Solution Architect

At Digital Forms we help mid-sized service businesses go through digital transformation — part consulting, part building the software ourselves. That mix is the job: understanding what a client actually needs, then designing something real enough to ship. As a Solution Architect, you're the person who turns messy business problems into a clear technical plan. You'll sit in discovery workshops, dig into the client's existing systems and APIs, weigh up the options, and decide how a new system should be built — then make sure it actually gets built that way. It's senior, it's client-facing, and it stays technical. You won't disappear into slide decks: you stay close to the code, you talk directly to our clients, and you own your design from the first conversation through to production. Responsibilities Get to the bottom of what the client needs, and turn it into architecture that scales and survives contact with reality Design the system and choose the stack for new builds Stay hands-on — write and review production code, and prototype when a design needs proving rather than describing Look at existing systems and APIs and call what's reusable, what's a dead end, and what needs replacing Work shoulder-to-shoulder with client stakeholders, product owners, and developers Document the architecture clearly enough that the team can build from it Keep the technical direction consistent and feasible as things evolve Guide the implementation team and be the person they bring the hard calls to Run client workshops and technical discovery sessions Hard Skills: 7+ years in software delivery, with at least 3 spent as a Solution Architect or senior backend / technical lead 5+ years actually writing production code (not just designing or reviewing it) in Python, Node.js, Java, or Kotlin Real hands-on time with AWS or Azure Comfortable with API design, event-driven architecture (Kafka, SQS, or RabbitMQ), and microservices / integration patterns At home with both relational and NoSQL databases Able to read API docs and judge integration options for yourself Experience building custom software, not just wiring up SaaS tools Solid grasp of how software gets shipped (Agile, DevOps) Soft Skills: You've run workshops and architecture reviews directly with external clients — and US/UK clients won't be new territory Business-level English, spoken and written (C1+); you can hold the room with international clients Happy to keep CET-overlapping hours so you're there when the client is You can explain a technical trade-off to someone non-technical without losing them Analytical, pragmatic, and you take ownership rather than waiting to be told Client-oriented and adaptable