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Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # Chief Product Architect - Cognitive Intelligence Spine Platform - **Company:** Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation - **Location:** San Francisco, CA, United States - **Experience:** Expert - **Salary:** $250,000.0 - $325,000.0 - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** Artificial Intelligence, Computing Platforms, Microsoft Azure, Cloud Computing, Nvidia CUDA, Information Technology Consulting, Data Governance, Platform as a Service (PAAS), Azure Active Directory, Enterprise Software Applications, Large Language Models, Multi-Agent Systems, IT Architecture, Event Driven Architecture, Microsoft Fabric, AI Platforms, Information Technology, Bicep, Cosmos DB, TensorRT, Azure Service Fabric, Virtual Agents, Api Design, Terraform, Data Pipelines, Api Management, Microservices - **Published:** August 13, 2026 - **Apply:** https://www.sanfranciscogigs.com/job.asp?id=3351770054&tx=TT4441TTV&pt=1&aff=0B19D771-A501-4A5E-8338-2A822B784D54&utm_source=Job%20Feed&utm_medium=textkernel&utm_campaign=DE&utm_term=0B19D771-A501-4A5E-8338-2A822B784D54 ## About the Role You bring fifteen or more years of experience in enterprise technology, with at least five years in a senior architecture or product leadership role at a consulting firm, systems integrator, or enterprise software company. You have deep, hands-on expertise in Microsoft Azure PaaS, specifically Azure AI Foundry, Microsoft Fabric, Cosmos DB, Azure IoT Hub, Azure API Management, and Azure OpenAI Service, and you can speak to architectural trade-offs at the level of a principal engineer. You have direct experience with NVIDIA embedded AI platforms, including Jetson Orin or AGX Orin, and understand the architectural requirements for deploying real-time inference workloads at the industrial edge. You have led client-facing engagements at the C-suite level and can translate complex AI architecture into compelling business narratives that drive executive buy-in. You have product management experience; you understand how to build a platform roadmap, manage competing stakeholder priorities, and make disciplined trade-off decisions under resource constraints. You have consulting experience at a Tier 1 firm or equivalent, with a track record of building and scaling AI practices or platform businesses., Azure AI Foundry, Microsoft Fabric, Cosmos DB, Azure IoT Hub, Azure API Management, Azure OpenAI Service, AKS NVIDIA Embedded Jetson Orin NX, AGX Orin, CUDA, TensorRT, DeepStream, edge inference pipelines Agentic AI LLM orchestration (LangChain, LlamaIndex, or equivalent), multi-agent frameworks, RAG architectures Sovereign AI Data governance, model governance, institutional knowledge base design, sovereign cloud deployment Platform Architecture Microservices, event-driven architecture, API-first design, real-time data pipelines Cloud Infrastructure Terraform/Bicep IaC, AKS, Azure DevOps, CI/CD pipelines Client Engagement Executive presentations, architecture workshops, pre-sales, RFP/RFI response, Experience with Sovereign AI Factory deployments, including on-premises Azure Stack or air-gapped sovereign cloud environments, is strongly preferred. Prior experience leading a product practice at a global systems integrator or technology consulting firm is highly valued. Familiarity with industrial AI standards, including ISA-95, IEC 62443, or equivalent operational technology frameworks, is a plus. An advanced degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field is preferred., Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without the need for employer sponsorship, now or any time in the future. ## Description This is a rare and consequential leadership opportunity. As Senior Director for the Cognitive Intelligence Spine Platform, you will own the product, the architecture, and the client narrative for CIS, Cognizant's flagship sovereign Physical AI platform. You will operate at the intersection of deep technical credibility, executive client engagement, and product strategy, serving as the primary face of CIS to C-suite buyers and as the architectural authority for the platform team. You will lead a globally distributed team of senior architects and infrastructure engineers across the United States and India, and you will be directly accountable for the evolution of CIS from its current production deployments into a scaled, multi-vertical enterprise platform. This role reports into the Global Head of Physical AI and is a cornerstone of Cognizant's MLEU growth strategy. WHAT YOU WILL DO As the platform owner, you will define and drive the CIS product roadmap in alignment with Cognizant's Physical AI strategy, translating client engagement learnings and market signals into architectural decisions and engineering priorities. You will lead pre-sales and executive engagement for CIS opportunities, presenting the platform's sovereign AI architecture and value proposition to CIOs, CTOs, and Chief AI Officers at Fortune 500 enterprises. You will architect and govern the end-to-end CIS technical design, spanning Azure PaaS, NVIDIA embedded edge, agentic AI orchestration, and sovereign data governance, ensuring the platform maintains its differentiated position as the only enterprise-owned, governed, and compounding institutional AI fabric in the market. You will build and mentor the Global Physical AI platform team, establishing engineering standards, architectural review processes, and a culture of technical excellence. You will partner with Cognizant's Microsoft, NVIDIA, and Azure AI Foundry alliance teams to co-develop joint go-to-market capabilities and ensure CIS remains at the leading edge of the Azure and NVIDIA ecosystem. You will manage client relationships through the full engagement lifecycle, from initial briefing and architecture workshop through deployment, expansion, and executive business review. ## Related Videos - [Azure AI Foundry for Developers: Open Tools, Scalable Agents, Real Impact](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1541-azure-ai-foundry-for-developers-open-tools-scalable-agents-real-impact) - [Developer Tools for Microsoft Azure](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/450-developer-tools-for-microsoft-azure) - [Tour de Force: Open-Source LLM Inference Optimization from Simple to Sophisticated](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100099-tour-de-force-open-source-llm-inference-optimization-from-simple-to-sophisticated) - [Back(end) to the Future: Embracing the continuous Evolution of Infrastructure and Code](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/440-back-end-to-the-future-embracing-the-continuous-evolution-of-infrastructure-and-code) - [Building Sovereign AI: Lessons from Deploying Secure RAG Systems using Confidential Computing](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100108-building-sovereign-ai-lessons-from-deploying-secure-rag-systems-using-confidential-computing) - [Implementing an Event Sourcing strategy on Azure](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/688-implementing-an-event-sourcing-strategy-on-azure) ## Related Articles - [Stephan Gillich - Bringing AI Everywhere](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/489-stephan-gillich-bringing-ai-everywhere) - [Best US AI Conferences for CTOs in 2026: Build vs. Buy, Vendor Evaluation, and Peer Intelligence](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/736-best-us-ai-conferences-for-ctos-in-2026-build-vs-buy-vendor-evaluation-and-peer-intelligence) - [Navigating the AI Shift](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/629-navigating-the-ai-shift) - [Graph and AI Trends 2026: Why Is AI Running but Not Yet Delivering?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/680-graph-and-ai-trends-2026-why-is-ai-running-but-not-yet-delivering) - [Got AI ideas but no money? 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