At a Glance
- Tasks: Shape the architecture for a major insurance modernisation programme using AWS and AI technologies.
- Company: Leading global insurance organisation with a strong tech presence in Northern Ireland.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, 36 days' holiday, 8% pension, and private health insurance.
- Other info: Hybrid role with two days in the office, offering excellent career growth opportunities.
- Why this job: Join a high-profile programme and influence the future of insurance technology.
- Qualifications: 5+ years as a Solutions Architect with AWS experience and strong design skills.
The predicted salary is between 69935 - 85477 £ per year.
Belfast-based, hybrid: two days a week in the office, usually Tuesday and Thursday.
Shape the architecture for a major insurance modernisation programme across several engineering teams. AWS-focused role covering integration, data and AI-enabled platforms.
Must be based in Northern Ireland with existing right to work (no sponsorship available).
This is a leading global insurance organisation with a fast-growing technology presence in Northern Ireland. They're investing heavily in modernising how insurance products are created, managed and supported, and in using AI responsibly at enterprise scale.
As Solutions Architect, you'll set and own the architecture for a complex, evolving programme spanning data processing, system integrations and user-facing workflows. You'll work alongside engineers, product owners and enterprise architects, sitting inside sprints rather than governing from upstream. You'll turn business complexity into clear designs, challenge trade-offs, and explain architectural direction to senior stakeholders.
Key Responsibilities:
- Define and own the solution architecture across multiple engineering teams, from data pipelines and integrations through to user-facing workflows.
- Translate architectural direction into actionable designs, in line with enterprise architecture standards and domain roadmaps.
- Produce and maintain solution architecture descriptions, ADRs, non-functional requirements specifications and Well-Architected Review assessments.
- Own the API contract model between platform and experience layers, with clean boundaries and disciplined versioning.
- Lead Well-Architected Reviews covering security, reliability, performance, cost and operational pillars.
- Identify and escalate architectural risk early, especially around integration contracts, data consistency, scale and regulatory compliance.
- Support agile delivery in real time, joining sprint ceremonies and architecture syncs without becoming a bottleneck.
- Work closely with security and observability colleagues so designs are secure by default, traceable and supportable.
- Keep pace with AI and cloud developments and find responsible ways to apply them to the platform.
What You'll Need:Essential:
- 5+ years as a Solutions Architect or in a senior technical design role, with direct accountability for architecture decisions on complex, multi-system programmes.
- Proven delivery of cloud-native solutions on AWS (microservices, event-driven design, API gateway patterns, serverless, managed data services), with a strong record of architectural artefacts such as ADRs and NFR specifications.
- Experience designing integrations across modern and legacy systems, with solid data architecture grounding and embedded stakeholder management in agile teams.
Desirable:
- Experience in insurance or financial services, such as claims, policy administration or regulatory compliance systems.
- Exposure to AI/ML platform integration, large-scale modernisation programmes or graph databases (Neptune, Neo4j).
- AWS certification at Professional or Specialty level.
Benefits & Package:
- Salary dependent on experience, plus a bonus.
- 36 days' holiday.
- 8% pension contribution.
- £90 per month stipend towards gym, parking and similar costs.
- Private health, dental and life insurance.
- Hybrid working: two days a week in the Belfast office, usually Tuesday and Thursday.
- A high-profile programme with real influence over the architecture.
Interested? Get in touch with Colin directly.
Solutions Architect in Belfast employer: Ocho
Join a forward-thinking UK technology company that is at the forefront of AI innovation, where you will have the opportunity to develop your skills in a supportive and fast-paced environment. With a strong emphasis on mentorship from senior engineers, flexible working patterns, and the chance to own your projects early on, this role offers a unique pathway for professional growth in AI engineering. The company's commitment to an AI-first culture ensures that you will be working with cutting-edge tools and technologies, making a real impact in complex customer environments.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Solutions Architect in Belfast
✨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 Ocho 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 Ocho.
✨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 Ocho.
✨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 Ocho 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 in Belfast
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 Ocho.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Ocho 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 Ocho
✨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 Ocho 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.