Lead Integration Architect (SOA / Cloud) – Paying between £600 to £700 Per Day, Inside IR35, Hybrid Working, Based near Oxford, 12 Month Contract, To Start ASAP
Your newpany
We are a nationally significant scientific and engineering organisation operating within one of the mostplex technical environments in the UK. As part of our long‑term digital modernisation, we are moving away from legacy monolithic applications and establishing a cloud‑based, service‑oriented ecosystem. This shift is essential to supporting the future of our experimental workflows, data services and operational capabilities. As the transition progresses, a major challenge has emerged, while the services now exist in the cloud, they have not yet been shaped into a coherent, well‑designed service architecture. Interoperability, service boundaries,munication patterns and data flow design all require firm direction. We are now looking for a Software Architect with deep SOA expertise to define the foundations of this environment, set the standards and guide our teams toward a mature, scalable and future‑proof architecture.
Your new role
This is a role for an architect who is passionate about Service‑Oriented Architecture and has the experience to turn a fragmented system landscape into a unified distributed ecosystem. You will begin by gaining a deep understanding of the current architecture, identifying how services have been implemented, how they interact and where legacy monolithic behaviours are still influencing design. You will explore architectural gaps, risks and technical debt, forming a clear view of the changes needed to achieve a consistent, interoperable service environment. Your focus will be on shaping and maturing the organisation’s SOA. You will define how servicesmunicate, how data moves across the environment and how service boundaries should be drawn. You will determine whether a message bus or event driven architecture is appropriate, and you will examine theplex mix of real‑time, configuration and scientific data to establish reliable and predictable data flow patterns. Throughout the assignment, you will develop the next level of architectural detail, diagrams, logical models,munication patterns, service contracts, API standards and integration principles. You will work closely with engineers, product teams and scientific stakeholders to ensure every service is aligned to SOA best practice and built on a foundation of scalability, clarity and long‑term sustainability. Your ability to challenge assumptions, lead architectural conversations and provide clear direction will be central to moving the organisation confidently into a service‑oriented future.
What you'll need to succeed
You are an experienced Architect with a track record of designing anderning service‑oriented or microservice‑based systems. You understand distributed system design, messaging, data interoperability and the practical realities of breaking down monolithic patterns. You arefortable evaluatingmunication protocols, establishing service contracts, defining service boundaries and designing integration approaches that balance performance, resilience and maintainability. You are equally confident guiding development teams, influencing stakeholders and navigating environments where the architectural direction is not yet fully defined.
What you'll get in return
Alongside apetitive daily rate, you will have the opportunity to shape the architectural foundation of one of the UK’s most advanced scientific and engineering environments. Your work will influence how servicesmunicate, how data flows, how systems grow and how the organisation evolves technically for years toe. You will be part of a forward thinking, engineering‑focused culture where your architectural leadership will have both immediate impact and long term strategic importance.