Principal Solution Architect – WFH or Travel TN
Permanent Position- 175-200K plus Bonus
Locations: you can be in TN or WFH Flex but close
Great Company
Paid Certs and Continued Training
*SME level position

Company Overview:
Client is a leader in professional IT services and managed services across three core practices: Enterprise Security, Modern Infrastructure and Platform Engineering. Renowned for our ability to architect intelligence, we connect, protect, and transform organizations, empowering them to thrive in today's digital landscape. Client builds on decades of industry expertise and a customer centric ethos to deliver exceptional value to clients across diverse industries.

Position Overview:
The Principal Architect in Platform Engineering serves as a key technical pre-sales resource, working closely with Client Directors to identify, qualify, and develop customer opportunities across our entire portfolio. This role requires a broad understanding of all practices (Enterprise Security, Modern Infrastructure, and Platform Engineering) with depth in Platform Engineering disciplines including Developer Experience, DevOps and DevSecOps automation, Infrastructure-as-Code, Observability, APIs, Application Security, Continuous Integration / Continuous Deployment, and Cloud-Native Application Deployment patterns. The ideal candidate will confidently lead technical conversations while knowing when to bring in specialized team members for deeper expertise. The ideal candidate will embrace a culture of continuous learning and technological experimentation, viewing challenges as opportunities for growth while actively exploring and adapting to emerging technologies that expand our collective capabilities.

Responsibilities:

• Identify Customer Needs
• Lead discovery and qualification discussions with customers to identify their business challenges and technical requirements
• Facilitate technical conversations to uncover customer needs and desired outcomes
• Articulate complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders, translating business needs into potential solutions
• Develop Industry-Leading Solutions
• Generate industry-leading solutions and creatively assemble a portfolio of products and services to drive outcomes
• Technically support sales conversations by answering product, architecture, and integration questions across portfolio
• Collaborate with vendors and account teams to validate products and build accurate Bills of Material (BOMs)
• Create comprehensive Statements of Work (SOWs) that effectively scope services for implementation
• Estimate appropriate levels of effort and collaborate with engineering teams to align project expectations for successful delivery
• Effectively design, price, and position managed services to sustain customer operations where appropriate. Coordinate with managed services team
• Participate in project kick-off calls to ensure smooth transition from sales to service delivery
• Maintain engagement with customers during service delivery to ensure continued alignment with desired outcomes
• Build network within the company and bring in specialized team members for deeper expertise as required
• Measure Results Identify and track key success metrics for customer implementations
• Evaluate project outcomes against customer expectations and business objectives
• Assess financial outcomes and identify opportunities for improvement
• Provide Thought Leadership Stay current with emerging technologies and industry trends in Platform Engineering
• Proactively engage with customers to share insights and identify potential value added services
• Apply a product mindset to platform solutions, focusing on user experience and continuous improvement
• Recommend engineering systems and platform orchestration approaches that align with customer maturity levels
• Educate customers on security and governance best practices within modern platform engineering
• Contribute to marketing activities through customer workshops, webinars, and industry events
• Maintain a broad technical understanding across all practices while developing deeper expertise in Platform Engineering disciplines
• Provide guidance and support sales teams on how to identify and prequalify opportunities within the Platform Engineering practice
• Identify cross-selling opportunities during customer engagements
• Provide feedback on internal processes and suggest improvements
• Drive innovation within the organization
• Identify skills gaps in service delivery teams and recommend targeted training opportunities

Qualifications:
• In-depth experience in pre-sales technical roles, solution architecture, or consulting within technology services
• Demonstrated and applied experience in establishing and delivering complex
projects, showcasing a track record of successful implementations while
continuously evolving approaches based on lessons learned and emerging best
practices
• Relevant certifications in cloud platforms, cloud-native technologies, observability, security, DevOps, and/or FinOps practices.
• Ability to apply product thinking to technical solutions
• Ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly to diverse audiences
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build relationships at all levels
• Proactive and strategic thinking with a customer-centric focus
• Adaptability in a fast-paced environment with changing priorities

Desired Experience:
• Knowledge of multiple cloud platforms (e.g. AWS, Azure, GCP)
• Understanding of cloud-native application deployment patterns
• Proficiency with development tools and coding environments
• Expertise in Infrastructure-as-Code tools and practices
• Knowledge of GitOps practices and tools
• Proficiency in DevOps engineering practices and platform orchestration
• Understanding of continuous delivery methodologies using CI/CD pipelines and automation tools
• Knowledge of application security principles and tools
• Understanding of observability platforms and practices
• Knowledge of service mesh technologies
• Expertise in API management and security
• Experience with observability platforms
• Understanding of security and governance frameworks for modern platforms

Benefits:
• Competitive salary and performance-based incentives
• Outstanding health, dental, and vision insurance plans
• Retirement savings plan with employer matching
• Flexible work schedule and remote work options
• Professional development and training opportunities