Senior Solution Architect

Senior Solution Architect
Job Description Summary
Advise, assist, and support software developers, architects, and product and business owners to recommend solutions based on the customer’s requirements and constraints with a strong focus on utilizing Akka products. Partner enablement, education and deal support through effective mentoring and product positioning. Engage with clients in midsize to large organizations to advise on how to integrate elements of the Akka stack into their environment. Work with Sales Representatives and Sales Management to build strategies to drive sales into strategic accounts. Qualify customer requirements and articulate Akka's ability to meet these requirements. Ensure successful customer POCs through the management of acceptance criteria & issue resolution. Developing and delivering company and product presentations and demonstrations. Being an active member of the field feedback process to the Product Management team.
Objectives

• Collaborate with Sales Representatives and Sales Management to build strategies to drive sales into strategic accounts.
• Create and deliver customer-centric presentations, demos, and solution designs.
• Display comfort and competency selling to senior executive management, including understanding business criteria (ROI, TCO, NPV etc.).
• Present architectures and business benefits to all levels of the Enterprise – Developer, Architects, CTO, and CIO.
• Provide sales support to Sales Representatives, Marketing, Product Management and Engineering.
• Provide company representation in industry forums, conferences, and related events.

Responsibilities

• Advise, assist, and support software developers, architects, and product and business owners to recommend solutions based on the customer’s requirements and constraints with a strong focus on utilizing Akka products. Partner enablement, education and deal support through effective mentoring and product positioning.
• Engage with clients in midsize to large organizations to advise on how to integrate elements of the Lightbend stack into their environment.
• Work with Sales Representatives and Sales Management to build strategies to drive sales into strategic accounts.
• Qualify customer requirements and articulate Akka's ability to meet these requirements.
• Ensure successful customer POCs through the management of acceptance criteria & issue resolution.
• Developing and delivering company and product presentations and demonstrations.
• Being an active member of the field feedback process to the Product Management team. Evangelize Reactive and Event driven principles and patterns 
• Engagement of the Java/Scala/Akka/Streaming communities through attending community events and delivering Akka content.

Qualifications

• At least 5 years of proven experience with Java or Scala is a must, experience with Akka or experience developing reactive systems is an advantage
• have a working knowledge of Cloud Native Infrastructure (Kubernetes is required)
• have experience in distributed and event driven systems programming paradigm, with the ability to articulate the differences in legacy systems to customers. Proficiency in event driven applications and architecture, domain driven design, and common patterns such as Event Sourcing, CQRS, and Saga patterns.
• have a good understanding of modern development practices including DevOps, containers, container orchestration, CICD.
• are a voracious learner, ready to take on new technologies and techniques quickly and constantly.
• Certifications in Google Cloud, Azure, or AWS is an advantage.
• Lightbend Certified Reactive Architect certification is an advantage. Akkademy certifications are an advantage.

Other Requirements
All employees are required to adhere to all company policies and complete mandatory training, including annual security awareness training.

• Must thrive in competitive situations.
• 5+ years of relevant experience.
• Must be able to communicate technical solutions and product knowledge not only to technical users but to business users as well.
• Understanding of the Sales Cycle and where the Sales Engineering Team is responsible.
• Strong knowledge of Cloud, SaaS, PaaS, Financial and Enterprise verticals.
• Excellent analytical, written, verbal communication, and documentation skills.
• Ability to maintain focus and business acumen under sometimes stressful sales/business negotiations.
• Solution Architecture/Engineering experience in a consulting or development platform practice; able to listen to customer requirements, whiteboard and propose solution architecture, and get hands-on with the tech to design, build, and demonstrate real business value.

Where You’ll Work:
Akka is a fully remote workforce. This role is based on the West Coast of the US.
Benefits:

• Competitive salary with performance-based incentives.
• Comprehensive health and wellness benefits.
• Opportunities for professional development and continuous learning.
• Flexible remote working environment
• Collaborative, inclusive, and innovative company culture.

 
Our Core Values:

• We’re Authentic: We value transparency and genuine communication, without politics or games. We're honest and assume good intentions, cultivating trust and accountability within our organization and in our interactions with others outside of Lightbend.
• We’re Customer-Focused: We value customer outcomes above all else. By prioritizing our customers' interests, and meeting them where they are today, we help ensure their success. We are dedicated to deeply understanding our customer’s needs, anticipating challenges, navigating time constraints and striving to exceed expectations.
• We’re Nonconventional: We value fearless innovation by challenging the status quo and embracing alternative approaches. Continuous learning and a growth mindset aimed at improving ourselves, our company, and our products, drives us to push boundaries and explore new solutions. Guided by a bias for action, we leverage industry and customer insights to inspire fresh ideas, enabling optimal future offerings.
• We’re Persistent: We value excellence through continuous experimentation and courageous problem-solving. We recognize that achieving success often demands approaching challenges with tenacity and taking calculated risks to achieve leading-edge solutions.

Equal Opportunity Employer:
Akka is committed to fostering diversity and inclusion, welcoming individuals from all backgrounds and experiences. We celebrate differences and provide equal opportunities for all employees.