Director Engineering Platform Architecture

Arm; Cambridge; Hybrid; GBP 168,000 - 228,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Competitive salary

Job summary

Arm is seeking a Director to lead the Engineering Platform Architecture practice in Cambridge, spearheading future-state compute, HPC, cloud and data platform architectures. You will drive design authority, roadmaps and measurable outcomes while balancing cost, security and performance across a global team.

You will collaborate with product, security and service leaders to align architecture decisions with business priorities and field-tested delivery expectations, while guiding senior

Qualifications

• Experience leading Engineering Platform architecture or design teams in a global tech organisation.
• Deep architecture experience across large-scale compute and HPC, cloud, data platforms, automation, security, resilience, observability and service architecture.
• Experience defining future-state platform architectures and executable transition roadmaps for demanding engineering workflows, variable workloads and high-volume data.
• Strong systems thinking and the ability to challenge assumptions, explore step-change options and convert ambitious ideas into sound architecture decisions.
• Experience operating an enabling design authority with delegated decision rights, proportionate governance, and effective design assurance.
• Strong people leadership, including setting direction, developing capability, coaching senior professionals, managing performance and succession, and building effective teams.
• The ability to influence senior Engineering and technology leaders, communicate complex trade-offs clearly and align teams that hold different delivery, service and commercial priorities.
• Sound technical and commercial judgement, balancing engineering productivity, performance, reliability, security, sustainability, cost, vendor dependency and delivery pace.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a multidisciplinary team of Engineering Platform architects. Set clear outcomes, manage performance and succession, build capability and create an inclusive, globally effective practice.
• Exercise delegated Engineering Platform design authority through clear decision rights, proportionate engagement, evidence-led reviews, architecture decision records, and time-bound exceptions.
• Define future-state architectures and transition roadmaps across compute and HPC, hybrid cloud, data, automation, security, resilience and service architecture, integrating the needs of future SoC development workflows.
• Create and test bold platform concepts that improve engineering productivity, reuse and composability, scalable access to compute and data, and the reduction of platform fragmentation and cost. Distinguish purposeful experimentation from production commitment.
• Work in tandem with the Principal Eng Plat AI Architect, aligning AI-enabled engineering capabilities with platform principles, data controls, security, reliability and service expectations while maintaining distinct accountability for platform and AI architecture.
• Establish reusable principles, reference architectures, standards, patterns and lifecycle guidance, balancing performance, portability, sustainability, operability, vendor dependency, technical risk and long-term value.
• Assure significant platform designs from discovery through implementation and operation, covering capacity, performance, data movement, identity, security, resilience, observability, supportability and cost, while preserving delivery and service-owner accountability.
• Partner with Engineering, product, platform, delivery, Data Platform Engineering, Security and service leaders to resolve cross-domain choices and use evidence to assess architecture outcomes, transition progress and emerging opportunities.

Skills

Engineering Platform architecture

Team leadership

Architecture governance

Compute / HPC

Cloud / hybrid cloud

Security / resilience

Data platform

Job description

Job ID 2026-19503 Date posted 06/10/2026 Location Cambridge, United Kingdom Category IT

Job Overview

The Director Eng Platform Architecture leads the Engineering Platform Architecture & Design practice. Operating with delegated authority from the leader accountable for Engineering Platform Architecture and AI, the role sets direction for platform architects, owns design authority and turns long-range strategy into coherent target architectures, roadmaps and decisions.

The remit spans compute and HPC, cloud, data, automation, security, resilience and service architecture, including the foundations needed for future SoC development platforms. This director combines systems-level thinking with practical judgement, challenging assumptions and exploring step-change approaches while ensuring designs can be adopted safely. Product, engineering and service leaders remain accountable for delivery and operation.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a multidisciplinary team of Engineering Platform architects. Set clear outcomes, manage performance and succession, build capability and create an inclusive, globally effective practice.
• Exercise delegated Engineering Platform design authority through clear decision rights, proportionate engagement, evidence-led reviews, architecture decision records, and time-bound exceptions.
• Define future-state architectures and transition roadmaps across compute and HPC, hybrid cloud, data, automation, security, resilience and service architecture, integrating the needs of future SoC development workflows.
• Create and test bold platform concepts that improve engineering productivity, reuse and composability, scalable access to compute and data, and the reduction of platform fragmentation and cost. Distinguish purposeful experimentation from production commitment.
• Work in tandem with the Principal Eng Plat AI Architect, aligning AI-enabled engineering capabilities with platform principles, data controls, security, reliability and service expectations while maintaining distinct accountability for platform and AI architecture.
• Establish reusable principles, reference architectures, standards, patterns and lifecycle guidance, balancing performance, portability, sustainability, operability, vendor dependency, technical risk and long-term value.
• Assure significant platform designs from discovery through implementation and operation, covering capacity, performance, data movement, identity, security, resilience, observability, supportability and cost, while preserving delivery and service-owner accountability.
• Partner with Engineering, product, platform, delivery, Data Platform Engineering, Security and service leaders to resolve cross-domain choices and use evidence to assess architecture outcomes, transition progress and emerging opportunities.

Required Skills And Experience

• A record of leading Engineering Platform architecture or design teams in a complex, global technology organisation, including experienced architects and senior individual contributors.
• Deep architecture experience across large-scale compute and HPC, cloud, data platforms, automation, security, resilience, observability and service architecture.
• Experience defining future-state platform architectures and executable transition roadmaps for demanding engineering workflows, variable workloads and high-volume data.
• Strong systems thinking and the ability to challenge assumptions, explore step-change options and convert ambitious ideas into sound architecture decisions.
• Experience operating an enabling design authority with delegated decision rights, proportionate governance, and effective design assurance.
• Strong people leadership, including setting direction, developing capability, coaching senior professionals, managing performance and succession, and building effective teams.
• The ability to influence senior Engineering and technology leaders, communicate complex trade-offs clearly and align teams that hold different delivery, service and commercial priorities.
• Sound technical and commercial judgement, balancing engineering productivity, performance, reliability, security, sustainability, cost, vendor dependency and delivery pace.

Nice To Have Skills And Experience

• Experience with semiconductor or SoC development platforms, electronic design automation workflows or engineering environments where compute, data and tool licensing are material constraints.
• Knowledge of generative AI, agentic systems and AI-assisted engineering workflows, and the platform architecture needed to move them safely into production.
• Professional architecture, cloud or HPC accreditation, or practical experience applying architecture frameworks and modelling standards!

In Return

Joining Arm means being part of a world-class team that is high-reaching and determined to achieve outstanding results. You will collaborate with industry leaders and innovators, contributing to flawless service builds that improve our global operations. We provide an encouraging and inclusive environment that encourages continuous learning and professional growth. Your success is our success, and together we can build services that compete on the world stage!

Our 10x Mindset

At Arm, we believe progress happens when people are empowered to think bigger and push beyond what seems possible. Our 10x mindset is about curiosity, ambition and creating impact that will be used by millions. We learn fast, prioritise collaboration and turn bold ideas into real technology. We look for people who are inspired by this way of working and want to grow in an environment where bold ideas are welcomed. Discover how the 10x mindset shapes life at Arm:

About

At Arm, we believe progress happens when people are empowered to think bigger and push beyond what seems possible. Our 10x mindset is about curiosity, ambition and creating impact that will be used by millions. We learn fast, prioritise collaboration and turn bold ideas into real technology. We look for people who are inspired by this way of working and want to grow in an environment where bold ideas are welcomed. Discover how the 10x mindset shapes life at Arm:

Use of AI in Your Application

At Arm, we embrace the benefits AI can bring, including in recruitment. You may use AI to support your preparation, such as improving the clarity of written responses, practicing interview questions, or learning more about our industry. However, your application and interview responses must reflect your own thinking, experience, and abilities. We want to understand your authentic perspective, creativity, and approach to problem solving. As such, you may not use AI to complete assigned tasks as part of any assessments. If you plan to use AI-supported or assistive technologies as part of a reasonable adjustment, please contact

Recruitment Adjustments and Accommodations

At Arm, we want to build extraordinary teams. If you need an adjustment or an accommodation during the recruitment process, please email

Hybrid Working

Arm’s approach to hybrid working is designed to create a working environment that supports both high performance and personal wellbeing. We believe in bringing people together face to face to enable us to work at pace, whilst recognizing the value of flexibility. Within that framework, we empower groups/teams to determine their own hybrid working patterns, depending on the work and the team’s needs. Details of what this means for each role will be shared upon application. In some cases, the flexibility we can offer is limited by local legal, regulatory, tax, or other considerations, and where this is the case, we will collaborate with you to find the best solution. Please talk to us to find out more about what this could look like for you.

Equal Opportunities

Arm is an equal opportunity employer, committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal opportunities are available to all applicants and colleagues. We are a diverse organization of dedicated and innovative individuals, and don’t discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

Salary Range

£168,300 - £227,700 per year