Enterprise Architect - Synthetics / ITEA / TLS)

Defence; Reading; On-site; GBP 76,000 - 127,000; Full time

Job summary

Defence is seeking an Enterprise Architect to lead Digital Engineering initiatives in Reading. You will shape virtual environment architectures, drive governance, and ensure secure-by-design practices across lifecycle.

The role covers digital twins, virtual testing, and integration across people, process, and technology. The candidate will bring MOD/Defence Digital experience, active SC clearance, and strong TOGAF/ArchiMate credentials, with a background in IT software development environments

Qualifications

• Strong Enterprise / Business Architecture experience within MOD, Defence Digital, or UK aerospace/defence environments.
• Active SC clearance is mandatory; DV preferred.
• Experience across enterprise, system, data, and technical architecture.
• Strong understanding of digital engineering concepts (digital twins, digital thread, virtual environments, simulation).
• Experience architecting IT software development environments and working across the systems engineering lifecycle.
• Degree in a relevant discipline plus architecture certifications such as TOGAF / ArchiMate / CISSP / cloud architecture.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain high-level and low-level designs (HLD/LLD).
• Provide architectural leadership across people, process, and technology for Virtual Environment / Digital Engineering.
• Support delivery of Digital Twin / Digital Thread, virtual testing, qualification/certification, and training solutions.
• Apply modelling & simulation principles including real-time/time-domain simulation and 'fail first' integration philosophy.
• Translate architecture policies and risk requirements into actionable design standards, governance, and compliance frameworks
• Support architectural governance, security, regulatory and audit requirements.
• Write and manage RFI and RFQ, and contribute to tool/platform evaluations and proofs of concept.
• Work closely with Product Owners, Delivery Managers, engineering teams, IT, and suppliers-managing stakeholder expectations and delivery impacts.

Skills

Enterprise Architecture

SC Clearance

TOGAF / ArchiMate

Cloud architecture

DevSecOps basics

Power BI

Docker / Kubernetes

Digital Engineering concepts

Education

Degree in Computer Science / IT / Engineering / Maths/Stats

Tools

Power BI

Docker

Kubernetes

Job description

Enterprise Architect (Digital Engineering - Synthetics / ITEA / TLS) Location: Reading, Berkshire Rate: Up to £91.75/hour Clearance: Active SC is mandatory The opportunity We're seeking an Enterprise Architect to support sensitive aerospace and defence programmes in Reading . This contract position focuses on Digital Engineering , with responsibility for integrating Virtual Environment solutions across the wider Digital Engineering landscape-covering people, process, and technology. You'll act as the focal point for Virtual Environment architecture, providing expert guidance across the delivery organisation and helping drive governance, reuse, and secure-by-design principles across the lifecycle.

What you'll be doing (key responsibilities)

• Develop and maintain high-level and low-level designs (HLD/LLD)
• Provide architectural leadership across people, process, and technology for Virtual Environment / Digital Engineering.
• Support delivery of Digital Twin / Digital Thread , virtual testing, qualification/certification, and training solutions.
• Apply modelling & simulation principles including real-time/time-domain simulation and 'fail first' integration philosophy.
• Translate architecture policies and risk requirements into actionable design standards, governance, and compliance frameworks
• Support architectural governance, security, regulatory and audit requirements.
• Write and manage RFI and RFQ , and contribute to tool/platform evaluations and proofs of concept.
• Work closely with Product Owners, Delivery Managers, engineering teams, IT, and suppliers-managing stakeholder expectations and delivery impacts.

What we're looking for (requirements)

• Strong Enterprise / Business Architecture experience within MOD, Defence Digital, or UK aerospace/defence environments.
• Active SC clearance (mandatory) ; DV preferred .
• Experience across enterprise, system, data, and technical architecture .
• Strong understanding of digital engineering concepts (digital twins, digital thread, virtual environments, simulation).
• Experience architecting IT software development environments and working across the systems engineering lifecycle.
• Degree in a relevant discipline (Computer Science / IT / Engineering / Maths/Stats or similar) plus architecture certifications such as TOGAF / ArchiMate / CISSP / cloud architecture .
• Desirable / nice to have Microsoft Azure certification/experience SAFe / Agile delivery experience Exposure to CI/CD, DevSecOps Knowledge of Docker / Kubernetes Reporting/analytics tools (e.g., Power BI ) Flight simulation / synthetic environments exposure