Senior Solution Architect

Our client is part of an international technology group with about 13,000 employees at more than 100 locations worldwide. Their Business Area Technologies division stands for outstanding technology, developing customized solutions in machinery, process equipment, software, measuring instruments, and services for the process manufacturing and food & beverage industries.

Our client’s Singapore entity provides Sales, Services, and Digital Solutions for the South and Southeast Asia-Pacific region.

Key Duties

Primary Function

The Senior Solution Architect is responsible for defining, designing, and governing end-to-end digital solutions that address complex business and industrial challenges. The role translates business, customer, operational, and technical requirements into scalable, secure, and sustainable solution architectures spanning industrial equipment and Operational Technology (OT – PLCs, SCADA, sensors), edge computing, software applications, data platforms, AI/ML capabilities, and enterprise systems.

Working closely with global software engineering, data and AI, DevOps, automation, cybersecurity, product, and business teams, the incumbent provides technical leadership throughout the solution lifecycle — from concept and requirements definition through design, implementation, deployment, and continuous improvement.

As a senior member of the architecture practice, the role contributes to architectural standards, technology strategies, governance frameworks, and best practices, while mentoring engineering teams and representing architecture decisions with senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities

- Design End-to-End Solutions: Define scalable, secure, and resilient architectures spanning shop-floor assets (CNC machines, robotics, drives), applications, APIs, data, cloud, edge, networks, and industrial systems.

- OT/IT Data Ingestion: Architect high-throughput, low-latency ingestion pipelines using industrial protocols (OPC UA, Modbus TCP, MQTT) to capture real-time, time-series telemetry data.

- Industrial & IoT Architecture: Design solutions connecting machines, PLCs, sensors, SCADA, and other OT systems with edge and cloud platforms.

- Cloud, Data & AI: Define architectures for cloud and edge analytics (TensorFlow) on industrial IPCs for real-time anomaly detection, local alarm triggers, predictive maintenance, and asset intelligence for sub-second decision-making, leveraging purpose-built AI/ML models.

- Enterprise Integration: Integrate predictive maintenance and analytics outputs with enterprise platforms such as Enterprise Asset Management (EAM), Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES/MOM), and ERP platforms (SAP) to automate work orders and workflows.

- Security & Compliance: Work with cybersecurity teams to address regulatory frameworks such as NIS2, Cyber Resilience Act, and GDPR.

- Industrial Security & Governance: Apply security-by-design and Zero Trust principles across hardware and software layers, device certificates, and secure Over-The-Air (OTA) firmware updates.

- Architecture Governance: Lead technical design reviews, architecture decisions, proof-of-concepts, and technology evaluations while maintaining architecture standards and documentation.

- Agile Delivery: Provide technical leadership across discovery, backlog refinement, sprint planning, development, testing, deployment, and operational handover — translating plant reliability and operational requirements into technical blueprints and user stories.

- Technical Leadership: Serve as the Subject Matter Expert (SME) guiding international engineering teams — including automation engineers, reliability specialists, data scientists, and DevOps engineers — across multiple time zones to promote best practices, and contribute to reusable reference architectures and technology strategies.

- Stakeholder Management: Communicate complex technical concepts effectively and act as a trusted technical advisor to customers, business leaders, and engineering teams.

Requirements

Skills & Qualifications

- Strong expertise in solution, systems, software, and/or enterprise architecture.

- Deep understanding of connected machines/factory and industrial networking.

- Strong understanding of end-to-end digital solution design, including applications, APIs, databases, networks, infrastructure, cloud, edge, and security.

- Experience designing distributed, scalable, highly available, and resilient systems.

- Solid understanding of cloud platforms such as AWS, Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud.

- Experience with containerization and orchestration technologies such as Docker or Kubernetes.

- Strong understanding of modern software architectures, including microservices, REST APIs, event-driven architecture, messaging, integration patterns, and distributed systems.

- Experience with databases and data platforms, including relational, NoSQL, time-series, or streaming technologies.

- Understanding of DevOps and CI/CD practices, infrastructure automation, observability, monitoring, and production operations.

- Knowledge of AI/ML architectures and the deployment of analytics or machine learning solutions in production environments is an advantage.

- Strong knowledge of cybersecurity principles, including identity and access management, encryption, certificates, network security, secure software development, and Zero Trust.

- Knowledge of industrial and enterprise integration standards such as ISA-95 is an advantage.

- Excellent communication, presentation, facilitation, and stakeholder management skills.

- Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively within a global, multidisciplinary organization.

Education

- A degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related field, or equivalent experience. Advanced degrees are often preferred.

- Professional certifications in architecture, cloud, cybersecurity, or Agile methodologies are an advantage, such as: AWS Certified Solutions Architect, Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect, Google Cloud Professional Architect, TOGAF or equivalent enterprise architecture certification, relevant industrial cybersecurity certifications, Certified Scrum Master (CSM) or equivalent Agile certification.

Experience

- 8+ years of experience in software or systems architecture, with at least 4+ years dedicated to Industrial IoT (IIoT) alongside hands-on experience deploying AI/ML solutions. Prior experience mentoring or leading architects/engineers is a plus.

- Hands-on experience with time-series data pipelines, signal processing (FFT/spectral analysis), and ML frameworks for estimating Remaining Useful Life (RUL).

- Proven track record of architecting and delivering complex industrial solutions in Agile/Scrum environments.

Additional Qualities

- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to evaluate complex technical problems and develop pragmatic solutions.

- Ability to influence technical decisions without relying solely on formal authority.

Work experience: Minimum 8 years, or high potential.

Leadership experience: Not required (years to be specified if applicable).

Skills:

- MS Suite: Windows OS, MS365, Office, Teams, Azure DevOps

- SAP

- Data analytics tools and other relevant software

- English, with another language preferred

- Intercultural awareness

- Willingness to travel

- Sense of responsibility

- Comfortable interacting with clients, colleagues at HQ, and other departments