AI Solution Architect

Kainos; Belfast City District; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Kainos is seeking an AI Solution Architect to lead Frontier AI projects and guide a team of Forward Deployed Engineers in customer environments. You’ll own end‑to‑end delivery and align architectural strategy with client goals, bringing together engineering, consulting, and product thinking to deliver high‑impact AI solutions on the Azure stack.

As a technical leader, you’ll shape architecture with stakeholders, drive value for customers, mentor staff, and translate user needs into product

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading delivery of production AI solutions for varied challenges.
• Experience as the technical lead on customer-facing projects.
• Hands-on Python and public cloud expertise, especially Azure.

Responsibilities

• Lead Frontier AI projects as technical lead on customer engagements.
• Work with customers and senior stakeholders to align architecture with business needs.
• Oversee deployment, configuration and integration of Actonomy products in client environments.
• Provide technical direction and line management to Forward Deployed Engineers.
• Gather user feedback and translate into product improvements with Product/Engineering teams.
• Create reusable deployment patterns and implementation assets.
• Support customer adoption and realize value from AI in daily work.
• Stay current with AI developments and Microsoft technologies; share knowledge.

Skills

Python

Azure

AI architecture

Client-facing leadership

Team mentoring

Tools

React

Job description

Join Kainos and Shape the Future

At Kainos, we’re problem solvers, innovators, and collaborators - driven by a shared mission to create real impact. Whether we’re transforming digital services for millions, delivering cutting-edge Workday solutions, or pushing the boundaries of technology, we do it together.

We believe in a people-first culture, where your ideas are valued, your growth is supported, and your contributions truly make a difference. Here, you’ll be part of a diverse, ambitious team that celebrates creativity and collaboration.

CAPABILITY / JOB FAMILY GROUP: Artificial Intelligence

JOB FAMILY: AI Engineering

JOB PROFILE TITLE: AI Solution Architect

MANAGEMENT LEVEL: Manager

Job Profile Description

As an AI Solution Architect in Actonomy, you’ll be the technical lead on our customer-facing Frontier AI projects, responsible for the successful delivery of high quality AI solutions built on Actonomy’s products. You’ll lead a team of Forward Deployed Engineers working hands-on inside customer environments to turn ambitious AI ideas into production reality. It’s a role that combines engineering, consulting and product thinking, so you’ll be as comfortable in front of a customer as you are in the code.

As a technical leader, you’ll work with senior stakeholders to agree architectural principles and strategic direction, develop customer relationships and account management, and feed what you learn on the ground back into our product direction. You’ll manage, coach and develop a small number of staff, with a focus on performance and career development, whilst advising on new technologies and approaches to AI and helping the people around you learn, develop and grow.

Your Key Responsibilities Will Include

• Leading Frontier AI projects – You’ll be the technical lead on customer engagements, owning the solution end to end and guiding a team of Forward Deployed Engineers to deliver it.
• Working directly with customers – You’ll work with customers and senior stakeholders to understand their business problems and desired outcomes, and agree architectural principles and strategic direction.
• Deploying and integrating – You’ll oversee the deployment, configuration and integration of Actonomy’s products within customer environments, and resolve the technical challenges that arise during rollout.
• Leading your team – You’ll provide technical direction, support and line management to a team of Forward Deployed Engineers, helping them make the right decisions and grow.
• Closing the product loop – You’ll gather user feedback and translate customer needs into product improvements, working closely with our Product and Engineering teams.
• Building reusable assets – You’ll create reusable deployment patterns and implementation assets that make each engagement faster and better than the last.
• Driving adoption and value – You’ll support customer adoption and value-realisation activities so customers get real, lasting value from AI in their day-to-day work.
• Staying at the frontier – You’ll stay current with developments in AI, Microsoft technologies and the Actonomy platform, and share that knowledge with your team and customers.

Minimum (essential) Requirements

• Proven experience leading the delivery of production AI solutions across different sizes and shapes of challenge (e.g. an AI service, a multi-team programme, a customer platform deployment or a complex integration).
• Experience acting as the technical lead on customer-facing projects, ideally deploying software products or platforms within customer environments.
• Significant hands-on experience with Python and public cloud platforms, particularly Azure, including SaaS and PaaS offerings.
• Hands-on experience building and deploying with modern AI, including large language models and agentic AI (prompt engineering, RAG, tool and function calling, orchestration), on the Microsoft AI stack such as Azure OpenAI, Azure AI Foundry and Azure AI services.
• Proven experience of technical ownership for an AI product or software project, including architecture, estimation, product planning and user story/requirement creation.
• Able to understand whole-solution architecture and to communicate and negotiate it with senior and C-level stakeholders, including the commercial implications of design decisions.
• Able to simplify and clearly communicate AI design in conversation, documentation and presentations to non-engineers. Comfortable working directly with customers and users, developing relationships and supporting account management.
• Experience integrating products or solutions with customer systems and data sources and resolving technical issues during implementation and rollout.
• Able to prioritise across multiple major projects, particularly when working to deadlines.
• A demonstrated ability in managing, mentoring, coaching and developing members of your team and the wider community, including managing a small number of staff.

DESIRABLE

• Experience with React or similar technologies.
• Familiarity with the Microsoft agent ecosystem.
• Experience creating reusable deployment patterns and implementation assets.
• Experience working in consulting, customer-facing or delivery roles.
• Awareness of responsible AI and AI evaluation practices.
• Active participation in technology communities and knowledge sharing, internally and externally.

Who You Are

Our vision is to enable outstanding people to create digital solutions that have a positive impact on people’s lives. Our values aren’t abstract; they are the behaviours we expect from each other every day and underpin everything that we do. We expect everyone to display our values by being determined in how obstacles are overcome; honest when dealing with others; respectful of how you treat others; creative to find solutions to complex problems and cooperative by sharing information, knowledge and experience.

These values, applied collectively, help to produce an outstanding Kainos person, team and culture.

About Us

Actonomy is a Kainos team focused on developing innovative AI products that solve real problems and create meaningful impact. We bring together deep technical expertise and a passion for AI to build intelligent, agentic solutions on the Azure stack.

We work at the frontier of what's possible with AI - exploring new architectures, pushing platform boundaries and building products that make people’s working lives better.

As part of Kainos, we benefit from a culture built on collaboration, continuous learning and doing the right thing. For more information, see kainos.com

Embracing our differences

At Kainos, we believe in the power of diversity, equity and inclusion. We are committed to building a team that is as diverse as the world we live in, where everyone is valued, respected, and given an equal chance to thrive. We actively seek out talented people from all backgrounds, regardless of age, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability, or any other characteristic that makes them who they are. We also believe every candidate deserves a level playing field.

Our friendly talent acquisition team is here to support you every step of the way, so if you require any accommodations or adjustments, we encourage you to reach out.

We understand that everyone's journey is different, and by having a private conversation we can ensure that our recruitment process is tailored to your needs.