Solution/Technical Architect

Introducing Arcadis Gen

Are you interested in joining a start up with bold global ambitions, that already has the backing of, a €3+ billion revenue, 27000+ person organisation operating in over 70 countries, that has deep market sector insights in collective design, consultancy, engineering, project and management services?

We are creating a new entity focused upon accelerating the investment and development of digital solutions which support the asset lifecycle and will position Arcadis as a digital front runner in the fields of digitized asset management, cities and mobility. Our focus is upon accelerating our ability to bring highly scalable digital propositions quickly and seamlessly to both existing and new Arcadis clients across the globe.

We have a clear vision that will enable us to  rapidly scale our existing digital capabilities and innovate based on the identified underserved demand in the market, by creating industry leading products, platforms and solutions. Our strategy to become more digitally focused has already seen the acquisition of two digital asset management companies to build on our existing digital capabilities from the Arcadis technology division, all of which will form the foundations of this new digital entity.

The Opportunity

The Solution Architect for the Applied Insight platform is responsible for the design of the software and hosting environments for our Software-as-a-Service app hosting platform. The Solution Architect will guide the technical development of the platform, including its interaction with cloud hosting environments, working closely with the Product Manager to ensure that the capabilities of the platform meet business and user requirements. The architect will be a leading figure in the development of the platform, guiding the development team on technical matters. 

The Solution Architect will also work closely with other teams in Gen, including a close collaboration with the team which develops apps for the platform. They will interface with the wider business to provide guidance on future SaaS projects, and provide technical input on cloud hosting and security. The Solution Architect will work with Gen’s existing team of architects on company policies for software development and architecture. 

Core responsibilities include:

System Design and Assurance:  This is the core responsibility for the role. The Architect will produce high level system designs and data structures to satisfy business needs for the platform, whilst working with business stakeholders across several teams to ensure that the solution fits with the strategic goals of the business. They will also ensure the design accounts for cross-cutting concerns, in terms of security, data separation, translation, data sovereignty, ISO 27001, ISO 9001, etc. 

They will work with the Product Manager and Lead Developer to specify product features by writing technical user stories to achieve the desired feature set and will produce prototypes and proofs of concept for software designs. During delivery, they will monitor the developed solution to ensure it matches the desired architecture. 

Technology Selection: The Architect will work closely with the Lead Developer and other members of the Agile delivery team to select appropriate technologies for the platform, and specify the design of public cloud components and infrastructure (including producing cost estimates when new systems or configurations are required). They will pioneer the user of new technologies to keep Gen on the cutting edge, including fostering the use of modern tools for test automation.

Define Standards: The Architect will promote software design patterns and standard ways of development to the software developers. They will be on hand to answer questions and assist with the continuous improvement of the development process. They will play a key part in supporting the Scrum Master in maintaining a healthy DevOps culture. 

Support for App Development Team:  The Architect will work closely with the associated Applied Insight App Factory team (responsible for developing apps which sit on the platform). They will support the integration of the Factory’s apps with the services provided by the platform, as well as guiding best practice among the team.

Collaboration:  Collaborate closely with the multidisciplinary teams within Gen and extend to include partnering with a wide cross section of other groups from academia to start ups and the wider community at large. This role will work closely with wider ecosystem and platform partners to ensure Gen both generously shares and takes advantage of available leverage and synergies, to each party’s mutual benefit. 

Key Deliverables

• Solution and infrastructure designs to meet the business and customer requirements of the platform
• Technology choices to support solution designs and delivery requirements, including cost analysis
• Technical user stories to support functional user stories and features
• Development best practice and process improvements
• Leadership within the team, and across architecture within Gen

Key Relationships, Collaborations and Connections

• This role reports to the Product Manager and Scrum Master, and will partner closely with the Lead Developer. It will be a leadership role within the Agile team of developers, testers and deployment engineers. 
• It will collaborate closely with other Arcadis Gen departments, as well as Arcadis core, most closely connecting with: 
• The App Factory team
• The Gen architects’ forum
• Management and governance functions for the Applied Insight project
• IT and security engineers in other teams
• Deployment engineers within the team and across Gen

What We Are Looking For

The ideal candidate will have a strong background in the design of Software-as-a-Service solutions for mass market applications. A good understanding of cloud hosting and deployment – especially on MS Azure – is vital. A keen interest in the latest technologies is important, to help ensure that the product (as well as Gen in general) stays on the cutting edge. 

More importantly than these technical skills, however, we are looking for someone to be a SaaS architecture leader in Gen, pushing forward the boundaries of what we do, and the standards expected of the developers. The successful candidate will need to be resilient and maintain a positive attitude when faced with challenges, be an excellent problem-solver, and be happy to be out of their comfort zone. They will need to have excellent communication skills, not just at a technical level, but also with more business-focused colleagues. They will not shy away from a challenge and will stand up and be counted. They will never be satisfied, and always look to find the next improvement in what Gen does, and how we do it.

Who Are We?

Our Mantra

At Gen we have a mantra which is to be Bold, Agile and to deliver Accelerated Growth, this focuses our efforts and defines the way in which we will deliver to the market.

Our Spirit

Our spirit, makes us unique, binds us together and sits at the very essence of who we are and how we ‘show’ up.  

• Our fear of failure is mitigated by a thirst for positive disruption.
• We demonstrate intellectual humility – we can admit we are wrong and may change our options often, when new information or insights come to hand.
• We value talent, skill & knowledge but prize agility and adaptability above all else.
• We are optimists believing that we can and we will always find a way…..mindset matters.

Our Drivers

We are motivated and driven by:

• An entrepreneurial spirit and desire to be inventive and free from tight organizational constraints.
• A desire to learn and grow, to push and challenge ourselves and to test the limits of our potential.
• To attempt the extraordinary, motivated to achieve even in the face of set back or obstacle.
• To collaborate, pursuing shared rather than individual goals, believing that we do our best work when we default to ‘open’ rather than ‘closed’. 
• Playing a role in the global stage, leading and influencing the future of our industry and sector and by deeply understanding the needs of our clients.

Leadership at Gen 

Leadership at Gen is not based on principles of power and control but rather on encouraging self-determination, experimentation and creativity. Our leaders actively:

• Encourage experimentation: The role of a leader is not to reduce risks or prevent failures, but to create an environment resilient enough to take these risks and handle the missteps.
• Instill trust: Silos are the enemy of agility, to be truly agile requires foundations built on trust, discipline and single-minded focus, collaboration and transparency are essential to success.
• Cultivate diversity of thought: Believe that different views, healthy debate and respectful conflict are good things, they are the catalysts for creativity & will fuel our innovation

Who is Arcadis

ARCADIS is the leading global natural and built asset design and consultancy firm working in partnership with our clients to deliver exceptional and sustainable outcomes through the application of design, consultancy, engineering, project and management services. ARCADIS differentiates through its talented and passionate people and its unique combination of capabilities covering the whole asset life cycle, its deep market sector insights and its ability to integrate health & safety and sustainability into the design and delivery of solutions across the globe. We are a multi-billion business that employees 27,000+ people globally.  We support UN-Habitat with knowledge and expertise to improve the quality of life in rapidly growing cities around the world. Please visit: www.arcadis.com

Equal Opportunity Statement

The community of the future is a place for everyone, and Arcadis is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All employment is based on merit and business need.