAS.
• Define architecture principles, standards, roadmaps and reference patterns aligned with enterprise requirements.

Data Platform Design

• Design and govern lakehouse, data integration, data modelling and data consumption architectures.
• Ensure solutions are scalable, secure, supportable and fit for purpose.

Data Governance and Security

• Establish standards for data governance, metadata, lineage, data quality and access control.
• Ensure compliance with NP policies, security requirements and data protection controls.

AI and Analytics Enablement

• Define architecture patterns that support analytics, machine learning and GenAI workloads.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and recommend suitable solutions for NP.

Hands-On Technical Validation

• Develop proof-of-concepts, prototypes and reference implementations to validate architecture recommendations.
• Review and develop source code, data pipelines and infrastructure configurations where required.

Architecture Assurance and Stakeholder Management

• Review vendor solution designs and provide technical assurance.
• Facilitate architecture workshops and provide recommendations to stakeholders and management.
• Work across business stakeholders, technical teams, delivery teams and external vendors.

Requirements

Education and Experience

• Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Computer Engineering, Information Systems or an equivalent qualification.
• At least 10 years of relevant experience in Solution Architecture, Data Architecture or Enterprise Architecture.
• Proven experience delivering enterprise-scale data platforms, lakehouses or analytics platforms.
• Experience leading architecture across multiple workstreams and vendors.
• Experience working with cloud-native data and AI platforms, including Azure Databricks and Government Commercial Cloud (GCC) environments.

• Strong experience designing enterprise data platforms, lakehouses or data warehouses, including in GCC environments.
• Hands-on experience with Azure, Databricks, Spark, SQL and Delta Lake, with relevant Databricks certifications.
• Ability to independently develop proof-of-concepts, prototypes and technical validation exercises.
• Good understanding of data ingestion, ETL/ELT, APIs, data modelling and CI/CD practices.
• Experience implementing data governance, metadata, lineage, data quality and access control frameworks.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, documentation and communication skills, including the ability to translate business requirements into practical technical solutions.
• A strategic, practical and delivery-oriented approach, with the ability to balance governance, architecture and delivery considerations.
• Willingness to get involved in technical implementation where required.

Advantageous

• Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect Expert certification.
• DAMA Certified Data Management Professional (CDMP) certification.
• TOGAF certification.
• Experience with AI or GenAI platforms and implementations.

Other

• 4-month contract, renewable
• Hybrid work arrangement
• Government project