Principal Systems Architect

Placements24; Centurion; Hybrid; ZAR 1,800,000 - 2,400,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote work

Performance bonuses

Health & wellness benefits

Professional development budget

Work-life balance

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Principal Systems Architect to lead architectural strategy for large-scale telecom systems in a fully remote role across South Africa. You will guide design decisions ensuring robustness, scalability, and performance, and mentor senior engineers and architects.

The ideal candidate has 12+ years in systems architecture, deep experience with distributed and high-availability systems, and strong leadership skills to collaborate with product and engineering leaders.

Qualifications

• 12+ years in systems architecture, large-scale complexity preferred.
• Experience designing distributed, high-availability and real-time systems.
• Strong understanding of networking and telecommunications infrastructure.
• Experience with cloud-native architectures and microservices.
• Leadership, stakeholder management, and agile/DevOps familiarity.

Responsibilities

• Define and evolve architectural strategy for major telecom systems.
• Lead design and development of scalable, high-performance architectures.
• Establish principles, standards, and best practices across teams.
• Translate business requirements into technical solutions with stakeholders.
• Mentor senior engineers and architects.

Skills

Distributed systems

High-availability

Real-time processing

Networking protocols

Cloud-native

Microservices

Linux/Unix

Databases

Middleware

Leadership

Education

Master's degree in Computer Science / Electrical Engineering

Tools

Kubernetes

Docker

Cloud platforms (AWS/Azure/GCP)

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a global leader in telecommunications technology, is seeking an experienced Principal Systems Architect for a fully remote position. This high-impact role will drive the architectural vision for complex, large-scale systems that underpin critical network infrastructure. You will be responsible for defining standards, guiding design decisions, and ensuring the robustness, scalability, and performance of our core systems. The ideal candidate is a forward-thinking technologist with a proven track record in architecting intricate solutions and a passion for innovation. This is an exceptional opportunity to shape the future of telecommunications technology from anywhere in South Africa , working within a highly collaborative and expert team.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and evolve the architectural strategy for major telecommunications systems and platforms.
• Lead the design and development of scalable, reliable, and high-performance system architectures.
• Establish architectural principles, standards, and best practices across engineering teams.
• Collaborate with product management, engineering leads, and stakeholders to translate business requirements into technical solutions.
• Conduct in-depth technical reviews and provide architectural guidance on complex projects.
• Evaluate and recommend new technologies and methodologies to enhance system capabilities.
• Identify and mitigate architectural risks and dependencies.
• Mentor and coach senior engineers and architects.
• Drive innovation in system design to address future market needs and challenges.
• Ensure architectural alignment with security, compliance, and operational excellence goals.

Requirements

• Minimum of 12 years of experience in systems architecture, with a significant portion focused on large-scale, complex systems, preferably in telecommunications or related fields.
• Proven expertise in designing distributed systems, high-availability architectures, and real-time processing.
• Deep understanding of networking protocols, network architecture, and telecommunications infrastructure.
• Experience with cloud-native architectures and microservices.
• Strong knowledge of various operating systems (Linux/Unix), databases, and middleware.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and strategic thinking skills.
• Exceptional communication, leadership, and stakeholder management abilities.
• Experience with agile development methodologies and DevOps practices.
• Relevant certifications in architecture or specific technologies are advantageous.
• Master's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related discipline.

Benefits

This fully remote role offers a highly competitive salary, performance bonuses, and comprehensive health and wellness benefits. Our client provides a generous budget for professional development, including training, conferences, and certifications. You will have the opportunity to work on cutting-edge technology, collaborate with industry experts, and make a significant impact from the convenience of your home office. We foster a culture that encourages innovation, continuous learning, and a healthy work-life balance for all our remote employees.