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Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # Solution Architect - **Company:** Expert Consultants, Inc. - **Location:** Chicago, IL, United States (Remote available) - **Experience:** Expert - **Salary:** $200,000.0 - $275,000.0 - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** Java (Programming Language), Amazon Web Services, Amazon S3, Apache HTTP Server, Batch Processing, C Sharp (Programming Language), Information Systems, Data Architecture, Serialization, Software Design Patterns, DevOps, Disaster Recovery, Distributed Systems, Protocol Buffers, Identity and Access Management, Python (Programming Language), OAuth, Octopus Deploy, Object-Oriented Software Development, OpenID, Platform as a Service (PAAS), Software Engineering, Data Streaming, Systems Integration, Enterprise Software Applications, Cloud Platform System, DevOps Tools - Open-source, Parallel Computation, Git, Data Layers, Event Driven Architecture, Containerization, Data Lakes, Kubernetes, Information Technology, Apache Kafka, SailPoint, Terraform, Stream Processing, Domain Driven Design, Serverless Computing, Docker, Jenkins, Artifactory, Microservices - **Published:** October 1, 2026 - **Apply:** https://www.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=e5510ab48357076b ## About the Role The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary functions. * Demonstrated experience in one or more of the following domains: event-driven and message-based systems, transaction processing systems, distributed and parallel computing. * Solid experience designing application architectures across distributed and enterprise technology platforms, including microservices and streaming or batch-based applications * Experience with projects involving complex integration of disparate types of technologies/platforms and data. * Experience architecting large-scale distributed systems. * Architect Kubernetes-based deployment topology for stateless services and on-demand jobs, including horizontal pod autoscaling, multi-AZ resilience, and cross-region/on-prem failover and disaster recovery strategies (hot-hot, S3 replication). * Fluent in object-oriented design, industry best practices, software patterns, and architecture principles. * Experience defining and documenting architecture strategies, designs, and requirements across all enterprise architecture domains - business, information systems (applications & data), and technology. * Experience defining non-functional requirements (NFRs) including performance, scalability, availability, and security and others as well as ensuring applications' architecture are designed to satisfy them. * Highly motivated with a strong sense of ownership of their work/projects. * Excellent oral and written communication skills. Technical Skills: * Software development experience in Java, Python, or C#, including building high-throughput, low-latency services for data-intensive or transaction-oriented systems * Strong knowledge of Kafka or other messaging/streaming systems, including topic design, partitioning strategies, and producer/consumer patterns for reliable, event-driven communication. * Fluent in object-oriented design principles, software design patterns, and modern architecture practices (e.g., microservices, event-driven architecture, domain-driven design), with the ability to apply them to real-world, large-scale systems. * Knowledge of identity and access management using OAuth2/OIDC flows (client credentials, authorization code with PKCE), JWT-based token validation, and integration with identity providers (e.g., ForgeRock, SailPoint). * Knowledge of schema management and data serialization formats, preferably Protocol Buffers (Protobuf), including schema evolution * Understanding of data lake-house architecture and table formats such as Apache Iceberg * Familiarity with Infrastructure as Code principles and tooling preferably Terraform to enable repeatable, automated environment design. * Working knowledge of DevOps tooling and practices such as Git, Jenkins, Docker, Artifactory, ArgoCD, and others to support automated build, test, and deployment of distributed, containerized applications. * Experience working with Cloud ecosystems (AWS, PaaS, K8s) Education and/or Experience: Minimum Qualifications: * BS degree in Computer Science, similar technical field, or equivalent practical experience. * 10+ years of relevant work experience Preferred Qualifications: * 6+ years of work experience in the capital markets industry., * Software development experience in Java, Python, or C: 10 years (Preferred) * AWS, PaaS, K8s: 5 years (Preferred) Work Location: Hybrid remote in Chicago, IL 60617 ## Description We are currently seeking an experienced IT Solutions Architect for a full time position supporting the Capital Markets industry in Chicago, IL. This is a hybrid position (3 days in office per week/ 2 day Remote). This position includes 23-30% Performance Bonus Incentives as well., * Design the applications' architecture across distributed and enterprise technology platforms while leveraging patterns such as event-driven architecture, publish/subscribe messaging, and microservices, using infrastructure-as-code (IaC) practices to enable consistent, repeatable, and automated provisioning across environments. * Define and enforce architectural standards, patterns, and best practices across engineering teams. * Design streaming and batch-based systems that support both real-time and scheduled data flow across the organization. * Shape and guide the architecture of message-based systems utilizing Kafka or similar platforms to enable reliable, decoupled, event-driven communication between services. * Develop and oversee data architecture and integration strategies spanning streaming, batch, and message-based processing to ensure reliable, secure, and efficient data flow across systems. * Own end-to-end solution architecture from ideation through implementation, including documentation of architectural decisions and system diagrams. * Guide the development and deployment of distributed, cloud-native services, ensuring resilience, scalability, and cost-efficiency. * Collaborate with DevOps, platform engineering, and security teams to ensure architectures are operable, resilient, and aligned with organizational standards. * Review designs and code from engineering teams to ensure alignment with architectural standards, security requirements, and regulatory/compliance needs. * Troubleshoot and resolve complex, cross-system issues spanning application, infrastructure, messaging, and data layers. * Partner with engineering, data, and business teams to translate business requirements into robust, scalable technical solutions. * Translate complex architectural decisions and trade-offs into clear, actionable insights for business stakeholders and non-technical audiences to support informed decision-making. * Evaluate emerging tools, frameworks, and technologies, and provide recommendations for adoption. * Mentor engineering teams on architectural best practices, distributed systems, event-driven and batch processing design. * Ability to explain complex technical concepts to non-technical audiences. ## Related Videos - [How a Small Team Shrank a Microsoft Monorepo by 94%](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1236-how-a-small-team-shrank-a-microsoft-monorepo-by-94) - [Keeping applications secure by evolving OAuth 2.0 and OpenID Connect](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100152-keeping-applications-secure-by-evolving-oauth-2-0-and-openid-connect) - [Docker Compose: Rediscovered](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1978-docker-compose-rediscovered) - [Next Level Enterprise Architecture: Modular, Flexible, Scalable, Multichannel and AI-Ready?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1017-next-level-enterprise-architecture-modular-flexible-scalable-multichannel-and-ai-ready) - [Git for Code Reviews](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/429-git-for-code-reviews) - [Remote Driving on Plant Grounds with State-of-the-Art Cloud Technologies](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/251-remote-driving-on-plant-grounds-with-state-of-the-art-cloud-technologies) ## Related Articles - [How We Built a Worry-Free System That Runs for 10+ Years – And What We’d Do Again](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/751-how-we-built-a-worry-free-system-that-runs-for-10-years-and-what-we-d-do-again) - [Is Software Engineering Over-Saturated?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/418-is-software-engineering-over-saturated) - [What Are The Top Skills Required For Azure Developers?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/77-what-are-the-top-skills-required-for-azure-developers) - [Highest Paying Tech Companies for Developers](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/220-highest-paying-tech-companies-for-developers) - [Why Attend a Developer Event in 2026?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/688-why-attend-a-developer-event-in-2026) - [Top Must-Visit Developer Conferences in the US in 2026](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/679-top-must-visit-developer-conferences-in-the-us-in-2026)