Solution Architect

About Gusto

At Gusto, we're on a mission to grow the small business economy. We handle the hard stuff - payroll, health insurance, 401(k)s, and HR - so owners can focus on their craft and their customers. With teams in Denver, San Francisco, and New York, we support more than 500,000 small businesses nationwide and are building a workplace that reflects the people we serve.

All full-time employees receive competitive base pay, benefits, and equity (RSUs) - because everyone who helps build Gusto should share in its success. Offer amounts are determined by role, level, and location. Learn more about our Total Rewards philosophy.

AI is a fundamental part of how work gets done at Gusto. We expect all team members to actively engage with AI tools relevant to their role and grow their fluency as the technology evolves. AI experience requirements vary by role and will be assessed during the interview process.

About the role

A deep technical seat in Solutions Engineering: API and integration architecture, enterprise deal qualification, and the standing partnership with Engineering and Product. You're the single owner for qualification and demo strategy on the highest-MRR, highest-leverage deals, and the escalation point when a teammate hits a genuine product or integration gap rather than a configuration issue. The role spans every route to market, but most people anchor one. Today those split between Gusto Pro and Mid-Market/Franchises/Channel Partnerships. You also set the technical standard for the broader team, mentoring reps as they grow into more senior technical scope.

Here's what you'll do day-to-day

• Own deep technical scoping and all enterprise requests - sole owner of qualification and demo strategy for the most complex opportunities.
• Take the genuine product or integration escalations teammates surface - with reproduction steps and technical context already in hand - and own the resolution path end-to-end.
• Hold a standing partnership with Engineering and Product: surface tooling gaps, feed customer/technical insight into the roadmap, and influence what gets built next.
• Act as SE-side partner in PLO (premium/large-opportunity) management.
• Set the technical standard for the team - coach on deal strategy, complex customer handling, and long-term technical resolution; train new hires and support continuous learning.
• Own the delivery path on every scoped build. Route the work to the right resource, internal or external, hold the timeline, and own the commitment we made to the customer even when you are not the one writing the code.
• Architect and validate integration/API solutions spanning multiple systems - GL mapping, time-tracking stacks, multi-state payroll, and third-party integrations - where the standard playbook doesn't apply.

Here's what we're looking for

• Bachelor's Degree or 7+ years of relevant work experience in a comparable senior technical, solutions-architecture, or implementation role.
• Deep fluency in Salesforce (or a comparable CRM) and Gusto's integration stack - able to diagnose root cause across systems, not just within one.
• Proven ability to scope and resolve genuinely ambiguous technical/API problems, and to tell a real product gap apart from everything downstream of it.
• Track record of designing and implementing complex, integration-heavy solutions for enterprise-level customers.
• Comfort operating as the technical point of contact directly with Engineering and Product, including writing escalations that hold up as real bug reports.
• Demonstrated mentorship - able to set the technical bar for a broader team, not just clear your own queue.

Bonus points

• Payroll Certification.
• Direct experience with API-based or integration-heavy product demos and solution architecture.
• Payroll, tax, or compliance domain knowledge at a systems level.
• Experience with accounting firms, resellers, or partner-channel programs at enterprise scale.
• Proficient in Excel/Google Sheets/SQL for tracking and diagnostics across a large, complex book.

Our OTE cash compensation amount for this role is targeted at $120,000 - 150,000 OTE in Denver & most remote locations. Final offer amounts are determined by multiple factors including candidate location, experience and expertise and may vary from the amounts listed above.

At Gusto, we don't use titles the traditional way, as a signal of rank or hierarchy. Instead, our titles describe two things at once - your craft (what you do, e.g. Engineering, Design) and your scope of ownership (what you're accountable for) - which is why you'll see something like "Head of X" instead of a rank word like "Director" that tells you neither. Because of this, the title on this posting may look different from what you'd expect based on the scope and seniority of the role, and from how similar roles are typically titled elsewhere. If you have questions about how this role compares to your current title or level, your recruiter can help translate.

Gusto has physical office spaces in Denver, San Francisco, and New York City. Employees who are based in those locations will be expected to work from the office on designated days approximately 2-3 days per week (or more depending on role). The same office expectations apply to all Symmetry roles, Gusto's subsidiary, whose physical office is in Scottsdale.

Note: The San Francisco office expectations encompass both the San Francisco and San Jose metro areas. 

When approved to work from a location other than a Gusto office, a secure, reliable, and consistent internet connection is required. This includes non-office days for hybrid employees.

Reliable, consistent presence: We expect regular and predictable attendance, whether you're working in-office, hybrid, or fully remote, so that you stay closely connected to your team, customers, and stakeholders in real time and ensure colleagues and customers receive the timely support and responsiveness they deserve.

Our customers come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds, not just because it's the right thing to do, but because it makes our company stronger. If you share our values and our enthusiasm for small businesses, you will find a home at Gusto. 

Gusto is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate in hiring or any employment decision based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or other applicable legally protected characteristic. Gusto considers qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law. Gusto is also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application procedures. We want to see our candidates perform to the best of their ability. If you require a medical or religious accommodation at any time throughout your candidate journey, please fill out this form and a member of our team will get in touch with you.

Gusto takes security and protection of your personal information very seriously. Please review our Fraudulent Activity Disclaimer.

Personal information collected and processed as part of your Gusto application will be subject to  Gusto's Applicant Privacy Notice.