V05993 - solution architect - on-prem design lead/solution architect

Job Description

Solution Architect – On-Prem Design Lead
Warton
7-Month Contract
£71.28 per hour (PAYE)
2–3 Days Onsite at Warton and 1 week in 4 working at Reading site

We are seeking two highly experienced Solution Architects to join a defence-focused programme at BAE Systems, supporting the design and delivery of a complex on-premises technical solution within a secure enterprise environment.

The Opportunity
You will work as part of a wider architecture team to design and implement VMware-based on-premises solutions supporting mission-critical defence capabilities. The role requires strong technical leadership, hands-on design capability and the ability to operate within a secure-by-design framework.

Key Responsibilities

Design and architect on-premises VMware-based infrastructure solutions

Contribute to the definition and delivery of virtual desktop environments, including support for engineering tools such as CAD and PLM

Support implementation and migration activities within secure data centre environments

Provide consultancy and technical leadership within a team of architects

Ensure solutions adhere to secure-by-design principles and defence security standards

Troubleshoot and optimise platform performance and resilience

Work closely with stakeholders including contractors, government stakeholders and internal IT teams

About You
We are looking for an experienced architect with strong on-prem infrastructure and enterprise solution design capability.

You will have:

Strong experience designing and delivering on-premises solutions

Deep knowledge of data centre architecture including compute, storage and networking

Hands-on experience with VMware environments (including VMware Cloud Foundation desirable)

Experience with Microsoft enterprise collaboration tools in on-prem environments

Experience delivering virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI), ideally supporting engineering workloads (CAD/PLM)

Strong understanding of secure-by-design principles and defence-grade security requirements

Experience working in complex, multi-stakeholder environments

Key Skills

Enterprise architecture alignment and solution design

Strong analytical and problem-solving capability

Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills

Ability to operate within distributed, cross-functional teams

Experience producing high-quality technical documentation

Ability to manage multiple priorities in a high-pressure environment

Additional Information
This role operates within a highly secure defence environment. All applicants must meet BPSS requirements, with SC clearance in progress. Eligibility is subject to UK residency and security vetting conditions.