Forward Deployed AI Architect

International Business Machines Corporation; Boston (MA); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

IBM Consulting is seeking an experienced AI transformation leader to shape enterprise AI roadmaps and govern AI programs. You will partner with executives, design scalable AI architectures, and guide teams through discovery to deployment across client environments.

Lead workshops, define business outcomes, and ensure secure, production-ready AI solutions that align with client goals and governance standards.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in enterprise or solution architecture, software engineering, or tech consulting.
• Experience linking technology solutions to measurable business outcomes.
• Proven ability to lead workshops, discovery engagements, and transformation programs.

Responsibilities

• Partner with executives to define AI transformation strategies and roadmaps.
• Identify AI opportunities to improve business processes and automation.
• Design scalable, secure AI solutions aligned to business goals.
• Lead cross-functional teams through discovery, architecture, and deployment.
• Govern AI practices across engagements with governance and security.
• Serve as trusted advisor on AI strategy and operating models.
• Assess client challenges and drive AI-driven innovation.
• Facilitate workshops, envisioning sessions, and transformation planning.
• Define outcomes, KPIs, and value realization roadmaps.
• Architect end-to-end AI-enabled enterprise solutions.

Skills

Agentic AI & Multi-Agent Systems

Generative AI & LLM Apps

Retrieval Augmented Generation

Vector Databases

AI Orchestration Frameworks

Enterprise Integration Architecture

APIs & Microservices

Cloud Platforms (Azure, AWS, GC)

Kubernetes/OpenShift

AI Governance & Security

Job description

Introduction

A career in IBM Consulting is built on long-term client relationships and close collaboration worldwide. You’ll work with leading companies across industries, helping them shape their hybrid cloud and AI journeys. With support from our strategic partners, robust IBM technology, and Red Hat, you’ll have the tools to drive meaningful change and accelerate client impact. At IBM Consulting, curiosity fuels success. You’ll be encouraged to challenge the norm, explore new ideas, and create innovative solutions that deliver real results. Our culture of growth and empathy focuses on your long-term career development while valuing your unique skills and experiences.

Your role and responsibilities

• Partner with executive stakeholders, business leaders, and technology teams to define AI transformation strategies and roadmaps.

• Identify opportunities to improve business processes through AI, automation, and intelligent agents.

• Design scalable, secure, and production-ready AI solutions aligned to business objectives.

• Lead cross-functional teams through discovery, architecture, implementation, and adoption phases.

• Drive measurable value realization through AI-powered business transformation.

• Establish governance, security, and responsible AI practices across engagements.

• Serve as a trusted advisor to clients on AI strategy, operating model transformation, and enterprise adoption.

• Assess client business challenges and identify opportunities for AI-driven innovation.

• Facilitate executive workshops, solution envisioning sessions, and transformation planning activities.

• Define business outcomes, KPIs, value realization frameworks, and transformation roadmaps.

• Design AI-native operating models that combine human and digital workers.

• Develop AI reference architectures and reusable solution patterns.

• Guide clients from initial AI pilots through enterprise-scale deployment and adoption.

• Coach stakeholders and delivery teams on AI best practices and governance standards.

• Collaborate closely with client executives, product owners, business process leaders, and engineering teams.

• Translate business requirements into scalable AI and enterprise architecture solutions.

• Architect end-to-end solutions leveraging:

• Agentic AI & Multi-Agent Systems

• Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG)

• Knowledge Management Platforms

• Intelligent Workflow Automation

• Conversational AI & Digital Assistants

• AI-Powered Business Process Transformation

• Define integration architectures connecting enterprise applications, data platforms, APIs, and AI services.

• Establish AI governance frameworks, security controls, human-in-the-loop processes, and operational guardrails.

• Present technical and business solutions to both executive and technical audiences.

• Build and validate proof-of-concepts (POCs), prototypes, and minimum viable products (MVPs).

• Provide hands‑on leadership during solution implementation and deployment.

• Partner with engineering teams to solve complex technical challenges and integration issues.

• Define architecture standards, reusable accelerators, and implementation best practices.

• Implement monitoring, observability, evaluation, and governance mechanisms for AI systems.

• Ensure solutions are scalable, secure, compliant, and production‑ready.

• Measure business outcomes and continuously optimize AI solutions for adoption and value realization.

"Hybrid: Your work location of City, State was assigned based on business need and currently your role designated as a hybrid role. Hybrid roles are expected to perform their primary duties from a combination of IBM location, client sites or work at home. The required number of days to be in the office is to be determined by your management team. Any changes to this work arrangement must be preapproved by your manager before any changes are made. This Job can be performed from anywhere in the US."

Required technical and professional expertise

Required Technical and Professional Expertise

Technical Expertise

• 8+ years of experience in enterprise architecture, solution architecture, software engineering, technology consulting, or related fields.

• Strong experience with:

• Agentic AI and Multi-Agent Systems

• Generative AI and LLM Applications

• Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG)

• Vector Databases

• AI Orchestration Frameworks

• Enterprise Integration Architecture

• APIs, Microservices, and Event‑Driven Architectures

• Cloud Platforms (Azure, AWS, Google Cloud)

• Kubernetes/OpenShift

• AI Governance, Security, and Responsible AI

Professional Expertise

• Experience leading large-scale digital, cloud, or AI transformation initiatives.

• Strong executive communication and stakeholder management skills.

• Proven ability to connect technology solutions to measurable business outcomes.

• Experience leading workshops, discovery engagements, and transformation programs.

• Ability to operate effectively in ambiguous, fast‑paced, client‑facing environments.

Preferred technical and professional experience

Preferred Technical Experience

• Hands‑on experience with:

• Azure OpenAI Service

• AWS Bedrock

• Google Vertex AI

• LangChain

• LlamaIndex

• Semantic Kernel

• MCP (Model Context Protocol)

• AI Evaluation & Observability Platforms

• Workflow Automation Platforms

• Data Platforms such as Databricks and Snowflake

Preferred Professional Experience

• Management consulting or technology advisory background.

• Experience delivering AI transformation programs in Financial Services, Healthcare, Public Sector, Manufacturing, or Retail industries.

• Experience establishing AI Centers of Excellence (CoE).

• Product management, startup, or innovation experience.

• Demonstrated success driving enterprise adoption of AI solutions and scaling from pilot to production.

• Track record of influencing executive stakeholders and leading organizational change.

IBM is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal‑opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, caste, genetics, pregnancy, disability, neurodivergence, age, veteran status, or other characteristics. IBM is also committed to compliance with all fair employment practices regarding citizenship and immigration status.