Solution Architect (Remote - Work from Anywhere)

📋 Description

• Own and facilitate the Architectural Advice Forum (AAF) and ADRs.
• Build production-grade proofs of concept to de-risk new patterns.
• Partner with the CTO on AI strategy; prototype solutions for SDLC and products.
• Drive cross-cutting standardisation across backend, web and mobile engineering.
• Define and uphold the engineering quality bar; lead by example with POCs and reviews.
• Embed security-first architecture; threat modelling and secure-by-default patterns.
• Champion Domain-Driven Design and Event-Driven Architecture.
• Collaborate with the SRE team on reliability, observability and platform evolution.
• Coach and mentor engineers across SATs; lead by influence.
• Surface and unblock systemic risks, debt, and cross-team dependencies before production.
• Maintain Xapo’s engineering principles and Tech Radar; contribute to regulatory aspects.
• Build a great place to work and innovate around Bitcoin-centric solutions.

🎯 Requirements

• 10+ years of software engineering, incl. 3+ years as Architect/Staff or senior IC.
• Hands-on engineer-turned-architect; language-agnostic; stack familiarity a plus.
• Distributed, event-driven systems in production at scale, with regulatory scrutiny.
• Hands-on with Domain-Driven Design (strategic and tactical).
• Familiarity with decentralised architectural governance, ADRs/RFCs.
• Lead by influence, not authority.
• Experience in regulated fintech/payments/banking.
• Security-first architectures: threat modelling, secure-by-default patterns, defence in depth.
• Strong AI/ML, LLMs and applied AI in production; integrate responsibly.
• Excellent written and verbal communication; crisp ADRs and architecture reviews.
• Cloud-native architecture, microservices, 12-factor apps; fault tolerance and security.
• Strong CI/CD and automated testing across SDLC.

🎁 Benefits

• Hands-on crypto, Web3, custody or blockchain systems.
• Familiarity with Team Topologies: Stream Aligned, Platform, Enabling teams.
• Multi-platform standardisation across backend, web and mobile.
• SRE or platform engineering experience; SLOs, error budgets, developer experience.
• Open-source contributions or external thought leadership.
• Familiarity with Python; portion of stack in Python.