At a Glance
- Tasks: Design innovative tech solutions that enhance education and research at a world-class university.
- Company: Join Imperial College London, a leader in education and innovation.
- Benefits: Enjoy 43 days of annual leave, flexible working, and a generous salary package.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with opportunities for personal and professional growth.
- Why this job: Shape the future of digital services and make a real impact on thousands of students.
- Qualifications: Experience in designing complex digital solutions and strong understanding of architecture principles.
The predicted salary is between 72000 - 88000 £ per year.
About the role Imperial College London is seeking an experienced Solutions Architect to join our Digital Products and Technology teams, helping shape the digital services that support our world-leading education, research and innovation activities.
As a Solutions Architect working across multiple product domains, you will play a pivotal role in defining the technology solutions that underpin Imperial's digital ecosystem.
Working closely with product managers, engineers, platform teams, researchers, academics and professional services colleagues, you will design secure, scalable and sustainable solutions that deliver tangible outcomes for our staff and students.
This is a unique opportunity to influence technology decisions across a diverse portfolio, ensuring that solutions align with Imperial's Digital Strategy, Enterprise Architecture principles and product roadmaps while supporting the University's ambitions for digital transformation.
What you would be doing As a Solutions Architect, you will: Lead the design of solution architectures across multiple product and platform domains, ensuring alignment with Imperial's Digital Strategy and Enterprise Architecture principles.
Collaborate with product managers, engineers and stakeholders to translate business needs into practical, sustainable technology solutions.
Develop architecture designs that support scalability, resilience, interoperability and long-term maintainability.
Produce and maintain architectural artefacts, including solution designs, architecture diagrams, standards and reference architectures.
Provide architectural leadership throughout the discovery, design, delivery and operational lifecycle of products and services.
Ensure solutions meet cybersecurity, data protection, accessibility and regulatory requirements.
Contribute to architecture governance activities, including Technical Design Authority reviews and technology working groups.
Review solution designs across the digital portfolio and provide technical assurance against established standards.
Champion modern architectural approaches, including: API-first design Cloud-native development Platform-based architecture Dev Ops and automation Evaluate emerging technologies and provide recommendations that support Imperial's long-term technology strategy.
Facilitate informed architectural decision-making across multidisciplinary teams.
Communicate complex technical concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
Support the continuous evolution of Imperial's architecture standards, practices and communities of practice.
What we are looking for We are looking for someone who: Loves to learn new technologies Has experience designing and delivering complex digital or enterprise solutions within large organisations.
Has worked across the full product or platform lifecycle, from discovery and design through to operation and decommissioning.
Demonstrates a strong understanding of enterprise architecture principles and solution architecture practices.
Has experience working with cloud platforms, enterprise applications, integration technologies and data platforms.
Understands modern architectural patterns including APIs, microservices and cloud-native architectures.
Can evaluate technology options and balance business, technical and operational trade-offs effectively.
Has experience working with suppliers and supporting technology procurement activities.
Can engage and influence a diverse range of stakeholders, from senior leaders to technical delivery teams.
Produces high-quality architecture documentation and communicates clearly with both technical and non-technical audiences.
Demonstrates excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
Has an understanding of secure-by-design principles and cybersecurity best practices.
The following would be advantageous: Service Now, T4 and Microsoft Dynamics Experience contributing to architecture governance, design review or technical assurance processes.
Experience within Higher Education, research-intensive organisations or other complex institutional environments.
Knowledge of accessibility and inclusive design principles.
Understanding of data governance, data quality and information management practices.
What we can offer you The opportunity to shape products and services that directly affect the experience of thousands of students.
A key leadership position within one of the world’s leading universities.
A collaborative and supportive environment where innovation is encouraged and celebrated.
The opportunity to continue your career at a world-leading institution and be part of our mission to use science for humanity.
Benefit from a sector-leading salary and remuneration package (including 43 days’ annual leave and generous pension schemes).
Access to a range of workplace benefits including a flexible working policy from day one, generous family leave packages, on-site leisure facilities and cycle-to-work scheme.
Interest-free season ticket loan schemes for travel.
Be part of a diverse, inclusive and collaborative work culture with various staff networks and resources to support your personal and professional wellbeing.
Further information This is a full-time post (35 hours per week).
If you require any further details about the role, please contact: Kavita Kapoor, Director of Digital Products (k. kapoor@imperial. ac. uk).
Solutions Architect employer: Imperial College London
As a Section Manager at Imperial College, you will thrive in a world-renowned institution dedicated to advancing research for the benefit of humanity. Enjoy a competitive salary and an impressive benefits package, including 41 days of annual leave, flexible working options, and access to on-site leisure facilities. Join a diverse and inclusive work culture that prioritises your personal and professional growth, making it an exceptional place to build your career.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Solutions 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 Imperial College London 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 Imperial College London.
✨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 Imperial College London.
✨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 Imperial College London 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
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 Imperial College London.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Imperial College London 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 Imperial College London
✨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 Imperial College London 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.
