Position Summary
As our Data & AI/ML Solutions Architect, you’ll serve as the technical and strategic bridge between customers, delivery teams, and executive stakeholders—designing end-to-end architectures that combine modern data platforms, advanced analytics, and applied AI/ML. You’ll own solution design from discovery through handoff, ensuring every engagement is technically sound, financially viable, and positioned for measurable business impact.
Key Responsibilities
Design cloud-native data and AI architectures (reference patterns, data models, MLOps pipelines, LLM orchestration) that balance scalability, security, cost, and speed to value.
Translate complex technical concepts into executive-ready narratives, visuals, and roadmaps.
Advise clients on AI strategy, build-vs-buy decisions, governance, and ethical considerations.
Provide hands-on guidance to developers, data engineers, and ML engineers; review code, pipelines, and infrastructure for best-practice adherence.
Conduct architecture reviews and risk assessments; identify and execute course corrections as needed.
Mentor junior architects and consultants; contribute to reusable accelerators, templates, and an internal knowledge base.
Evaluate emerging AI/ML tools, frameworks, and cloud services to keep our stack forward-leaning and competitive.
Required Qualifications
8+ years in solution architecture, data engineering, or software engineering roles; 3+ years architecting AI/ML solutions in production.
Proven success designing large-scale systems on AWS, Azure, or GCP—including data lakes/warehouses, feature stores, MLOps, model monitoring, and CI/CD.
Hands-on experience with at least two of the following:
Deep-learning frameworks (TensorFlow, PyTorch, JAX).
NLP/LLM stacks (Hugging Face, LangChain, vector databases, RAG patterns).
Computer-vision pipelines (OpenCV, TorchVision).
AutoML & orchestration (Vertex AI, SageMaker, MLflow, Kubeflow, Airflow).
Proficiency in Python and at least one typed language (Go, Java, C#).
Solid grounding in data modeling, API design (REST/GraphQL), containerization (Docker, Kubernetes), and IaC (Terraform, CloudFormation, or Pulumi).
Exceptional communication skills—able to whiteboard with engineers in the morning and brief the C-suite in the afternoon.
Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience).
Consulting or professional-services experience
Bonus Skills
Familiarity with privacy regulations (GDPR/CCPA) and AI governance frameworks (NIST AI RMF, ISO/IEC 42001 draft).
Track record leading GenAI POCs or production deployments (chatbots, copilots, content generation, autonomous agents).
Relevant certifications (e.g., AWS Solutions Architect Professional, Google Professional Cloud Architect, Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect, TensorFlow Developer).
Core Competencies
Architectural Systems Thinking – Visualizes complex interactions across data, application, and infrastructure layers.
AI/ML Depth & Breadth – Stays current on techniques, tooling, and responsible-AI best practices.
Client Influence – Builds trust quickly; frames solutions around tangible ROI.
Execution Leadership – Drives estimation accuracy, risk mitigation, and delivery quality.
Collaboration & Mentoring – Elevates team capability through coaching and knowledge sharing.
Why You’ll Love Working With Us
Comprehensive Health Plan: Prepaid health coverage for you and your immediate family.
Team Engagement Activities: Fun and meaningful events to connect and grow together.
Annual Performance Bonus: Recognition and reward for your hard work.
Growth Opportunities: Career development and advancement within the company.
Flexible Work: Hybrid model with mostly remote work and one day per week in the office for team connection.
Paid Time Off & Holidays: Generous leave to recharge and spend time with loved ones.
…and more! Additional perks and initiatives to make your experience at Cuesta Partners even better.
Skills Required
- 8+ years in solution architecture, data engineering, or software engineering roles
- 3+ years architecting AI/ML solutions in production
- Experience designing large-scale systems on AWS, Azure, or GCP
- Hands-on with deep-learning frameworks (TensorFlow, PyTorch, JAX).
- Proficiency in Python and at least one typed language (Go, Java, C#)
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field
- Exceptional communication skills
- Consulting or professional-services experience
What We Do
We believe in the power of technology to create sustained, differentiated advantage. Our firm helps organizational leaders understand and use emerging digital solutions to drive value across their business. Technology has become an accelerating source of competitive divergence – Cuesta helps companies capitalize on this opportunity with a pragmatic, hands-on approach. Our team has scaled and operated companies across several industries, launching technology solutions focused on delivering business value. We believe the truth is in the details and projects are successful when the work is done the right way. At Cuesta, we are building the firm where we always wanted to work. We challenge convention, work efficiently, and seek ongoing personal growth. Our team supports each other and laughs together. We value diversity, creativity, humility, and perseverance.
