Principal Data Architect

In this Principal Architect for Data & AI role at Kainos, you’ll lead the delivery of modern data and AI solutions across multiple customers. You’ll set technical direction with senior stakeholders, mentor architects and engineers, and shape policy and standards. You’ll ensure multi‑team guidance aligns with business outcomes while advancing innovative approaches. This is a chance to drive impactful, scalable data/AI work in a people‑centred, inclusive culture.

• Lead the design and productionising of data/AI solutions across multiple customers
• Manage and mentor architects and engineers, guiding career development
• Provide assurance to multi‑skilled agile teams on outcomes, complexity and design implications
• Influence policy, standards, and customer relationships; develop account strategies
• Advise on new technologies and approaches; foster knowledge sharing and growth
• Promote an inclusive, creative culture with a focus on wellbeing within teams

• Broad knowledge of current and emerging data/AI technologies (IoT, edge processing, event-driven architectures, serverless, various data stores, cognitive services, machine learning)
• Proven experience designing, building and productionising modern data/AI applications (distributed and scalable)
• Experience with public cloud data platforms (AWS, Azure or GCP) including IaaS, SaaS, and PaaS
• Experience with data integration techniques (messaging, queues, CDC, data virtualization)
• Ability to prioritise customer concerns and balance deadlines with non-functional requirements
• Commercial awareness and ability to consider business implications of decisions
• Motivate and empower teams to build an inclusive, high‑performing culture

• Gravitas and ability to influence senior stakeholders
• Clear, persuasive communication
• Mentorship and people leadership
• Data/AI technologies (IoT, edge, event-driven, serverless, data stores, cognitive services, ML)
• Distributed systems design and productionising data/AI applications
• Public cloud platforms: AWS, Azure or GCP (IaaS, SaaS, PaaS)