At a Glance
- Tasks: Design and deliver scalable AI platforms, transforming complex tech into business solutions.
- Company: Join Datatonic, a leading AI partner for Google Cloud, driving innovation.
- Benefits: Enjoy health perks, gym discounts, hybrid work, and learning opportunities.
- Other info: Be part of a culture that values innovation and personal growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in AI and data while collaborating with top engineers.
- Qualifications: Experience in AI systems, cloud architecture, and strong stakeholder engagement skills.
The predicted salary is between 81000 - 99000 £ per year.
At Datatonic, we are Google Cloud's premier partner in AI, driving transformation for world-class businesses. We push the boundaries of technology with expertise in machine learning, data engineering, and analytics on Google Cloud. By partnering with us, clients future-proof their operations, unlock actionable insights, and stay ahead of the curve in a rapidly evolving world.
Your Mission
As a Principal AI Architect, you will own the end-to-end design and delivery of scalable data and AI platforms, bridging the gap between initial scoping and production-ready execution. This is a builder-led, delivery-focused architecture role - not a pure pre-sales position. You will work directly alongside engineering teams to take client proofs-of-concept and scale them into robust enterprise systems capable of serving hundreds to thousands of users. You will act as the technical anchor across project lifecycles, translating complex AI capabilities into tangible business outcomes for executive stakeholders.
What You’ll Do
- Architecture & Delivery: Design and build data platforms, full-stack application architectures, and agentic AI platforms from initial discovery through to production deployment.
- Technical Ownership: Own the end-to-end technical design of complex projects, ensuring architectures are scalable, secure, and aligned with client business objectives.
- Pre-Sales & Scoping: Conduct technical scoping during client intake, support account growth, and design viable technical solutions without losing connection to hands-on execution.
- Client & Stakeholder Engagement: Act as the primary technical interface for client-side CTOs, Heads of Engineering, and Transformation Leaders; translate complex technical architectures into clear, non-technical business strategy.
- Infrastructure Strategy: Define and implement strategies across networking, data acquisition, security, guardrails, and AI/data workload orchestration.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with internal delivery leads, AI/data engineers, and commercial teams to drive cohesive project execution.
What You’ll Bring
- Technical Expertise: Proven experience designing, solutioning, and deploying agentic platforms and AI systems into production. Deep understanding of AI evaluation methodologies and guardrail implementations.
- Frameworks & Tools: Hands-on experience with agentic frameworks (Google ADK, LangGraph), LLMs (Gemini, Claude, open-source), cloud and database architecture (Cloud SQL, Firestore, BigQuery, Postgres), and AI security & observability (OpenTelemetry, guardrails, LLM gateways).
- Data & Workload Orchestration: Mastery of data preparation strategies for AI workloads, data acquisition, and orchestration frameworks for both data and AI pipelines.
- Platform Architecture: Strong background in either Data Platform Infrastructure or Full-Stack Application Architecture (with high awareness of application design and UX principles).
- Enterprise Fundamentals: Advanced proficiency in cloud security, networking, and production deployment environments.
Soft Skills & Mindset:
- Proven Delivery Track Record: Prior hands-on experience building and deploying platforms.
- Stakeholder Leadership: Strong presentation capabilities with a demonstrated history of advising senior client stakeholders.
- Adaptability & Ownership: Ability to navigate ambiguity, manage competing priorities under tight timelines (e.g., 4-week design sprints), and take absolute ownership of project outcomes.
Preferred Experience:
- Hands-on experience within Google Cloud (GCP) environments.
- Background working within high-growth startups, scale-ups, or modern enterprise transformation environments.
Why Join Us?
- End-to-End Impact: Drive the full lifecycle of cutting-edge platforms - from pre-sales and strategy to active deployment in production.
- Engineering-First Culture: Work within an architecture group embedded alongside senior and principal engineers, focusing on real execution rather than static slide decks.
- Next-Gen AI Exposure: Lead the industry in designing scalable AI agents, evaluation systems, and production guardrails.
- Direct Stakeholder Influence: Shape customer transformation strategies by directly connecting technical architecture to business value.
What’s in It for You?
We believe in empowering our team to thrive, with benefits including:
- Health Perks: Private health insurance (Vitality Health) and Smart Health Services.
- Fitness & Wellbeing: 50% gym membership discounts (Nuffield Health, Virgin Active, Pure Gym).
- Hybrid Model: A WFH allowance to keep you comfortable.
- Learning & Growth: Access to platforms like Udemy to fuel your curiosity.
- Pension: (Auto-enrollment after probation period. 3% employer contributions raising 1% per year of service to a max of 10%).
- Income Protection: (up to 75% of base salary, up to 2 years).
- Tusker Green Car Scheme.
- Cycle to Work Scheme.
Why Datatonic?
Join us to work alongside AI enthusiasts and data experts who are shaping tomorrow. At Datatonic, innovation isn’t just encouraged - it’s embedded in everything we do. If you’re ready to inspire change and deliver value at the forefront of data and AI, we’d love to hear from you! Are you ready to make an impact?
Principal AI Architect employer: Datatonic
Datatonic is an exceptional employer that prioritises a culture of continuous learning and innovation, making it an ideal place for the Head of Learning & Development role. With a strong focus on employee growth, you will have the opportunity to shape global learning strategies while collaborating with top-tier talent in a vibrant environment. Located in London, you will benefit from being part of a fast-growing, award-winning consultancy that values your contributions and fosters a supportive community.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Principal AI Architect
✨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 Datatonic 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 Datatonic.
✨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 Datatonic.
✨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 Datatonic 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 Principal AI Architect
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 Datatonic.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Datatonic 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 Datatonic
✨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 Datatonic 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.
