Presales Solutions Architect - Platforms

About the role

As a customer-facing platform architecture expert, the Presales Solutions Architect – Platforms will take a consultative approach to container, automation, and platform engineering initiatives. They will have a holistic understanding of modern application platforms, DevOps practices, and ecosystem technologies that enable business outcomes. The Solutions Architect will also develop and deliver new offerings to address customer requests and opportunities.

This remote position may be required to report to the office in Austin, Texas, as required for business needs and as determined by SHI management.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with multiple layers of contacts within client organizations, including CIO, CTO, Platform Engineering, SRE, Developer teams, and procurement to strengthen overall customer relationships and understand goals and objectives.
• Lead customer technical conversations during presales engagements and own the technical strategy, execution, and opportunity through the sales cycle.
• Design and sell platform and hybrid cloud solutions across on-premises and hybrid environments, including software and infrastructure, leveraging OEM and third-party technologies aligned to customer outcomes.
• Understand the company’s services offerings in all solution practice areas by attending company training and expanding knowledge through self-study.
• Educate sales teams on container, automation, platform architecture, and hybrid cloud solution selling, and key technologies through 1x1, team, and company training.
• Stay current on new technology, trends, and market behavior by studying market trends and the industry landscape.
• Engage in self-study and independent work in lab facilities to increase job-related knowledge and skills.
• Develop collateral, workshops, and other materials to assist with sales engagements.
• Develop cases in the SHI lab to support sales engagements.

Behaviors and Competencies

• Problem-Solving: Proactively identify and take ownership of complex problem-solving initiatives, initiate preventative measures, collaborate with others to find solutions, and drive successful outcomes.
• Communication: Effectively communicate complex ideas and information to diverse audiences, facilitate effective communication between others, and mentor others in effective communication.
• Adaptability: Lead others through change, help teams adapt to new directions, and create a culture open to change.
• Leadership: Take ownership of complex team initiatives, collaborate with others in decision-making processes, and drive team performance.
• Teamwork: Build and lead multiple teams, fostering a cooperative environment and ensuring effective communication between team members.
• Self-Motivation: Take ownership of complex personal or professional initiatives, collaborate with others when necessary, and drive results through self-motivation.

Requirements

• Proven experience designing and architecting cloud-native platforms, including Kubernetes and enterprise container-based environments (e.g., OpenShift, Rancher, Tanzu) across on-premises, hybrid, or multi-cloud environments.
• Deep understanding of modern DevOps and platform engineering practices (GitOps, CI/CD, DevSecOps, SDLC, Internal Developer Portal) combined with Day2 operational experience, including observability, reliability, upgrade and lifecycle management, infrastructure-as-code, automation.
• Extensive knowledge of Hybrid Cloud, DevOps, cloud-native ecosystem OEMs, third-party technologies, and their value proposition to customers.
• Strong understanding of platform and cloud-native reference architectures, OEM hardware and infrastructure reference architectures, third-party integrations, and relevant industry compliance requirements.
• Experience with cloud-native observability concepts, OpenTelemetry, Kubernetes monitoring, and observability OEMs, and AIOps.
• Familiarity with cloud-native application security best practices and solutions including CNAPP.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Attention to detail, organization, and follow-up skills.
• Initiative to research and resolve problems with a positive attitude.
• Exceptional relationship-building skills with customers, partners, and internal stakeholders.
• Strong documentation skills, including system, application, and infrastructure diagrams and executive-ready presentations.
• Passion for technology.
• Expert technical knowledge of cloud-native platform and DevOps solutions.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years of experience in a technical role.
• 3+ years of experience in a presales Solution Architect role.
• Travel to client locations required up to 20% for customer meetings, internal meetings or engagements, customer or partner sites, conferences, and SHI offices.
• Flexibility to work extended hours to complete special projects.

Preferred Certifications

• Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA), Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD) or related Linux & CNCF certifications.
• Red Hat Certified OpenShift Architect.
• Relevant professional certifications in related OEM categories including but not limited to Observability (Dynatrace, DataDog, Splunk, Elastic, etc.), GitOps/DevOps, Automation (Ansible), IAC (Terraform), Infrastructure/Containers, Platforms, CNAPP.
• If you do not have these certifications, it may be required within one year at SHI.

Pay

The estimated annual pay range for this position is $180,000 - $250,000, which includes a base salary and bonus. The compensation for this position is dependent on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and market location and, therefore, will vary from individual to individual.

Benefits

• Medical, vision, dental.
• 401K.
• Flexible spending.