Principal Solution Architect
First seen by Alion on Sep 21, 2026.
Role Overview:
We are looking for a hands-on Principal Solution Architect who combines strong software engineering expertise with client-facing consulting and architectural leadership.
The role involves working with senior client stakeholders, designing scalable cloud-native platforms, guiding global engineering teams, driving GenAI adoption and modernizing complex legacy applications.
Key Responsibilities:
- Design and architect scalable, resilient cloud-native enterprise applications and platforms.
- Stay hands-on with architecture, POCs, code reviews, microservices, APIs, databases and messaging systems.
- Act as a trusted technical advisor to CTOs, CIOs, CPOs and senior technology/product leaders.
- Understand business requirements and translate them into scalable technology solutions and long-term architecture roadmaps.
- Lead build-vs-buy decisions and communicate architectural trade-offs to business and technical stakeholders.
- Lead and mentor distributed engineering teams across global locations.
- Drive adoption of Generative AI, LLMs and AI-assisted development across the software development lifecycle.
- Lead modernization of legacy applications, including monolith-to-microservices transformations.
- Troubleshoot complex production issues and conduct deep-dive root-cause analysis.
- Establish best practices around cloud architecture, DevOps, CI/CD, security, scalability and reliability.
- Collaborate with sales/pre-sales teams on technical proposals, solutioning and client presentations.
Required Skills:
- 15+ years of software engineering / technology experience.
- Strong progression from Software Engineer - Architect - Solution/Enterprise/Principal Architect.
- 8+ years of client-facing consulting/advisory experience.
- Strong experience with Java/Spring Boot, .NET Core or Python.
- Hands-on experience with Microservices and distributed systems.
- Strong knowledge of Kafka/RabbitMQ and event-driven architecture.
- Experience with SQL and NoSQL databases.
- Strong exposure to AWS, Azure or GCP.
- Experience with Docker and Kubernetes.
- Knowledge of Terraform / CloudFormation or other Infrastructure-as-Code tools.
- Strong API and cloud-native architecture experience.
- Experience leading global/distributed engineering teams.
- Practical knowledge of GenAI/LLM technologies such as OpenAI API, LangChain or LlamaIndex.
- Excellent communication and executive stakeholder management skills.
Education:
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering or a related STEM discipline is required.
- Master's degree in Computer Science/Engineering or MCA is preferred.
- AWS/Azure Solutions Architect or TOGAF certification would be an advantage.
Preferred:
- Experience in EdTech / digital learning platforms.
- Exposure to standards such as LTI, QTI, Ed-Fi or CEDS.
- Experience working with large US-based enterprises, universities, publishers or technology companies.
Skills
Solution Architect, Solution Design