Lead solution architecture on consulting engagements for Intelligent Applications: shape discovery (hypotheses, current-state, constraints, options), drive architectural engagement across client stakeholders and supplier ecosystems, embed architecture in SDLC cadence (milestones, environments, release/architecture checkpoints), and oversee delivery operations implications—observability acceptance, hypercare criteria, knowledge transfer, and steady-state architectural guardrails. Partner FDE leads so decisions ship. Escalate scope, risk, and economics through engagement leadership and functional group channels—not as autonomous practice owner.ResponsibilitiesDiscovery leadership: structure interviews/workshops; synthesize current-state architecture and integration reality; produce target-state options with explicit trade-offs (cost, risk, time, operability, security, AI posture); define thin slices and kill criteria.Architectural engagement: own the architecture narrative with client executives and enterprise/community architects—alignment meetings, steering forums, architecture reviews—translating technical choices into business outcomes and delivery commitments.SDLC integration: thread architecture through the engagement lifecycle—baseline/design increments, interface contracts, non-functional profiles (SLO/capacity/security/data classifications), environment strategy, integration sequencing, release/readiness checkpoints; align with client Agile/DevOps or waterfall hybrids without diluting architectural integrity.Delivery partnership: joint sequencing with engineering leads—dependency maps, technical spikes, migration/cutover strategies, feature-flag and rollback thinking—so architecture choices remain implementable and verifiable.Operations & transition: define operational acceptance for architecture concerns—monitoring/evals for LLM paths, incident/runbook hooks, ownership boundaries client-vs-firm; plan hypercare architecture presence and handoff to client BAU.Risk & governance (engagement-scoped): architecture exceptions with transparent rationale; vendor/model/data residency posture appropriate to client policy; escalation paths for security/legal/compliance friction.Expectations and Scope: crisp scope boundaries for architecture work products; timely signals on change drivers (discovery surprises, dependency drift); support SOW/pursuit shaping when staffed on pursuits.Full-stack IA on the ground: coherent patterns across UX/API → integration/eventing → data → cloud/security → LLM/RAG/agent boundaries for this engagement, reusable as firm collateral where appropriate.
