At a Glance
- Tasks: Join our team to architect and deploy innovative cloud solutions for top enterprise clients.
- Company: Alkira, a Lumen company, is revolutionising enterprise networking.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive pay, flexible work options, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Dynamic work culture focused on collaboration and innovation.
- Why this job: Be at the forefront of cloud technology and make a real impact on client success.
- Qualifications: 3+ years in a technical role with strong cloud and networking skills.
Alkira is growing our Solutions Architect team and looking for high-energy, dedicated professionals who can help new and existing clients succeed on our Network-Infrastructure-as-a-Service platform. Solutions Architects (SA) are hands-on technologists who embed directly with our largest strategic Enterprise accounts — from pre-sales technical validation through production deployment, adoption, and expansion. The ideal candidate can demonstrate the key technical differentiators of the Alkira service, architect and build alongside customer teams, and help enterprises transform their network to become disruptive, creative, and innovative. As an FDE, you sit at the intersection of Sales, Engineering, and the customer: you win technical evaluations, deploy real solutions in customer environments, and shape the product roadmap with a deep understanding of customer technical needs.
Location: Candidates located at UK or Netherlands regions will be highly considered.
Responsibilities
- Embed with strategic customers as the hands-on technical owner from evaluation through production deployment
- Lead network architecture discussions with customers and partners
- Design, build, and deploy Alkira-based solutions in customer environments using best practices
- Develop automation, integrations, and tooling (Terraform, APIs, scripting) to accelerate customer deployments
- Collaborate directly with customer networking, cloud, and platform teams
- Conduct technical workshops, trainings, and whiteboard sessions for customers and partners
- Create design and architecture best practices, reference architectures, and deployment guidelines
- Provide deep technical support and troubleshooting for customers, escalating and driving resolution with Engineering
- Own customer success on key accounts from adoption and expansion perspective
- Work with Alkira Product Management and Engineering to provide feedback on upcoming features from the customer's lens
- Track and drive key customer features/asks with Product Management through to implementation
Minimum Requirements
- Strong cloud and networking fundamentals
- 3+ years in a customer-facing technical role (consulting, solutions architecture, sales engineering, or professional services)
- 1+ years of hands-on experience architecting and deploying cloud solutions (AWS, Azure, GCP, and/or OCI)
- Hands-on experience designing and building hybrid and public cloud infrastructure
- Strong networking background in routing technologies and network security
- Proficiency with infrastructure-as-code and automation tools (e.g., Terraform, Ansible, Python, REST APIs)
- Experience in large-scale network design/deployment is a plus
- Strong passion for customer outcomes and creating long-lasting professional relationships
- Flexibility to travel to customer sites
- Relevant technical certifications are a plus
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- BA/BS/MS degree is a plus
ABOUT ALKIRA
Alkira, a Lumen company, is building the future of enterprise networking: one programmable platform to connect, secure, and operate every cloud, site, partner, data center, and AI workload. Founded by Amir and Atif Khan, the creators of Viptela and pioneers of the SD-WAN market, Alkira was built to radically simplify how enterprises deploy and manage network infrastructure. Today, as part of Lumen, we are bringing that cloud-native operating model to a global network foundation trusted by the world’s largest enterprises. Our platform helps customers move faster without managing hardware, stitching together providers, or operating fragmented cloud networks. Teams can build and scale connectivity on demand, apply consistent security and segmentation, and gain visibility across distributed environments from one place. At Alkira, you’ll help shape the next chapter of networking: cloud-like consumption, private-network performance, and total control across the enterprise. We move fast, solve hard problems, and build technology that changes how global businesses connect. Join us and help build the future of networking.
Life at Alkira, a Lumen Connect Solution
Life at Alkira is human and connected, even in a fast moving, AI‑focused organization. We set clear expectations and trust people to meet them. With real support and shared accountability, teams collaborate better, move faster, and deliver meaningful outcomes. Our Lumen 8 behaviors guide how we interact, make decisions, and work together, shaping a culture built to perform and win.
Solutions Architect (UK) employer: Alkira
Alkira is an exceptional employer that fosters a dynamic and innovative work culture, where Forward Deployed Engineers play a crucial role in transforming enterprise networking for clients across the UK and Netherlands. With a strong emphasis on employee growth, Alkira offers opportunities to engage directly with strategic customers, develop cutting-edge solutions, and collaborate with talented teams, all while being part of a pioneering company that is reshaping the future of network infrastructure. Join us to be at the forefront of technology, where your contributions will have a meaningful impact on our clients' success and the industry as a whole.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Solutions Architect (UK)
✨Join Local Tech Meetups
Get out there and mingle with fellow developers by joining local tech meetups. It’s a fantastic way to meet people who might be working at Alkira or know someone who does. Plus, you can pick up some trendy tech skills and trends while you're at it!
✨Contribute to Open Source Projects
Show off your coding chops by jumping into open-source projects. Not only does this give you practical experience, but it also gets you noticed in the dev community. You'll create a killer portfolio that speaks volumes about your skills to Alkira.
✨Tap into Online Developer Communities
Don’t underestimate the power of online developer communities like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and even Reddit. Participate in discussions, share your projects, and build your visibility. We can often find opportunities through these channels that can lead to a full-time gig at companies like Alkira.
✨Explore Job Boards Specifically for Tech Roles
Keep your eyes peeled on job boards that focus on tech roles. Sites like TechCareers or Stack Overflow Jobs can often have listings for companies like Alkira that might not show up on broader job sites. Make it a habit to check these regularly, and don’t hesitate to apply directly through our website!
We think you need these skills to ace Solutions Architect (UK)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show off your coding skills:When applying for a software engineering role, it's super important to showcase your coding skills. Make sure your CV includes your tech stack, any relevant programming languages you’re comfortable with, and examples of projects you've worked on. If you have a GitHub profile, link it up! We love to see code in action.
Tailor your portfolio:For a full-time role, we’d expect to see some solid examples of your work in your portfolio. Make sure to include at least two or three projects that highlight your problem-solving skills and your ability to work with different technologies. Focus on the projects that are most relevant to the position at Alkira.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Alkira and how your skills align with the role. Show us your passion for software development. We dig enthusiastic candidates who understand the value of collaboration and continuous learning!
Be clear and concise:When it comes to writing your CV and cover letter, clarity is key. Avoid jargon that could confuse us and stick to simple, direct language. Highlight your achievements with quantifiable results where possible, and keep everything easy to read. A well-organised application goes a long way!
How to prepare for a job interview at Alkira
✨Brush Up on Your Coding Skills
For a full-time software engineering role, it's crucial that we stay sharp with our coding abilities. Expect technical questions that might involve solving problems on the spot or discussing algorithms. Practise on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to get comfortable with the types of questions that often come up.
✨Know Your Tools and Frameworks
Make sure we’re well-acquainted with the tools and technologies listed in the job description. Familiarise ourselves with any specific frameworks or programming languages mentioned. If Alkira uses React or Node.js, for instance, be ready to discuss how we’ve used them in previous projects or coursework.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Bring along a portfolio that highlights our best work. This could be code samples, GitHub repositories, or any side projects we’ve built. Make sure we can talk through our thought process for each project, especially the challenges we faced and how we solved them—this shows our problem-solving skills in action.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
While technical skills are key, full-time positions also require cultural fit. Be ready to discuss our previous experiences and how we handle teamwork, conflict, and deadlines. Brush up on the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to clearly articulate our past experiences when discussing how we've contributed to a team.
