AI Principal Architect

Job Title: Principal Architect (AI Lead & Backend Architecture)
Experience: 12+ Years
Location: Flexible / Hybrid
Reports To: Engineering Leadership / Technology Director
We are seeking a highly experienced Principal Architect to lead enterprise-scale AI and backend architecture initiatives. This role will be responsible for driving the overall technology vision, AI strategy, solution architecture, and engineering execution across multiple platforms and products. The ideal candidate will act as both a strategic technology leader and hands-on architect, guiding teams from concept through implementation while ensuring scalable, secure, and high-performing solutions.
AI Strategy & Leadership
Define and execute enterprise AI and GenAI architecture strategies aligned with business goals.
Lead AI initiatives from ideation, solution design, model integration, deployment, and governance.
Evaluate emerging AI technologies, frameworks, and platforms to drive innovation.
Partner with business stakeholders to identify opportunities for AI-driven transformation.
Establish AI architecture standards, best practices, and responsible AI frameworks.
Architecture & Engineering Leadership
Design and govern enterprise-grade backend architectures supporting large-scale applications.
Provide technical leadership across cloud-native, distributed, microservices, and event-driven architectures.
Define architectural roadmaps and ensure alignment with enterprise technology strategy.
Drive architecture reviews, technical governance, and engineering excellence initiatives.
Mentor architects, technical leads, and engineering teams.
Backend & Platform Architecture
Architect scalable APIs, integrations, and enterprise service platforms.
Design highly available, resilient, and secure backend systems.
Lead architecture decisions involving databases, messaging systems, caching, and containerized environments.
Optimize platform performance, reliability, and scalability.
Ensure adherence to security, compliance, and operational best practices.
Stakeholder Management
Collaborate with executive leadership, product teams, and engineering organizations.
Present architecture recommendations and technology strategies to senior stakeholders.
Support pre-sales, client engagement, and strategic technology discussions.
Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field.
12+ years of software engineering experience with 5+ years in architecture leadership roles.
Deep expertise in backend architecture, distributed systems, and cloud technologies.
Strong experience with AI/ML platforms, GenAI solutions, and enterprise AI deployments.
Expertise in microservices, APIs, event-driven architecture, and system integration.
Hands-on experience with AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud Platform.
Experience with containerization and orchestration technologies such as Kubernetes and Docker.
Strong understanding of security, scalability, observability, and performance engineering.
Experience with AI platforms such as Azure OpenAI, AWS Bedrock, Vertex AI, LangChain, Semantic Kernel, or similar technologies.
Knowledge of MLOps, AI governance, model monitoring, and responsible AI practices.
Experience leading architecture for high-availability enterprise applications.
TOGAF, Cloud, or AI-related certifications preferred.
Strategic Technology Leadership
Enterprise Architecture
AI & GenAI Solution Design
Backend Systems Architecture
Engineering Excellence
Stakeholder Management
Innovation & Problem Solving
Team Mentoring and Technical Leadership
Successful delivery of enterprise AI and backend transformation initiatives.
Scalable, secure, and high-performing architecture implementations.
Improved engineering productivity and platform reliability.
Adoption of AI best practices and enterprise architecture standards.
Strong partnership with business and technology stakeholders.

Work arrangement
Yes