Job Description
Job Title: Modernization Solutions Architect
Location: London (Hybrid)
Employment Type: Permanent
Hiring Process: 4 stages
About the Role
We are seeking an experienced Modernization Solutions Architect to join a high-impact solutions team focused on transforming legacy systems into scalable, cloud-native architectures. This role involves designing and delivering end-to-end modernization strategies across mainframe, midrange, and distributed environments for global enterprise clients.
Key Responsibilities
* Architect and deliver modernization solutions leveraging latest tools and platforms, including:
* AWS Mainframe Modernization Service, AWS Transform, and IBM Watson Code Assistant for z for automated code analysis, refactoring, and migration.
* Agentic AI-driven modernization accelerators for intelligent code conversion, dependency mapping, and automated testing.
* Independent Software Vendor partner technologies for modernization
* Design architectures incorporating:
* Mainframe ‘In-place modernization and optimization’, and Mainframe ‘Exit-to-Cloud’
* Event-driven architectures (AWS EventBridge, Apache Kafka, IBM MQ) for real-time integration and decoupling.
* Strangler Fig patterns for incremental modernization without disrupting business operations.
* Domain-driven design, microservices, and API-first strategies for scalability and resilience.
* Enable UI/UX modernization using Angular, React, and other front-end frameworks.
* Implement modernization approaches using Java, .NET, and modern frameworks (Spring Boot, .NET Core).
* Integrate DevSecOps pipelines, CI/CD automation, and container orchestration (Kubernetes, OpenShift).
* Advise on best practices for re-factoring, re-platforming, remediation and re-hosting legacy applications using modern frameworks and containerization.
Basic Qualifications
* 10+ years of hands-on technical experience with mainframe systems and technologies such as COBOL, JCL, Assembler, PL/I, RPG, Rexx, CICS, DB2, IMS DB, IMS DC, VSAM, Adabas/Natural
* Experience on distributed client-server architecture systems, with proficiency in technologies such as Java, .NET, and experience with modern front-end frameworks such as Angular, React, Vue.
* Knowledge of cloud migration and modernization approaches and patterns on various hyperscaler platforms such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform, VMWare Tanzu, IBM OpenShift, Oracle Cloud.
Preferred Qualifications
* 15+ years designing architectures for mission-critical, large-scale transaction processing and batch applications on IBM z / IBM i systems.
* Experience with AI-assisted code relearning and conversion tools, automated modernization frameworks, and agentic AI orchestration.
* Familiarity with AWS Mainframe Modernization tools, AWS Transform, IBM Watson Code Assistant for z and similar hyperscaler offerings.
* Knowledge of event-driven architectures, Strangler Fig patterns, and agentic AI-based modernization approaches.
* Hands-on experience with containerization and orchestration platforms (Kubernetes, OpenShift).
* Familiarity with modern application frameworks (Spring Boot, Angular, React, Vue).
* Experience implementing event-driven microservices, API gateways, and serverless architectures.
* Strong understanding of modernization patterns such as Strangler Fig, Domain-Driven Design, and Event Sourcing.