Enterprise Architect

Enterprise Architect - Digital Engineering
Location: Reading - hybrid
Security Clearance: Active SC Clearance

About the Role
We are seeking an experienced Enterprise Architect - Digital Engineering to lead the integration of Virtual Environment solutions within a complex Digital Engineering ecosystem.
This role is responsible for ensuring that Virtual Environment architecture aligns with broader Digital Engineering objectives across people, process, and technology domains. The successful candidate will drive the optimisation of architecture solutions and manage the evolution of the overall Digital Engineering landscape.
The role focuses on enabling key capabilities including:
• Digital Twin and Digital Thread implementation
• Virtual Testing, Qualification and Certification
• Synthetic training environments
• Systems Integration Testing (SIL/HIL)
• Secure-by-Design architecture principles throughout the system lifecycle
A key objective is to support a _Fail First_ philosophy, identifying integration and engineering issues as early as possible through virtual testing and simulation environments.
As the focal point for Virtual Environment architecture, you will provide expert guidance to Product Owners, Delivery Managers and engineering teams while identifying opportunities for architecture reuse, innovation and continuous improvement across programmes.
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Key Responsibilities
Architecture & Technical Leadership
• Develop and maintain High-Level Designs (HLDs) and Low-Level Designs (LLDs).
• Produce and manage RFIs and RFQs.
• Provide technical architectural leadership across people, process and technology domains.
• Ensure alignment with security, compliance and governance requirements.
• Promote innovation, architecture reuse and best practice across Digital Engineering programmes.
• Drive continuous improvement within architecture frameworks and processes.
• Maintain awareness of emerging technologies and industry best practices.
Lifecycle Management
• Ensure architecture requirements are delivered within agreed timelines, scope and compliance objectives.
• Translate enterprise architecture policies into practical solution standards, governance models and compliance frameworks.
• Prioritise activities in line with programme objectives and delivery schedules.
• Collaborate closely with project, delivery and architecture teams.
• Escalate risks, issues and constraints appropriately.
• Support planning, estimation and workload management activities.
Governance & Stakeholder Management
• Communicate architecture vision, risks, compliance obligations and progress to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Collaborate with architects, engineering teams and delivery leads to ensure cross-domain architectural alignment.
• Support quality, regulatory and audit activities related to security and risk management.
• Coordinate architecture activities across internal teams and supplier organisations.
• Balance immediate delivery needs with long-term strategic architectural goals.
• Support relationships with technology vendors and solution providers.
• Contribute to technology assessments, proofs of concept and platform selection activities.
• Promote adoption of emerging technologies aligned with enterprise architecture principles.
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Qualifications
• Industry-recognised certifications such as:
o TOGAF
o ArchiMate
o AWS Certified Architect
o Microsoft Azure Architect
o CISSP
• Demonstrable interest and experience in IT Architecture and Digital Engineering environments.
Desirable Qualifications
• Microsoft Azure certification.
• Additional architecture, cloud, security or engineering certifications.
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Skills & Experience
Essential
• Experience with digital engineering concepts including Digital Twins and Digital Threads.
• Experience architecting software development and engineering environments.
• Knowledge of architecture across the full systems engineering lifecycle.
• Experience working within Aerospace, Defence, MOD or highly regulated environments.
• Strong understanding of system, data and technical architecture.
• Experience working within Agile delivery environments.
• Effective stakeholder management skills, engaging with Product Owners, Delivery Managers, Engineers, IT teams and end users.
• Experience developing architectural roadmaps, models and strategic direction.
• Understanding of industry architecture standards and frameworks such as TOGAF, ArchiMate, AWS or Azure architecture principles.
• Willingness to learn and adopt new technologies and engineering practices.
Desirable
• Experience with real-time simulation environments and Digital Twin technologies.
• Experience within Flight Simulation or Synthetic Environment domains.
• SAFe qualification or equivalent Agile-at-scale experience.
• Chartered Engineer status or equivalent professional recognition.
• Microsoft Azure platform experience.
• Exposure to CI/CD and DevSecOps practices.
• Experience with reporting and analytics platforms such as Power BI.
• Knowledge of containerisation technologies including Docker and Kubernetes.
• Experience working with international and distributed teams.
• Familiarity with data warehousing concepts and technologies.
• Experience operating at SFIA Level 4/5 or equivalent.