Engineering

Lead Solution Architect

  • Location

    England

  • Sector:

    Defence

  • Job type:

    Permanent

  • Salary:

    Negotiable

  • Contact:

    Rami James

  • Contact email:

    r.james@ioassociates.co.uk

  • Job ref:

    BBBH169848_1762796391

  • Startdate:

    ASAP

JOB DESCRIPTION

  • Job Title: Lead Solution Architect (Export-Controlled Engineering & Design)
  • Industry: Nuclear Power & Submarines Division
  • Start Date: ASAP
  • Employment Type: Permanent

THE OPPORTUNITY
My client is driving export-controlled engineering programmes for next-gen nuclear power stations and submarine propulsion systems - high-stakes, US export-compliant designs demanding structural integrity, precision architecture, and zero-compromise governance. Lead Solution Architect will bridge Enterprise Architecture and delivery teams - owning high-level structural/engineering design, stakeholder sell-in, and technical assurance across classified toolsets.


KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Bridge Enterprise & Solutions Architecture: Translate strategic vision into deployable structural/engineering blueprints compliant with US export regulations.
  • High-Level Design (HLD) ownership: Author, review, and challenge Solutions Architect outputs - ensure structural and engineering integrity.
  • Toolset deployment leadership: Roll out export-controlled platforms for nuclear/submarine design (CAD/PLM integration, simulation tools, compliance workflows).
  • Stakeholder engagement: Co-work with Business Analysts, engineers, and C-level - sell back proposed solutions with data-driven conviction on feasibility, risk, and export alignment.
  • Requirements & capability mapping: Elicit, document, and prioritise structural/engineering needs for power station & submarine programmes.
  • Governance & assurance: Technical design authority - validate compliance with ITAR/EAR, NCSC principles, and clients engineering standards.
  • Cross-functional collaboration: Guide deployment teams, mitigate export risks, and drive continuous improvement in secure design delivery.

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS

  • UK National - British Citizen (mandatory for US export compliance).
  • 8+ years Solution/Enterprise Architecture in nuclear engineering, structural design, defence exports, or high-assurance systems.
  • Proven HLD authorship & review - from requirements capture to deployment sign-off in export-controlled environments.
  • Domain expertise: Structural/engineering design for nuclear power or submarines (materials integrity, systems integration, export tooling).
  • Stakeholder influence: Strong character to push back/challenge business on export feasibility, structural risk, and ROI.
  • Tooling deployment: Hands-on leadership rolling out classified design platforms (e.g., Siemens NX/Teamcenter, ANSYS, compliance trackers).
  • Documentation mastery: HLDs, capability matrices, export risk registers, decision logs.
  • Recent UK nuclear/defence export exposure (e.g., power station deployments, submarine systems, ITAR/EAR projects).

DESIRABLE SKILLS

  • Export compliance frameworks (ITAR, EAR, UK Export Control Order) applied to engineering designs.
  • Simulation/modelling integration in secure environments (finite element analysis, thermal/structural sims).
  • TOGAF/Zachman certification or equivalent.
  • Experience with nuclear lifecycle (concept → structural design → export assurance).
  • Automation (scripting/workflows) for repeatable compliant builds.

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