Associate Director - AI Solutions Architect (Remote - USA)

Cognizant; Salem (OR); Remote; USD 140,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/Dental/Vision/Life Insurance

Paid holidays and PTO

401(k) plan and contributions

Long-term/Short-term Disability

Paid Parental Leave

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Job summary

Cognizant is seeking an Associate Director - AI Solutions Architect to lead enterprise-scale AI modernization initiatives. You will shape architecture roadmaps, implement cloud-native solutions, and drive GenAI transformations across client programs.

In this remote USA role, you will mentor teams, define governance and security practices, and partner with executives to deliver measurable business outcomes leveraging AWS/GCP, Java/Spring Boot, and microservices.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, IT or related field.
• 12+ years of experience in solution/enterprise architecture or tech consulting.
• Hands-on experience with Agentic AI frameworks (LangChain/LangGraph/CrewAI/AutoGen).
• Experience building Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) with vector DBs (Pinecone/Weaviate/Chroma/FAISS).
• Knowledge of LLMs (OpenAI/Anthropic/Google Gemini) and related tooling.
• Experience integrating AI-assisted tools into enterprise programs.
• Deep knowledge of Generative AI governance, security, and scaling.
• Proven ability to deliver AI-enabled enterprise solutions from concept to production.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end solution architecture engagements for AI modernization.
• Drive cloud-native and microservices-based modernization programs.
• Architect and implement AI-enabled enterprise solutions using modern frameworks and architectures.
• Design AI/GenAI roadmaps, POCs, and strategic POVs aligned with business goals.
• Mentor architects and engineering teams to foster innovation and best practices.
• Collaborate with executives to define roadmaps and ensure measurable outcomes.
• Establish governance, security standards, and engineering excellence across programs.

Skills

Solution architecture

Enterprise architecture

Agentic AI

LLMs & AI models

Cloud architecture (AWS/GCP)

Stakeholder management

Programming (Java/Spring Boot)

APIs and microservices

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, IT, or related field

Tools

LangChain

LangGraph

CrewAI

AutoGen

Pinecone

Weaviate

Chroma

FAISS

OpenAI ecosystem

Microsoft Copilot

GitHub Copilot

Job description

Associate Director - AI Solutions Architect (Remote - USA)

Location: Remote

Employment Type: Full-Time

Job ID: 00070552091

About Cognizant

Cognizant is one of the world's leading professional services companies, helping clients modernize technology, reimagine processes, and transform experiences so they can stay ahead in a fast-changing world. We combine deep industry expertise with innovation, engineering excellence, and emerging technologies to deliver measurable business outcomes.

We are seeking an experienced Associate Director - AI Solutions Architect to lead enterprise architecture, cloud modernization, and Generative AI transformation initiatives. This role will serve as a trusted advisor to clients, driving solution strategy, architecture design, and successful delivery of cutting-edge AI-enabled business solutions.

This is a remote position within the United States.

Role Summary

As an Associate Director, you will lead large-scale modernization and AI transformation programs, helping clients leverage cloud-native architectures, Generative AI, Agentic AI, and modern engineering practices to solve complex business challenges. You will work closely with executive stakeholders, architects, engineering teams, and clients to define technology roadmaps, establish best practices, and deliver innovative, scalable solutions.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end solution architecture engagements from discovery, strategy, and design through implementation and business adoption.
• Drive application modernization initiatives, transforming legacy platforms into scalable cloud-native architectures.
• Architect and implement enterprise solutions leveraging AWS, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Java, Spring Boot, microservices, APIs, and event-driven architectures.
• Design and guide the development of Generative AI and Agentic AI solutions using modern AI frameworks, large language models, and vector database technologies.
• Define architecture roadmaps, proof of concepts (POCs), prototypes, and strategic points of view (POVs) that align business goals with technology investments.
• Collaborate directly with client stakeholders to identify opportunities, solve complex business problems, and deliver measurable outcomes.
• Establish architecture standards, governance models, security best practices, and engineering excellence across programs.
• Mentor architects, technology leaders, and engineering teams while fostering innovation and continuous improvement.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Technology, or a related field.
• 12+ years of experience in solution architecture, enterprise architecture, software engineering, or technology consulting.
• Hands-on experience designing and implementing Agentic AI solutions using frameworks such as LangChain, LangGraph, CrewAI, AutoGen, or similar technologies.
• Proven experience building Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) solutions utilizing vector databases such as Pinecone, Weaviate, Chroma, FAISS, or equivalent platforms.
• Strong understanding of Large Language Models (LLMs), including OpenAI, Anthropic Claude, Google Gemini, and related ecosystem technologies.
• Experience integrating AI-assisted tools such as Microsoft Copilot, GitHub Copilot, Claude, and related technologies into enterprise transformation programs.
• Deep knowledge of Generative AI architecture, governance, security, infrastructure planning, scalability, and operational best practices.
• Experience estimating, planning, and delivering AI-driven initiatives, including enterprise-scale deployment and adoption strategies.
• Demonstrated success taking at least one AI-enabled business solution from concept through production deployment.
• Strong experience with AWS and/or GCP cloud platforms, Java, Spring Boot, microservices, and distributed systems architecture.
• Proven ability to engage with executive stakeholders and influence technology strategy.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading large-scale digital transformation or cloud modernization initiatives.
• Experience deploying AI solutions in highly regulated environments.
• AI, Cloud, or Architecture certifications from AWS, Google Cloud, Microsoft, OpenAI, or equivalent providers.
• Experience developing executive-level technology strategies, business cases, and transformation roadmaps.
• Consulting experience supporting Fortune 500 clients.

Salary and Other Compensation

Applicants will be accepted till 10/25/2026

Cognizant will only consider applicants for this position who are legally authorized to work in the United States without company sponsorship.

Please note, this role cannot offer visa transfer or sponsorship now or in the future

The annual salary for this position will be in the range of $140,000 - $160,000 depending on experience and other qualifications of the successful candidate.

This position is also eligible for Cognizant’s discretionary annual incentive program, based on performance and subject to the terms of Cognizant’s applicable plans.

Benefits:

• Medical/Dental/Vision/Life Insurance
• Paid holidays plus Paid Time Off
• 401(k) plan and contributions
• Long-term/Short-term Disability
• Paid Parental Leave
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Disclaimer:

The salary, other compensation, and benefits information is accurate as of the date of this posting. Cognizant reserves the right to modify this information at any time, subject to applicable law.

Our strength is built on our ability to work together. Our diverse backgrounds offer different perspectives and new ways of thinking. It encourages lively discussions, creativity, productivity, and helps us build better solutions for our clients. We want someone who thrives in this setting and is inspired to craft meaningful solutions through true collaboration.

If you are content with ambiguity, excited by change, and excel through autonomy, we’d love to hear from you!

#LI-IK1

Cognizant is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.