SC Solution Architect

Rate: £500-£650/day (all-in)
Contract: Initial 3 months (extension possible)
Location: Portsmouth / South Coast (mostly remote, with 1-2 days on‑site per month
)
Clearance:
Active SC required
Start: ASAP
Interview process: Likely 1 stage

A leading UK defence technology programme is looking for an SC-cleared Solution Architect to take a hands‑on technical leadership role, shaping a next‑generation C3I (Command, Control, Communications & Intelligence) interoperability reference architecture
.

This is a delivery‑focused position where you'll set architectural direction, work closely with engineering teams, and help take early concepts / PoCs into hardened, production‑grade patterns.

• Leading the solution architecture across a C3I interoperability reference architecture
• Translating operational context into high‑level designs for engineering delivery
• Turning prototypes/PoCs into reusable architecture patterns and reference services
• Providing technical assurance: architecture decisions, design reviews, governance
• Driving Dev Sec Ops  ways of working (
  CI/CD, automation, IaC
  ) for secure delivery
• Working closely with technical/operational stakeholders to align outcomes
• Mentoring engineers and junior architects; acting as technical steward/task lead

• Proven Solution Architecture experience on complex, mission‑critical / regulated programmes
• Strong secure design background (e.g.,
  zero trust, identity, secure connectivity, cross‑domain considerations, data exchange controls
  )
• Comfortable moving between strategy and deep technical detail (incl. reviews/walkthroughs)
• Exposure to Defence / NATO approaches for C3I interoperability (nice to have)
• Tools/frameworks:
  Jira, Confluence, Visio
  ; MoDAF beneficial
• Modern engineering patterns beneficial: APIs, microservices, event streaming, cloud‑native, containerisation, service mesh

To apply: Send your CV and confirm SC status
, availability
, and ability to travel to Portsmouth 1‑2x/month
.