Principal Solution Architect- API

NIQ Media is building a config-driven, reproducible media measurement platform spanning audience weighting, cross-media reach & frequency, sales-lift/MME modelling and brand-lift analysis, delivered on a modern cloud-native stack (Angular, Java Spring Boot microservices, AWS/Azure, Kubernetes, Python/PySpark data and AI/ML engines).

The Technical Solution Architect owns the end-to-end technical architecture of the platform: the domain/data-contract model, service and API design, cloud infrastructure, and the boundary between the product/ops shell and the underlying data-science engines.

This person is the final technical authority on build-vs-buy and platform decisions, sets engineering standards across all pods, and ensures the architecture scales from a single reference study to multi-tenant, multi-market operation without core code changes.

This is a hands-on architecture role: the person is expected to prototype, review code, and pair with engineering leads, not just produce diagrams.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Architecture & Design

• Define and own the overall solution architecture across the Angular UI, Java Spring Boot / microservices backend, and Python/PySpark data & AI engines running on AWS and Azure.
• Design the canonical domain and data-contract model (identity, study, media, exposure, outcome, governance/lineage) and the versioning/compatibility policy for it.
• Define the plugin/extension SDK so new markets, channels and analysis modules can be added by configuration, not core code changes.
• Own key technical decision gates (e.g. orchestration engine choice, build-vs-buy for core algorithmic components, deployment topology) and document them as accepted architecture decisions.

Platform, Cloud & Delivery

• Design the Kubernetes-based deployment topology across AWS and Azure, including environment strategy, secrets management, scaling and multi-tenant isolation.
• Define the CI/CD architecture (GitHub / GitHub Actions) and the code-quality and security gates (e.g. SonarQube, Cycode) enforced across all repositories.
• Guide integration of AI-assisted development practices and AI/ML capabilities into the platform and into the engineering team's day-to-day workflow.
• Review designs and code from backend, frontend, data engineering and DevOps pods; act as final escalation point on cross-cutting technical issues.

Leadership & Stakeholder Management

• Translate business and analytics requirements from the SME/Business Analyst into technical designs and work-package breakdowns.
• Partner with the Technology/Delivery Manager on estimation, sequencing and dependency management across the backlog.
• Communicate architectural trade-offs clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders, including senior leadership and external partners.
• Mentor engineers across disciplines and raise the technical bar of the team.

Qualifications:

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

• 9+ years of software engineering experience, including 3+ years in a solution/technical architect role for cloud-native, data-intensive platforms.
• Proven hands-on experience designing microservice architectures with Java / Spring Boot, and modern SPA frontends (Angular preferred).
• Strong working knowledge of AWS and/or Azure, containerisation and orchestration with Kubernetes, and CI/CD pipelines (GitHub Actions or equivalent).
• Practical experience with Python-based data engineering and/or data science pipelines (e.g. PySpark, big-data processing) and how they integrate with service-based platforms.
• Experience designing multi-tenant, config-driven platforms (as opposed to per-customer custom builds).
• Demonstrated experience embedding code quality and security tooling (e.g. SonarQube, Cycode or equivalents) into engineering workflows.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; comfortable presenting architecture decisions to executive and non-technical stakeholders.

PREFERRED / NICE-TO-HAVE

• Experience in media measurement, market research, advertising analytics, or adtech domains.
• Familiarity with statistical/ML modelling concepts (e.g. regression-based lift models, weighting/raking methods) even if not personally building them.
• Experience integrating AI copilots / AI-assisted development tooling into a professional engineering practice.
• Prior experience leading offshore/distributed engineering teams through onboarding and ramp-up.
• Relevant certifications (AWS/Azure Solutions Architect, CKA, TOGAF or similar).

CORE SKILLS

• Solution & enterprise architecture, API and microservices design, event-driven and batch data architectures.
• Java / Spring Boot, Angular/TypeScript, Python (working proficiency, not necessarily daily coding).
• AWS, Azure, Kubernetes, Docker, Infrastructure-as-Code.
• GitHub, GitHub Actions, SonarQube, Cycode (or comparable code quality/security tooling).
• Strong systems thinking, documentation discipline, and stakeholder communication.

Additional Information

Our Benefits

• Flexible working environment
• Volunteer time off
• LinkedIn Learning
• Employee-Assistance-Program (EAP)