Hybrid Senior Systems Architect - Cloud & Scalable Infra

Placements24; Upington; On-site; ZAR 1,500,000 - 1,900,000; Full time

Job summary

Placements24 seeks an experienced Principal Systems Architect for its Upington, Northern Cape operations. The role defines the enterprise architecture for mission-critical systems and guides architects and engineering teams to deliver scalable, secure solutions aligned with business goals.

The ideal candidate brings 10+ years in systems architecture, strong infrastructure and hybrid cloud experience, and a track record of architectural leadership across large-scale enterprises.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• 10+ years of experience in systems architecture, design, and implementation.
• Proven experience architecting large-scale, complex enterprise systems.
• Strong understanding of infrastructure (servers, storage, networking), operating systems, and virtualization.
• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and hybrid cloud architectures.
• Knowledge of enterprise software integration patterns and technologies (e.g

Responsibilities

• Define and oversee the enterprise-wide systems architecture strategy.
• Lead the design of complex, scalable, and highly available systems.
• Establish architectural principles, standards, and best practices for system design and implementation.
• Collaborate with business leaders and IT stakeholders to understand strategic requirements.
• Evaluate and recommend technologies, platforms, and solutions.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to architects and engineering teams.
• Conduct architectural reviews and ensure compliance with security and operational standards.
• Identify and manage technical risks and dependencies.
• Oversee the integration of various systems and applications.
• Stay abreast of emerging technologies and industry trends in systems architecture.

Skills

Enterprise architecture

Cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP)

Leadership/mentoring

Infrastructure & virtualization

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related technical discipline

Job description

Our client, a prominent organization in the mining and resources sector, is seeking a highly experienced Principal Systems Architect to join their advanced technology division in Upington, Northern Cape . This senior role is responsible for defining the overarching architecture of complex, mission-critical systems that support the company's extensive operations. You will provide strategic technical leadership, guide solution architects and engineering teams, and ensure that systems are scalable, reliable, secure, and aligned with business objectives. The Principal Systems Architect will play a key role in technology selection, architectural reviews, and driving innovation across the IT landscape. This position demands a deep understanding of enterprise architecture, infrastructure, software integration, and operational best practices. This is an exceptional opportunity to influence the technological direction of a major industry player.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and oversee the enterprise-wide systems architecture strategy.
• Lead the design of complex, scalable, and highly available systems.
• Establish architectural principles, standards, and best practices for system design and implementation.
• Collaborate with business leaders and IT stakeholders to understand strategic requirements.
• Evaluate and recommend technologies, platforms, and solutions.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to architects and engineering teams.
• Conduct architectural reviews and ensure compliance with security and operational standards.
• Identify and manage technical risks and dependencies.
• Oversee the integration of various systems and applications.
• Stay abreast of emerging technologies and industry trends in systems architecture.

Requirements

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• 10+ years of experience in systems architecture, design, and implementation.
• Proven experience architecting large-scale, complex enterprise systems.
• Strong understanding of infrastructure (servers, storage, networking), operating systems, and virtualization.
• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and hybrid cloud architectures.
• Knowledge of enterprise software integration patterns and technologies (e.g