Solution Architect - Engine by Starling

Starling; United Arab Emirates; On-site; AED 200,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

A fintech company in the United Arab Emirates is seeking a Solution Architect to leverage the Engine technology. The role requires strong skills in software engineering, cloud applications, and communication with clients to deliver tailored solutions. Candidates should have experience with RESTful APIs, be comfortable with stakeholder collaboration, and be ready to travel internationally as required.

Qualifications

• Experience of end-to-end software engineering across the software delivery lifecycle.
• Experience with software service design and integration.
• Client-facing experience and building relationships with stakeholders.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills.
• Experience delivering complex messaging to various stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Become an Engine expert, assisting with client solutions.
• Guide implementation and integration for clients.
• Collaborate with teams to deliver new features.
• Support sales efforts through technical demos.
• Communicate technological capabilities effectively.

Skills

End-to-end software engineering

Solution architecture

RESTful APIs

Cloud infrastructure

Interpersonal communication

Stakeholder relationships

Tools

AWS

GCP

Java

PostgreSQL

Job description

Overview

At Engine by Starling, we are on a mission to find and work with leading banks all around the world who have the ambition to build rapid growth businesses on our technology. Engine is Starling's software-as-a-service (SaaS) business and the technology that powers Starling Bank. Two years ago, we split out as a separate business and our modern technology platform is now available to banks and financial institutions worldwide, helping them benefit from innovative digital features and efficient back‑office processes.

We draw upon our experience as knowledgeable bankers and best‑in‑class technologists to become the chosen option for banks and preferred partners for leading consultancies. As an engineering‑led company, everyone is expected to roll up their sleeves to deliver great outcomes for our clients.

Hybrid Working

We operate a hybrid approach to working. We prefer candidates to be located within commuting distance of one of our offices to facilitate in‑person collaboration. Some travel (including international) will be necessary depending on the client and engagement.

About the Role

As a Solution Architect (SA), you will use your understanding of Engine technology and architecture to explain the Engine product, uncover client requirements, and support the design of client solutions. You will be involved in both the sales and delivery phases of projects, as well as ongoing client success, collaborating across Engine, Engineering, Delivery, Product, Client Success, and Business Development teams. The role requires frequent travel across the UK, Europe, the Middle East, and occasional further travel, with opportunities for 6‑month international secondments or relocation.

Responsibilities

• Become an Engine expert, understanding its architecture, technology, and functionality to effectively communicate its capabilities and value.
• Act as a trusted advisor to clients during implementation, guiding them on integration, best practices, and platform workflows.
• Collaborate closely with Engine Engineering and Product teams to design, build, and deliver new features—from initial concept to deployed APIs, mobile journeys, and Management Portal enhancements.
• Shape Engine’s product roadmap and support sales efforts through technical demos and client workshops.
• Lead technical topics during Engine Discovery phases with prospective clients.
• Communicate Engine’s current and future capabilities to diverse stakeholders, ensuring alignment between technical possibilities and business needs.
• Focus on understanding target country banking regulations and defining necessary localisations.
• Collaborate with clients and System Integrator (SI) partners to design solutions, outlining target architecture and integration landscape.
• Help partners design & build their integration environment (Integration & Orchestration Layer), identify third‑party dependencies, and document scope and roadmap decisions.
• Leverage knowledge of Engine's product capabilities to address client inquiries, bring in relevant Product Owners when specialized expertise is required, and provide expert guidance to client engineering teams using documentation, API specifications, and sequence diagrams.
• Collaborate closely with the Client Success team to troubleshoot technical issues, translate client needs into new technical requirements, and architect innovative solutions that enhance the Engine platform.

Qualifications - Must Have

• Experience of end‑to‑end software engineering / solution architecture across the software delivery lifecycle.
• Experience with software service design and integration, such as RESTful APIs, OpenAPI specification, and sequence diagrams.
• Experience working in a client‑facing role and building relationships with stakeholders.
• Strong interpersonal communication and collaboration skills.
• Experience delivering complex messaging to technical and non‑technical stakeholders.
• Knowledge of cloud infrastructure and large‑scale cloud applications.
• Experience of delivery and implementation of core banking or large‑scale digital transformation programmes, application migration and solution integration.
• Experience of rapidly understanding client problems and presenting technical solutions in a structured and informative manner.
• Experience with AWS or GCP, Microservices, RESTful APIs, Java & PostgreSQL.

Qualifications - Nice to Have

• Experience relating to retail or business banking, core banking, card processing or payments.

Candidate Profile

• Collaborative and self‑motivated.
• Focus on delivery and getting things done for a client.
• Ability to work well with people from a variety of levels, roles and technical backgrounds.
• Clear communication about technical subjects.
• Comfortable working in a varied role, collaboratively in a team, with a flat structure.
• Comfortable travelling nationally to our London office (initial upskilling will require a period of time working with our Engineers & Product team in London).
• Comfortable travelling internationally.

Interview Process

Our interviews are conversational and we want the best from you, so come with questions and be curious.

In general you can expect the below, following a ~25 minute chat with one of our Talent Team:

1. First interview (30/45/60 mins) – Phone. This stage will be made up of either 1 45 minute interview or 2 30 minute interviews with existing Engine team members.
2. Second Architecture interview, including small presentation/system design (90 mins).
3. Final interview (30 mins).