AI Solution Architect

Kainos; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Kainos is seeking an AI Solution Architect to lead Frontier AI projects and deliver high-quality AI solutions built on the Actonomy product family. You will work hands-on with Forward Deployed Engineers inside customer environments to turn ambitious AI ideas into production reality.

You will align architectural principles with senior stakeholders, manage a small team, and translate customer needs into product improvements while driving adoption and value for clients.

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading delivery of production AI solutions.
• Experience acting as technical lead on customer-facing projects.
• Significant hands-on experience with Python and Azure cloud platforms.
• Hands-on experience with modern AI and agentic AI (prompt engineering, RAG, tool calls).
• Proven experience owning AI software projects from architecture to user stories.
• Ability to communicate AI design to senior stakeholders including commercial implications.
• Experience integrating products with customer systems and data sources.
• Ability to prioritize across multiple major projects and meet deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Lead Frontier AI projects as the technical lead for customer engagements.
• Work directly with customers and senior stakeholders to define outcomes and direction.
• Oversee deployment, configuration, and integration of AI products in customer environments.

Skills

Python

Azure cloud

AI architecture

Customer-facing leadership

Team mentoring

Problem solving

Tools

Azure OpenAI

Azure AI Foundry

Azure AI services

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.

Ready to make your mark? Join us and be part of something bigger.

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 ArchitectinActonomy,you’llbe the technical lead on our customer-facing Frontier AI projects, responsible for the successful delivery ofhigh qualityAI solutions built onActonomy’sproducts.You’lllead a team of Forward Deployed Engineers working hands-on inside customer environments to turn ambitious AI ideas into production reality.It’sa role that combines engineering,consultingand product thinking, soyou’llbe as comfortable in front of a customer as you are in the code.

As a technical leader,you’llwork 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’llmanage,coachand develop a small number of staff, with a focus on performance and career development, whilst advising onnew technologiesand approaches to AI and helping the people around you learn,developand grow.

Your key responsibilities will include:

• Leading Frontier AI projects –You’llbe 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’llwork with customers and senior stakeholders to understand their business problems and desiredoutcomes, andagree architectural principles and strategic direction.

• Deploying and integrating –You’lloversee the deployment,configurationand integration ofActonomy’sproducts within customer environments, and resolve the technical challenges that arise during rollout.

• Leading your team –You’llprovide technical direction,supportand line management to a team of Forward Deployed Engineers, helping them make the right decisions and grow.

• Closing the product loop –You’llgather user feedback and translate customer needs into product improvements, working closely with our Product and Engineering teams.

• Building reusable assets –You’llcreate reusable deployment patterns and implementation assets that make each engagement faster and better than the last.

• Driving adoption and value –You’llsupport customer adoption and value-realisationactivitiesso customers get real, lasting value from AI in their day-to-day work.

• Staying at the frontier –You’llstay current with developments in AI, Microsofttechnologiesand theActonomyplatform, and share that knowledge with your team and customers.

MINIMUM (ESSENTIAL) REQUIREMENTS

• Proven experience leading the delivery of production AI solutions acrossdifferent sizesand shapes of challenge (e.g. an AI service, a multi-team programme, a customer platformdeploymentor 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, productplanningand 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,documentationand 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 datasources andresolving technical issues during implementation and rollout.

• Able to prioritise across multiple major projects, particularly when working to deadlines.

• A demonstrated ability in managing, mentoring,coachingand developing members of your team and the wider community, including managing a small number of staff.

DESIRABLE

• Experience withReact or similar technologies.

• Familiarity with the Microsoft agent ecosystem.

• Experience creating reusable deployment patterns and implementation assets.

• Experience working in consulting, customer‑facingor 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 valuesaren’tabstract; 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,teamand culture.

ABOUT US

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

We work at the frontier ofwhat’spossible with AI – exploring new architectures, pushing platformboundariesand building products that make people’s working lives better.

As part of Kainos, webenefitfrom 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.