At Kainos, we’re problem solvers, innovators, and collaborators - driven by a shared mission to create real impact. Whether we’re transforming digital services for millions, delivering cutting-edge Workday solutions, or pushing the boundaries of technology, we do it together.
We believe in a people-first culture, where your ideas are valued, your growth is supported, and your contributions truly make a difference. Here, you’ll be part of a diverse, ambitious team that celebrates creativity and collaboration.
Ready to make your mark? Join us and be part of something bigger.
CAPABILITY / JOB FAMILY GROUP: Artificial Intelligence
JOB FAMILY: AI Engineering
JOB PROFILE TITLE: AI Solution Architect
MANAGEMENT LEVEL: Manager
JOB PROFILE DESCRIPTION
As an AI Solution Architect in Actonomy, you’ll be the technical lead on our customer-facing Frontier AI projects, responsible for the successful delivery of high quality AI solutions built on Actonomy’s products. You’ll lead a team of Forward Deployed Engineers working hands-on inside customer environments to turn ambitious AI ideas into production reality. It’s a role that combines engineering, consulting and product thinking, so you’ll be as comfortable in front of a customer as you are in the code.
As a technical leader, you’ll work with senior stakeholders to agree architectural principles and strategic direction, develop customer relationships and account management, and feed what you learn on the ground back into our product direction. You’ll manage, coach and develop a small number of staff, with a focus on performance and career development, whilst advising on new technologies and approaches to AI and helping the people around you learn, develop and grow.
Your key responsibilities will include:
Leading Frontier AI projects – You’ll be the technical lead on customer engagements, owning the solution end to end and guiding a team of Forward Deployed Engineers to deliver it.
Working directly with customers – You’ll work with customers and senior stakeholders to understand their business problems and desired outcomes, and agree architectural principles and strategic direction.
Deploying and integrating – You’ll oversee the deployment, configuration and integration of Actonomy’s products within customer environments, and resolve the technical challenges that arise during rollout.
Leading your team – You’ll provide technical direction, support and line management to a team of Forward Deployed Engineers, helping them make the right decisions and grow.
Closing the product loop – You’ll gather user feedback and translate customer needs into product improvements, working closely with our Product and Engineering teams.
Building reusable assets – You’ll create reusable deployment patterns and implementation assets that make each engagement faster and better than the last.
Driving adoption and value – You’ll support customer adoption and value-realisation activities so customers get real, lasting value from AI in their day-to-day work.
Staying at the frontier – You’ll stay current with developments in AI, Microsoft technologies and the Actonomy platform, and share that knowledge with your team and customers.
MINIMUM (ESSENTIAL) REQUIREMENTS
Proven experience leading the delivery of production AI solutions across different sizes and shapes of challenge (e.g. an AI service, a multi-team programme, a customer platform deployment or a complex integration).
Experience acting as the technical lead on customer-facing projects, ideally deploying software products or platforms within customer environments.
Significant hands-on experience with Python and public cloud platforms, particularly Azure, including SaaS and PaaS offerings.
Hands-on experience building and deploying with modern AI, including large language models and agentic AI (prompt engineering, RAG, tool and function calling, orchestration), on the Microsoft AI stack such as Azure OpenAI, Azure AI Foundry and Azure AI services.
Proven experience of technical ownership for an AI product or software project, including architecture, estimation, product planning and user story/requirement creation.
Able to understand whole-solution architecture and to communicate and negotiate it with senior and C-level stakeholders, including the commercial implications of design decisions.
Able to simplify and clearly communicate AI design in conversation, documentation and presentations to non-engineers. Comfortable working directly with customers and users, developing relationships and supporting account management.
Experience integrating products or solutions with customer systems and data sources and resolving technical issues during implementation and rollout.
Able to prioritise across multiple major projects, particularly when working to deadlines.
A demonstrated ability in managing, mentoring, coaching and developing members of your team and the wider community, including managing a small number of staff.
DESIRABLE
Experience with React or similar technologies.
Familiarity with the Microsoft agent ecosystem.
Experience creating reusable deployment patterns and implementation assets.
Experience working in consulting, customer-facing or delivery roles.
Awareness of responsible AI and AI evaluation practices.
Active participation in technology communities and knowledge sharing, internally and externally.
WHO YOU ARE
Our vision is to enable outstanding people to create digital solutions that have a positive impact on people’s lives. Our values aren’t abstract; they are the behaviours we expect from each other every day and underpin everything that we do. We expect everyone to display our values by being determined in how obstacles are overcome; honest when dealing with others; respectful of how you treat others; creative to find solutions to complex problems and cooperative by sharing information, knowledge and experience.
These values, applied collectively, help to produce an outstanding Kainos person, team and culture.
ABOUT US
Actonomy is a Kainos team focused on developing innovative AI products that solve real problems and create meaningful impact. We bring together deep technical expertise and a passion for AI to build intelligent, agentic solutions on the Azure stack.
We work at the frontier of what’s possible with AI – exploring new architectures, pushing platform boundaries and building products that make people’s working lives better.
As part of Kainos, we benefit from a culture built on collaboration, continuous learning and doing the right thing. For more information, see kainos.com
At Kainos, we believe in the power of diversity, equity and inclusion. We are committed to building a team that is as diverse as the world we live in, where everyone is valued, respected, and given an equal chance to thrive. We actively seek out talented people from all backgrounds, regardless of age, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability, or any other characteristic that makes them who they are. We also believe every candidate deserves a level playing field.
Our friendly talent acquisition team is here to support you every step of the way, so if you require any accommodations or adjustments, we encourage you to reach out.
We understand that everyone's journey is different, and by having a private conversation we can ensure that our recruitment process is tailored to your needs.
Skills Required
- Proven experience leading delivery of production AI solutions across varied challenges, such as AI services, multi-team programs, customer platform deployments, or complex integrations.
- Experience serving as technical lead on customer-facing projects, preferably involving software product or platform deployment in customer environments.
- Significant hands-on experience with Python and public cloud platforms, particularly Azure, including SaaS and PaaS offerings.
- Hands-on experience building and deploying modern AI solutions using large language models, agentic AI, prompt engineering, RAG, tool and function calling, and orchestration.
- Experience with Microsoft AI technologies including Azure OpenAI, Azure AI Foundry, and Azure AI services.
- Technical ownership of an AI product or software project, including architecture, estimation, product planning, and user story or requirements creation.
- Ability to understand whole-solution architecture and communicate and negotiate it with senior and C-level stakeholders, including commercial implications.
- Ability to clearly communicate AI designs in conversations, documentation, and presentations to non-engineers.
- Comfort working directly with customers and users, developing relationships, and supporting account management.
- Experience integrating products or solutions with customer systems and data sources and resolving technical implementation and rollout issues.
- Ability to prioritize across multiple major projects while meeting deadlines.
- Demonstrated ability to manage, mentor, coach, and develop team members and the wider professional community, including managing staff.
- Experience with React or similar technologies.
- Familiarity with the Microsoft agent ecosystem.
- Experience creating reusable deployment patterns and implementation assets.
- Experience in consulting, customer-facing, or delivery roles.
- Awareness of responsible AI and AI evaluation practices.
- Active participation in technology communities and knowledge sharing internally or externally.
Kainos Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Kainos and has not been reviewed or approved by Kainos.
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Healthcare Strength — Private healthcare, access to trained counsellors/EAP, and broader wellbeing initiatives are prominently offered across regions. Company materials frame support across emotional, physical, social, career and financial wellbeing, with UK references to Bupa coverage.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Hybrid/flexible hours, generous vacation packages, and parental leave are emphasized in careers materials. Some regions also highlight volunteering time and flexibility that support work–life balance.
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Equity Value & Accessibility — Annual share awards and employee share plans (e.g., free shares, Sharesave) are widely promoted, with cash equivalents where plans aren’t available. These programs broaden ownership participation beyond base pay.
Kainos Insights
What We Do
At Kainos we use technology to solve real problems for our customers, overcome big challenges for businesses, and make people’s lives easier. We build strong relationships with our customers and go beyond to change the way they work today and the impact they have tomorrow. Our two specialist business areas, Digital Services and the Workday Practice, work globally for clients across healthcare, commercial and the public sector to make the world a little bit better, day by day.
