Senior Solution Architect, Resiliency

About the role

This Solution Architect position focuses on advancing foundational infrastructure capabilities, particularly within Marathon’s Azure cloud environment, to strengthen application resiliency. The role will lead investigation and delivery of new capabilities such as multi-region application architecture and chaos testing to advance resilient designs. Evolving PaaS, micro-service, and container-based architectures for resilient compute will be paired with progressing Infrastructure as Code, DevSecOps, Networking, and resistance to cyber attacks through secure design and defense in depth; together delivering more resilient application hosting.

This role collaborates with peer CI Solution Architects as well as Product Managers to create strategic roadmaps and develop architectural runway to guide agile teams. It works closely with the business to translate expected outcomes into solution architectures and the necessary enabling work to realize the strategic vision. The Solution Architect delivers actionable Agile features, drives cross-platform and business unit outcomes, supports iterative delivery, and ensures priority alignment. Additionally, the role will be an evangelist to application development teams; while balancing innovation with operational stability and security expectations, this role will take an active role driving awareness and adoption of newer, more resilient foundational infrastructure within application designs.

Responsibilities

• Develop reference architecture targeting resilient application deployments utilizing Infrastructure as Code and DevSecOps.
• Provide consulting to application development teams ensuring optimal resiliency is considered in system designs.
• Define and drive the overall solution architecture strategy and roadmap for business initiatives.
• Serve as a coordinating architectural advisor for cross functional solution delivery, collaborating with business stakeholders, Enterprise and System Architects to ensure cohesive, value-driven designs.
• Ensure solutions are scalable, maintainable, and aligned with business and architecture strategies.
• Mentor and guide teams in solution architecture best practices across applicable Architecture Domains (Business, Application, Technology, Information and Security architecture).
• Resolve complex integration and alignment challenges across systems.
• Represent solution architecture in business and IT strategy discussions.
• Bridge business needs and technical implementation, ensuring solutions solve the core business problem.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Information Technology, related field, or equivalent experience required.
• Five (5) or more years of relevant IT experience, including two (2) or more years of relevant architecture experience required.
• Experience with Infrastructure platforms and capabilities: Cloud, Compute, Storage, Network, Cybersecurity required.
• Experience with architecture principles, process design, development standards, and best practices required.
• Experience working with agile teams and principles preferred.

Skills

• Agile Methodology: Agile project management is an iterative approach to delivering a project throughout its life cycle, taking incremental steps towards the completion of a project.
• Analytical Thinking: Strong problem-solving skills to identify architectural challenges, analyze requirements, evaluate options, and propose effective solutions.
• Artificial Intelligence (AI): Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, especially computer systems. These processes include learning (the acquisition of information and rules for using the information), reasoning (using rules to reach approximate or definite conclusions), and self-correction. AI encompasses a broad range of techniques and approaches, including machine learning, neural networks, natural language processing, computer vision, robotics, and expert systems, among others. The ultimate goal of AI is to create machines that can perform tasks that typically require human intelligence, such as understanding natural language, recognizing patterns, making decisions, and solving problems.
• Authentic Communicator: Expresses ideas and information, both verbally and in writing, clearly and credibly. Listens to understand and fosters constructive dialogue.
• Big Data Analytics: Knowledge of data analytics frameworks and technologies, such as data lakes, data warehouses, and machine learning, to design architectures that effectively handle large volumes of data and enable advanced analytics.
• Business Acumen: Applies knowledge of MPC’s business, industry and the marketplace to advance the organization’s goals. Makes decisions and recommendations clearly linked to MPC’s strategy.
• Cloud Computing: Knowing how to manage cloud services, develop cloud applications and use cloud architecture to meet customer needs.
• Continuous Improvement Mindset: Identifies and leads opportunities for continuous improvement and value creation, both incremental and large-scale.
• DevSecOps: A set of practices that automates the integration of security at every phase of the software development lifecycle, from initial design through integration, testing, deployment, and software delivery, with an aim towards shortening the systems development life cycle and as well as continuous delivery and a security first approach.
• Functional Expertise: A strong understanding of various technologies, platforms, and systems relevant to the organization's architecture, such as networking, databases, cloud computing, and security.
• Internet of Things (IoT): Familiarity with IoT concepts and protocols, as well as experience designing architectures that incorporate IoT devices and enable seamless connectivity and data exchange.
• Machine Learning: Machine learning is a branch of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and computer science that involves the development of algorithms and statistical models that enable computers to progressively improve their performance on a specific task through learning from data, without being explicitly programmed.
• Process Orchestration: Process orchestration refers to the coordination and management of various tasks, activities, and resources within a workflow or business process. It involves organizing, sequencing, and automating individual tasks or sub-processes to ensure that the overall process operates smoothly and efficiently.
• Solution Architecture: Solution architecture is the process of designing and describing the structure and behavior of a comprehensive solution to meet specific business needs. It involves integrating various components, technologies, and processes to create a coherent and efficient system that addresses the identified challenges or requirements.
• Strategic Outlook: Examines issues, generates ideas, creates future scenarios and develops plans with a long-term perspective. Ensures short-term goals support long-term strategy and that organizational/functional strategy aligns with and supports MPC’s overall business strategy.
• Systems Thinking: The ability to analyze complex systems and understand their interdependencies, considering both technical and business aspects, to develop comprehensive and scalable architectures.

Location

Findlay, Ohio
San Antonio, Texas

Benefits

• Health, vision, and dental insurance
• Paid time off
• 401k matching program
• Paid parental leave
• Educational reimbursement
• Discretionary company-sponsored annual bonus program