Technical Architect / Technical Lead – MCP & Governed Model Access

This is a remote position.

Job Description – Technical Architect / Technical Lead – MCP & Governed Model Access

Position: Technical Architect / Technical Lead

Location: India (Hybrid/ Remote)

Employment Type: Contractor/ Permanent

Engagement Type: Full-time (1.0 FTE allocation across both phases)

Duration: 22 calendar weeks (Sequential delivery across Phase 1 & Phase 2)

Client: Mizuho

Project: Enterprise Model Context Protocol (MCP) Gateway, Registry Governance & Microsoft Foundry Model Access

Urgency / Expected Delivery: Urgent / Immediate onboarding (Target start Week 1)

Standard Delivery Timeline: 22 weeks total sequential execution (Phase 1: 10 weeks | Phase 2: 12 weeks)

Experience: 10+ years in Enterprise Cloud Architecture, API Management & Production AI Systems

About the Role

We are looking for a highly accomplished Technical Architect / Technical Lead to lead the technical design, architectural governance, and delivery of the enterprise Model Context Protocol (MCP) platform and governed model access ecosystem across both phases of the programme.

The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in Azure enterprise architecture, API Management (APIM), identity, security, and production AI platforms, combined with the technical leadership required to translate complex architectural blueprints into clear, actionable engineering execution tasks for Azure and AI engineering teams.

Programme Context & Phased Effort Allocation

The engagement is structured as a 22-week sequential programme divided into two delivery phases, assuming a five-day working week:

• Phase 1: MCP Gateway and Governance (Weeks 1–10 / 10 Weeks): Full-time allocation (1.0 FTE) delivering dedicated technical architecture, APIM gateway definition, central registry standards, and security controls.
• Phase 2: Model Access through Microsoft Foundry (Weeks 11–22 / 12 Weeks): Full-time allocation (1.0 FTE) leading governed model endpoints, provider routing, performance validation, and operational handover.

Key Responsibilities

• Architecture Definition: Define the end-to-end architecture for Azure APIM, Model Context Protocol (MCP) connectivity, the central tool/server registry, and governed model access through Microsoft Foundry.
• Standards & Governance: Establish enterprise development standards, security controls, token logging, telemetry, data boundary controls, and regulatory governance requirements.
• Technical Direction & Work Decomposition: Translate functional requirements and architectural patterns into concrete implementation tasks, guiding and mentoring the Senior Azure Engineer and Senior AI Engineer.
• Code & Configuration Reviews: Review code, infrastructure configurations, and integration designs; contribute directly to implementation and reference components where required.
• Validation & Operational Readiness: Lead technical validation, performance and recovery reviews, release readiness assessments, and knowledge transfer to operational teams.
• Stakeholder & Dependency Alignment: Work proactively with client architecture, cyber security, and platform owners to resolve technical dependencies and achieve compliance sign-offs.

Required Skills & Experience

• 10+ years of experience in Enterprise Architecture, Solution Architecture, or Technical Lead roles within cloud and integration environments.
• Senior Azure Architecture Expertise: In-depth hands-on experience in Azure architecture, Azure API Management (APIM), enterprise integration, identity, and security (Microsoft Entra ID).
• Production AI & LLM Systems: Direct experience designing and deploying production AI systems, LLM gateways, agentic orchestration, and Model Context Protocol (MCP) patterns.
• Technical Leadership: Strong hands-on engineering capabilities combined with decisive technical leadership, code review rigor, and mentoring skills.
• Enterprise Integration & Security: Deep knowledge of zero-trust security postures, networking policies, secrets management, and enterprise API governance.
• Excellent Communication & Collaboration: Proven ability to articulate architectural decisions to C-level stakeholders, client security boards, and multidisciplinary engineering teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Financial Services / Capital Markets Experience: Prior architecture experience within investment banking, market operations, or regulated financial services environments.
• Microsoft AI & Foundry Ecosystem: Hands-on experience with Microsoft Foundry, Azure OpenAI Service, Anthropic Claude enterprise endpoints, and LangChain/Semantic Kernel frameworks.
• Certifications: Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert or equivalent cloud/security certifications.
• Consulting Background: Prior experience in a client-facing technology consulting or professional services capacity.

Key Competencies

• Enterprise Cloud & Solution Architecture
• Azure APIM & Gateway Governance
• Model Context Protocol (MCP) & LLM Orchestration
• Technical Team Leadership & Code Quality
• Security Controls & Compliance Management
• Disaster Recovery & High Availability Design
• Stakeholder Management & Dependency Resolution
• Release Readiness & Operational Handover