Senior Data Engineer (Architecture & AI Foundations)

Appnovation is looking for a Solution Architect who enjoys operating where strategy meets delivery. This role is for someone who can design robust, scalable architectures and help teams and clients move from complexity to clarity.

You’ll work across industries on modern digital platforms, designing MACH-based, cloud-native solutions, advising clients through technical decisions, and supporting teams as those solutions are built and evolved. If you care about pragmatic architecture, composable systems, and the thoughtful use of AI in modern development, this role gives you real influence over how solutions are shaped and delivered.

What you’ll do

• Design end-to-end solution architectures for complex digital platforms, from discovery through delivery

• Translate business goals and constraints into clear, scalable technical designs

• Guide engineering teams through architectural decisions, trade-offs, and implementation approaches

• Lead and participate in client architecture discussions, including architecture reviews and solution presentations

• Define integration strategies across services, platforms, and data sources

• Contribute to estimates and technical approaches with clear assumptions and rationale

• Support modernization initiatives, helping clients evolve fragmented or legacy systems into cohesive platforms

• Apply AI-assisted tooling thoughtfully to improve development efficiency and solution quality

Who you are

• You see architecture as a balance of craft, engineering, and judgment

• You’re comfortable with ambiguity and enjoy turning loosely defined problems into clear technical direction

• You can explain complex ideas clearly to both engineers and non-technical stakeholders

• You take ownership of outcomes, not just designs or documents

• You know when to advocate for an ideal solution — and when to make pragmatic compromises

• You’re curious by nature and actively keep up with emerging technologies, including AI-enabled development

What you bring

A strong mix of the following skills will make you an excellent candidate:

• 8+ years of experience in software architecture or senior engineering roles, including enterprise-scale systems

• Hands-on experience designing MACH architectures (Microservices, API-first, Cloud-native, Headless)

• Strong experience with at least one major cloud platform (AWS or GCP)

• Solid API design experience (REST, GraphQL, and/or gRPC) and knowing when to use each

• Experience with event-driven systems and messaging platforms (Kafka, Pub/Sub, or similar)

• Infrastructure-as-Code experience (Terraform, Pulumi, or similar) and familiarity with CI/CD patterns

• A good understanding of security architecture, authentication, and data protection considerations

• Comfort producing clear architecture documentation (diagrams, ADRs, technical specs)

• Familiarity with containerization (Docker) and orchestration platforms (Kubernetes or similar)

• An interest in — or experience with — AI-assisted development tools and how they affect modern engineering workflows

Nice to have

Experience in one or more of the following is a plus, but not required:

• Legacy system modernization or large-scale platform migrations

• Data-intensive or regulated environments (e.g. health-tech, GDPR/HIPAA contexts)

• ERP or enterprise system integrations (SAP, SAGE, or similar)

• Data platforms and pipelines (BigQuery, Snowflake, ETL/ELT)

• Multi-cloud or hybrid cloud architectures

• Headless CMS platforms (Contentful, Sanity, Builder.io, or similar)

• Cost optimization and FinOps practices

• DevSecOps or security-first architecture approaches

Why Appnovation

At Appnovation, you’ll work with collaborative, experienced teams on a wide range of client challenges. We value thoughtful technical leadership, open communication, and continuous learning. The environment is professional but human — people are encouraged to grow, contribute ideas, and build careers over time.

We offer:

• Flexible working arrangements (hybrid remote/in-office)

• Health benefits and wellness support

• Fitness allowance

• Opportunities to work across industries and technologies

• A culture that values inclusion, collaboration, and professional growth

Appnovation is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates and encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet every requirement listed.