Principal Architect

IT Principal Architect (Director Level) - $1B Manufacturing Business

Role Summary

The IT Principal Architect is the senior technical authority for Application, Data and Integration Architecture across a ~$1B manufacturing business. This role drives execution and innovation by modernizing legacy systems – especially custom MES solutions – while accelerating cloud and API modernization to improve agility, reliability, and customer experience (CX). Operating in an ambiguous, fast‑paced environment, the Principal Architect partners with business and IT leaders to define target‑state architecture, pilot and prove new capabilities through POCs, and guide delivery teams to scalable, secure, supportable solutions.

This is a hands‑on architect‑leader: a self‑starter who can zoom from strategy to implementation, influence without direct authority (dotted‑line leadership), and align multiple stakeholders around practical architectural decisions.

Key Responsibilities

Architecture Leadership & Execution

• Own end‑to‑end architecture for critical manufacturing and enterprise platforms, including MES ecosystems, ERP adjacencies, integration layers, and customer‑facing touchpoints.
• Define pragmatic target‑state architectures and roadmaps that balance speed, cost, and risk while improving business outcomes.
• Translate strategy into execution artifacts: reference architectures, patterns, integration standards, and actionable modernization plans.
• Partner with platform leaders to ensure architectural decisions are implemented consistently across delivery teams.

Legacy Modernization (Custom Mfg Apps on AS400 & Mainframe)

• Lead modernization of legacy and custom‑built MES landscapes, including rationalization, modularization, and phased migration strategies.
• Assess technical debt, scalability, and reliability risks; propose sequencing plans that protect plant uptime and operational continuity.
• Drive improvements in shop‑floor data quality, event capture, and traceability to support quality, throughput, and compliance needs.

Cloud & Platform Modernization (Azure, AWS)

• Migrate on‑prem and co‑lo workloads to Azure or AWS.
• Lead cloud modernization across applications and infrastructure including hosting strategy, resiliency (DR, backups), observability, and cost optimization.
• Ensure designs meet non‑functional requirements: availability, latency, recoverability, security, and supportability, especially for plant operations.

API & Integration Modernization (Palantir Foundry)

• Define and drive API modernization strategy: API‑first design, governance, versioning, security, documentation, and reuse.
• Modernize integration patterns (e.g., point‑to‑point to API/event‑driven where appropriate), improving reliability and speed of change.
• Enable scalable data and integration flows between back‑shop floor, ERP, supply chain, and CX systems.

AI Enablement & Innovation (Palantir Foundry)

• Identify high‑value AI/ML and intelligent automation opportunities (e.g., quality & claims analytics, predictive maintenance enablement, scheduling optimization).
• Partner with Data/Analytics and Security teams to implement responsible AI patterns, including governance, monitoring, and data controls.
• Rapidly pilot emerging technologies: run POCs, validate value, and create repeatable patterns for scaling into production.

CX Impact & Business Partnership

• Architect solutions that improve customer experience: order visibility, lead‑time accuracy, service responsiveness, and digital self‑service enablement.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, Commercial, and Corporate IT leaders, translating business needs into technology direction.

Success Measures (First 12‑24 Months)

• A clear, endorsed target architecture and phased modernization roadmap for custom applications and critical integrations.
• Reduction in integration fragility through API modernization and Palantir based hub & spoke patterns.
• Delivery teams consistently apply reference patterns, fewer architectural exceptions and rework.
• Successful POCs that translate into scalable solutions with measurable value (throughput, quality, uptime, CX improvements).
• Improved resilience and observability for manufacturing‑critical systems (cloud migration, DR & backup strategy, and annual recovery testing).
• Strong stakeholder alignment and decision velocity in an ambiguous, fast‑moving environment.

Required Qualifications

• 12+ years of progressive architecture and engineering experience, including enterprise application and integration architecture.
• Deep experience in manufacturing environments and plant‑critical systems (MES experience required; custom MES modernization strongly preferred).
• Proven track record modernizing legacy applications and integrations while maintaining operational continuity.
• Strong cloud architecture experience (hybrid/cloud modernization, resiliency, security, DevSecOps alignment).
• Strong API and integration architecture experience (API lifecycle governance, iPaaS/middleware, event/API patterns).
• Demonstrated ability to lead through influence (dotted‑line leadership), align stakeholders, and drive decisions.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with enterprise‑scale integration patterns and manufacturing domain architecture.
• Experience delivering AI/ML, advanced analytics enablement, or intelligent automation with governance and monitoring.
• Familiarity with industrial data patterns (time‑series/event data, traceability, quality data models) and OT/IT boundaries.
• Experience building reference architecture, standards, and guardrails for multiple teams.

Leadership Competencies

• Execution‑first architecture: pragmatic, outcome‑driven, able to deliver now while building toward the future.
• Innovation & experimentation: rapid POCs, value validation/alignment, and scalable launches.
• Self‑starter: thrives in ambiguity, drives clarity, creates momentum without waiting for perfect inputs.
• Stakeholder alignment: communicates tradeoffs, builds consensus, and accelerates decisions.
• Systems thinking: understands end‑to‑end flows from shop floor to customer; optimizes for business outcomes.
• Technical leadership: elevates engineering practices and influences teams and partners.

Working Environment

• Fast‑paced manufacturing environment with multi‑site complexity and mission‑critical operational requirements.
• Hybrid or on‑site expectations may include periodic travel to plants/sites to support key initiatives and stakeholder alignment.

Equal Opportunity Employer Minorities/Women/Protected Veterans/Disabled