AI Solutions Architect

Harvard University; Massachusetts; Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous paid time off

Medical, dental, vision coverage

Job summary

Harvard University IT invites an experienced AI Solutions Architect to join the CADM/HUIT ecosystem. You will lead opportunity discovery, define outcomes with faculty and staff, and steer architecture across AI platforms from prototype to production.

You will collaborate with engineers and researchers to design secure, scalable AI solutions aligned with university data, privacy, and governance policies. Harvard emphasizes hybrid work and professional growth within a mission-driven IT community.

Qualifications

• Minimum seven years’ post-secondary education or relevant work experience.
• Five+ years of experience in software development or solutions architecture.
• Two+ years hands-on experience with AI/ML platforms, LLMs, or applied AI tooling.
• Proficiency with AI/ML frameworks and APIs, including LLM integration, retrieval/grounding, prompt design, and evaluation.
• Strong writing and communication skills for technical and executive audiences.

Responsibilities

• Engage faculty, researchers, and staff across FAS to identify AI opportunities and define outcomes.
• Lead requirements, tool selection, and design solutions per established patterns and University data, security, and privacy policy.
• Scope problem statements and lead rapid prototyping (AI platforms, APIs, low-code/no-code).
• Assess sustainability including cost, security, maintenance, service-owner capacity, and acceptance criteria.
• Own governance relationships (security, privacy, data governance) and secure approvals for prototypes to become services.
• Communicate across all levels of technical fluency and lead stakeholder alignment throughout delivery.
• Document architectures, decisions, and trade-offs for future maintenance.

Skills

Software architecture

AI/ML platforms

LLMs integration

Rapid prototyping

Cross-functional communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or related field

Job description

By working at Harvard University, you join a vibrant community that advances Harvard's world-changing mission in meaningful ways, inspires innovation and collaboration, and builds skills and expertise. We are dedicated to creating a diverse and welcoming environment where everyone can thrive.

Why join Harvard University Central Administration?

Harvard University's Central Administration (CADM) is a 5,000+ employee organization that supports the university's overall excellence by understanding and serving the needs of its schools, students, faculty, staff, alumni, and surrounding communities. Through dynamic and collaborative partnerships, CADM provides high-quality and efficient services to the schools to help them achieve their goals.

Harvard University Information Technology (HUIT) is a community of Information Technology professionals committed to understanding our users and devoted to making it easier for faculty, students, and staff to teach, research, learn, and work through the effective use of information technology. We are recruiting an IT workforce that has both breadth in their ability to collaborate and innovate across disciplines – and depth in specific areas of expertise. HUIT offers opportunities for IT professionals to learn and work in a unique technology landscape and service-focused environment. If you are a technically proficient, nimble, user-focused and accountable IT professional who also connects with the importance of collaborating well in a team environment we are looking for you!

More About HUIT:

Our Mission: huit.harvard.edu/about

We empower the Harvard community with essential and transformative technologies to advance education, knowledge, and discovery.

HUIT’s core values are:

• Human-centered


• University-focused


• Innovation-driven


• Team-oriented

IT Academy (designed for IT Staff):

HUIT’s IT Academy aims to enable each IT staff person to grow professionally and become a trusted partner to her or his team. The IT Academy is built on the belief that every IT staff member across the University (including technology employees at each school and campus) can grow in her or his area of expertise as well as building strong people and project management skills. Learn more here: https://itacademy.harvard.edu/.

The AI Solutions Architect serves as a critical link between the FAS community and the rapidly evolving landscape of AI capabilities. The Architect leads opportunity discovery, problem definition, stakeholder alignment, and overall solution architecture. Working as a paired team, both the Architect and AI Solutions Engineer contribute hands-on from prototype through product delivery. The Architect contributes to implementation, testing, demonstrations, and production transition; the Engineer holds primary responsibility for detailed engineering, deployment, reliability, and operational readiness. The Architect ensures a clear path to secure, sustainable support.

Job-specific Responsibilities:

• Engage faculty, researchers, and staff across FAS to identify and frame AI opportunities and define intended outcomes.


• Lead requirements and tool selection, and design solutions per established patterns and University data, security, and privacy policy.


• Scope problem statements and lead rapid prototyping (AI platforms, APIs, low-code/no-code), partnering with the Engineer to put working software in front of stakeholders early.


• Assess sustainability - including cost, security, maintenance, service-owner capacity - and define readiness and acceptance criteria..


• Own the governance relationship (security, privacy, accessibility, data-governance, research computing) and secure the approvals that turn prototypes into supported services.


• Communicate across all levels of technical fluency and lead stakeholder alignment throughout delivery.


• Document architectures, decisions, and trade-offs so others can maintain and extend the work.


• Track the evolving AI landscape and lead evidence-based recommendations on readiness, capability, risk, cost, and fit.


• Contribute hands-on to implementation, testing, demos, and production transition, with the Engineer primary on detailed engineering and operations.


• Partner with HUIT's AI Innovation team to evaluate emerging capabilities and lead user-value prototyping.

Basic Qualifications:

Basic Qualifications are the minimum threshold a candidate must meet in order to be considered for this role.

• Minimum of seven years’ post-secondary education or relevant work experience

Additional Qualifications and Skills:

The following qualifications are strongly preferred. If you meet some, but not all, you are still encouraged to apply; we value employees with a willingness to learn.

• 5+ years of experience in software development or solutions architecture


• 2+ years of hands‑on experience with AI/ML platforms, LLMs, or applied AI tooling


• Proficiency with AI/ML frameworks and APIs, including LLM integration, retrieval/grounding, prompt design, and evaluation


• Experience rapidly prototyping through spec-driven development and agentic coding tools


• Strong communication across technical and non-technical audiences


• Systems thinking focused on privacy, integration, and maintainability


• Strong analytical reasoning and systems thinking


• Excellent writing and communication skills, including synthesizing complex, technical information for both technical and executive audiences


• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent experience

• Hybrid: This position operates in a standard hybrid office/remote environment. Occasional on-campus presence may be required to support production systems and collaborate with HUIT and FAS teams.


• Visa Sponsorship Information: Harvard University is unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position


• Pre-Employment Screening: Identity


• Other Information:
  This position has an 180-day orientation and review period.

Work Format Details

This position has been determined by school or unit leaders that some of the duties and responsibilities can be effectively performed at a non-Harvard location. The work schedule and location will be set by the department at its discretion and based upon operational needs. When not working at a Harvard or Harvard-designated location, employees in hybrid positions must work in a Harvard registered state in compliance with the University’s Policy on Employment Outside of Massachusetts. Additional details will be discussed during the interview process. Certain visa types and funding sources may limit work location. Individuals must meet work location sponsorship requirements prior to employment.

Salary Grade and Ranges

This position is salary grade level 059. Please visit Harvard's Salary Ranges to view the corresponding salary range and related information.

Benefits

Harvard offers a comprehensive benefits package that is designed to support a healthy work-life balance and your physical, mental and financial wellbeing. Because here, you are what matters. Our benefits include, but are not limited to:

• Generous paid time off including parental leave


• Medical, dental, and vision health insurance coverage starting on day one


• Retirement plans with university contributions


• Wellbeing and mental health resources


• Support for families and caregivers


• Professional development opportunities including tuition assistance and reimbursement


• Commuter benefits, discounts and campus perks

Learn more about these and additional benefits on our Benefits & Wellbeing Page.

EEO/Non-Discrimination Commitment Statement

Harvard University is committed to equal opportunity and non-discrimination. We seek talent from all parts of society and the world, and we strive to ensure everyone at Harvard thrives. Our differences help our community advance Harvard's academic purposes.

Harvard has an equal employment opportunity policy that outlines our commitment to prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, religion, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or identified in the university's non-discrimination policy. Harvard's equal employment opportunity policy and non-discrimination policy help all community members participate fully in work and campus life free from harassment and discrimination.