Senior Solution Architect

UK Health Security Agency; Highgate; Hybrid; GBP 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A public health agency is seeking a Senior Solution Architect to lead the design of strategic technology solutions across hybrid cloud environments. This role requires solid experience in AWS and Azure, as well as a strong understanding of data architecture. The position also offers a competitive salary and benefits, fostering an inclusive workplace culture.

Benefits

Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme

Learning and development opportunities

Flexible working options

Inclusive workplace culture

Qualifications

• Proven experience in designing solutions with AWS or Azure.
• Understanding of architectural patterns for real-world applications.
• Hands-on experience with data integration and pipeline management.

Responsibilities

• Lead architecture and solution design for digital platforms.
• Translate complex needs into scalable solutions.
• Document current systems and propose improvements.

Skills

Experience designing end-to-end solutions in AWS or Azure

Strong understanding of architectural design patterns

Experience with data platform architecture

Hands-on experience with enterprise architecture tools

Clear communication skills

Education

Certifications in AWS or Azure

Tools

LeanIX

Job description

Overview

The UKHSA Data Design & Architecture (DD&A) team is responsible for supporting data architecture and data solutions across the organisation. We are a small team of solution architects, data architects, and data modellers. We also work closely with other parts of the organisation involved in development and maintenance of infrastructure and software, including Programme Teams, Engineering & Enablement, Surveillance Systems, Data Services & Quality, Genomics, Enterprise Architecture and the Development and Operations team. The DD&A team supervises and actively develops solutions and data architecture which meet both our own and wider strategies and design principles/blueprints. We also work on solution migration, consolidation, transformation, improvement, stabilisation, and decommissioning. We are seeking solution architects with AWS/Azure experience.

This role will be a senior solution architect with direct accountability for specific solutions. As a Senior Solution Architect, you will be responsible for designing and leading the delivery of strategic technology solutions across our hybrid cloud estate (AWS, Azure, and On-Premises environments). You\'ll work closely with delivery teams, data engineers, analysts, and other architects to define how systems should be built, integrated, and secured. You\'ll take end-to-end ownership of solution design for key health data platforms, collaborating with technical teams and senior stakeholders across the organisation. You\'ll focus on practical design, supporting delivery across health data platforms - working on things like secure data pipelines, APIs, HL7 feeds, research datasets, or cloud-based services in Azure & AWS. You will help modernise our architecture, strengthen integration, and ensure that everything we build aligns with best practice, government architecture standards, and our evolving data strategy. It\'s ideal for someone with technical/architectural experience in healthcare, public health, research or University environments who wants to shape how systems work.

We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, where Everyone Matters promoting equality of opportunity to actively encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce. UKHSA ethos is to be an inclusive organisation for all our staff and stakeholders. To create, nurture and sustain an inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our workforce and wider communities. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.

As part of our Solution Architect Team, you\'ll work closely with stakeholders and technology professionals to ensure that DD&A solutions meet the business and technology requirements. You will develop solution designs across AWS, Azure, and on-premises infrastructure, ensuring the most effective use of components which also meet current and future requirements. You will be responsible for ensuring that solutions are properly elaborated and documented, reporting to the Lead Solution Architect on progress, and leading the delivery of solutions on daily stand-ups. You will also co-present these solutions for review to the appropriate governance bodies for approval. When required, you will also support implementation of architecture, lending expertise to ensure any implementation challenges are overcome while aligning to the approved architecture.

Responsibilities

• Lead architecture and solution design for critical digital and data platforms across cloud (AWS, Azure) and hybrid environments.
• Translate complex business needs into practical, secure, and scalable solutions.
• Help document current systems and propose improvements.
• Contribute to architectural diagrams, solution options, and technical write-ups.
• Own and maintain architectural artefacts including solution blueprints, patterns, and decision records using tools like LeanIX and Confluence.
• Present solutions at architecture and governance boards, ensuring alignment to UKHSA principles and the Government Digital Service (GDS) standards.
• Act as a technical design authority during delivery - ensuring implementation aligns with approved designs and can be iterated on effectively.
• Lead architectural input for specific strategic domains, such as:
  • Data Lifecycle management
  • Enterprise data catalogues and metadata platforms
• Master and reference data management.
• Build trusted relationships with enterprise architecture, engineering, DevOps, privacy, and programme teams.
• Gathering, analysing, and documenting requirements for solutions across cloud and on-premises infrastructure.
• Creating and managing solution designs for required solutions.
• Creating design patterns and blueprints for solution architecture.
• Aligning to best practice using TOGAF and Government Digital Services frameworks.
• Identifying opportunities for improvement in current solution architecture.
• Meeting tactical requirements where applicable with strategic thinking.

Senior Responsibilities

• Taking a specific area of accountability on data ecosystem solution architecture, e.g., master data management, reference data management, enterprise data catalogue, metadata.
• Taking a specific area of responsibility in organisation-wide data policies, e.g., data privacy, data archival, data lifecycle management, data processing, data analysis.
• Ensuring specific areas of accountability and responsibility are accurately reflected in Enterprise Data tooling, including LeanIX enterprise architecture diagrams, data solution and data platform reference models, architecture principles, blueprints and implementation patterns.
• Building strong relationships with equal grade counterparts, e.g., enterprise architecture, information management and privacy, engineering and enablement, and DevOps.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Proven experience designing end-to-end solutions in AWS or Azure (Certifications desirable).
• Strong understanding of common architectural design patterns (e.g., layered architecture, event-driven architecture, microservices, serverless, data mesh) and the ability to apply them to real-world solutions.
• Strong understanding of data platform architecture, including pipelines, APIs, and integration patterns.
• Hands-on experience using enterprise architecture tools (e.g., LeanIX).
• Experience translating requirements into detailed designs and blueprints.
• Experience working in complex, matrixed organisations - ideally with public sector, health, or regulated data.
• Comfortable working with delivery teams and stakeholders to translate requirements into working designs.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain technical issues in simple terms.

Desirable criteria:

• Previous experience working with health or research data, Certified Data Management Professional (CDM).
• Experience with integration tools, data pipelines, or ETL platforms.
• Exposure to Solutions/ Data architecture methods.
• Experience working alongside agile delivery teams.
• Involvement in pre-sales or procurement discussions - such as helping scope requirements, reviewing contracts, or supporting responses.

Location & Benefits

Location: Hybrid working based at any of our Core HQs. The role supports a hybrid model with approximately 60% of contractual hours at one of UKHSA\'s core HQs (Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, and London) or at one of our scientific campus sites (Colindale or Porton). Future relocation plans include the National Biosecurity Centre in Harlow, Essex, with phased moves through the mid-2030s to 2038.

Salary & Benefits: £54,416 base salary plus £15,764 towards the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Benefits include learning and development, flexible working options, inclusive culture, and Civil Service pension with employer contribution of 28.97%.

Stage, Security & Eligibility

Stage 1: Application & Sift. You will be assessed on eight essential criteria via the application form and a 1000-word supporting statement. Longlisting/Shortlisting criteria are described in the advert. Stage 2: Interview (success profiles). The behaviours tested include Making Effective Decisions; Communicating and Influencing; Working at Pace; Working Together; Developing Self and Others. This role is open to external applicants. Security clearance required: Basic Personnel Security Standard or Counter-terrorist Check if based at a scientific site. Nationality requirements apply as listed by UKHSA.

Reasonable Adjustments and International Police checks may be requested during recruitment. For more information on the Civil Service Careers and related guidance, visit the UKHSA Careers site.