Senior Solutions Architect – Mission Systems/Defence & Complex System
Bristol Hybrid
If you’re a true engineering problem-solver — not a product seller — this is where your work will actually matter.
We’re looking for a Senior Solutions Architect to help design and deliver mission-critical capabilities in some of the most demanding operational environments. These are not traditional enterprise systems. This is engineering at the tactical edge — where infrastructure is unreliable, communications are contested, and the stakes are real.
The Opportunity
You’ll work at the front end of complex challenges, partnering directly with customers to take ambiguous, high-stakes problems and turn them into deployable, real-world solutions.
This is about:
* Architecting systems from first principles, not fitting pre-built products
* Working in denied, degraded, and austere environments
* Designing solutions that enable secure data flow, situational awareness, and decision advantage
* Turning raw signals into actionable insight for users on the ground
You’ll shape concepts early, stand them up quickly, then evolve them into robust, production-ready systems.
What We’re Looking For
We’re not looking for sales-led solution architects or “bums on seats” operators.
We’re looking for technical heavy hitters — people who:
* Can deconstruct complex, ill-defined problems and build solutions from the ground up
* Bring credible engineering depth, backed by hands-on delivery experience
* Are confident engaging customers because they genuinely understand the technical space
* Can challenge thinking, outmanoeuvre competition, and hold their own in deep architectural conversations
Ideal Background
You’ll likely come from one of the following:
* A Chief Engineer / Chief Architect role in a high-performing SME
* A senior engineering leadership role in a large programme environment, with exposure to bids, capture, or early-stage solutioning
And you’ll bring:
* Strong systems thinking across complex, integrated architectures
* Experience delivering solutions in regulated or assurance-heavy environments (defence ideal, but not essential)
* A track record of personally architecting and delivering real systems, not just advising
What You’ll Be Doing
* Shaping and architecting solutions to win new work
* Rapidly standing up initial capabilities, then iterating and refining
* Designing with assurance, governance, and deployment realities in mind from day one
* Translating complex architectures clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders
What Really Matters
* What have you actually built?
* What solutions have you personally architected and delivered?
* Do you thrive on solving hard, ambiguous problems?
We’re looking for people who care deeply about their craft — engineers who want to have real impact, not drift into sales.
Why This Role
* Work on mission-critical systems that directly impact operational outcomes
* Be part of a team where engineering excellence is the core identity
* Solve problems where there is no predefined answer
If you’re at your best when things are complex, undefined, and technically demanding — we’d love to hear from you.
Apply or reach out for a confidential conversation.
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