Solution Architect - Customs Modernization

What You’ll Do

• Define the Solution Architecture and Roadmap
• Develop and maintain the architecture for KIBO’s customs-assurance technology ecosystem.
• Ensure that integrations, applications, data flows, and platform capabilities support current program goals while creating a strong foundation for the future digital single-window roadmap.
• Design Clear, Actionable Architecture
• Produce architectural blueprints, system diagrams, interface designs, technical standards, and implementation guidance that engineering and delivery teams can use effectively.
• Lead Systems Integration Strategy
• Design secure and maintainable integration patterns for the national customs system, including ASYCUDA/SYDONIA, port-community data sources, external trade-data services, and government systems.
• Translate Stakeholder Needs into Technical Solutions
• Partner with customs authorities, port stakeholders, headquarters teams, vendors, and field operations to gather requirements, define solution scope, and convert business, operational, and data needs into technically feasible designs and delivery plans.
• Evaluate Technology and Manage Architectural Risk
• Assess technology options and emerging capabilities, identify architectural risks and tradeoffs, and recommend practical mitigation strategies that support dependable and sustainable delivery.
• Provide Technical Leadership
• Guide engineers, data scientists, technical partners, and vendors on architecture standards and best practices. Review delivered solutions against the approved design and help teams resolve complex technical challenges.

Required Qualifications

• Eight or more years of experience in technical roles, including hands-on software development, systems integration, or engineering delivery for complex production environments.
• Three or more years of experience in solution architecture, software architecture, enterprise architecture, or a closely related role.
• Demonstrated ability to design secure, scalable, resilient, and maintainable technology solutions.
• Strong experience with distributed systems, APIs, systems integrations, operational platforms, and complex data flows.
• Experience producing technical architecture documentation, interface specifications, system diagrams, implementation standards, and engineering guidance.
• Familiarity with practical architecture frameworks or documentation methods such as C4, TOGAF, ArchiMate, UML, OpenAPI, or comparable standards.
• Strong knowledge of information security, access control, audit logging, interoperability, data protection, system reliability, and performance.
• Experience working with sensitive operational, regulated, or government-related data.
• Exceptional technical writing, presentation, and communication skills.
• Ability to explain complex technical concepts clearly to executive, operational, client, vendor, and government audiences.
• Prominent ability to quickly understand unfamiliar industries, legacy environments, and complex technical domains.
• Sound judgment and the ability to provide practical architectural guidance under demanding delivery timelines.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with customs, international trade, digital single-window, logistics, port-community, border-management, intelligence, or government technology systems.
• Familiarity with ASYCUDA/SYDONIA or other customs declaration, clearance, or border-management platforms.
• Architecture certification such as TOGAF, AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional, Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect Expert, Zachman, ArchiMate, CEA, CPCA, or a comparable credential.
• Experience with cloud architecture, DevOps, CI/CD, containerization, infrastructure as code, microservices, API management, or production-monitoring platforms.
• Experience with a modern programming language or back-end technology stack such as .NET, Java, Node.js, or Python. Experience with .NET is especially valuable.
• Exposure to e-payment systems, traceability platforms, distributed-ledger technologies, digital identity, biometrics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, or computer vision.
• Working proficiency in French.

What Success Looks Like in Your First Few Months

• Complete an architecture and integration assessment covering the customs system, port-community data sources, external data feeds, field technologies, and headquarters analytics requirements.
• Publish the initial reference architecture, integration patterns, data-flow standards, and supporting technical documentation for the customs-assurance service.
• Lead solution-design sessions with engineering, data science, field operations, customs stakeholders, and program leadership.
• Confirm requirements, architectural risks, implementation sequencing, and delivery priorities.
• Define the architectural roadmap and technical standards that will support the future digital single-window platform.

Reporting and Working Relationships

• The Solution Architect reports to the Engagement or Delivery Lead and works closely with:
• Senior Full-Stack Developer
• Senior Data Scientist
• Expatriate Technical Manager
• Data and IT Liaison
• Customs and Valuation Subject-Matter Expert
• In-country operations team
• The role will also engage directly with customs authorities, port stakeholders, government technical teams, vendors, and other program partners as needed.

KIBO Offers

• Competitive compensation and a comprehensive benefits package.
• High-impact, mission-driven work supporting the modernization of a national customs administration.
• The opportunity to help design a platform with long-term economic, operational, and public-sector impact.
• A collaborative, multidisciplinary team of customs, technology, data, and engineering specialists.
• Significant ownership and influence during a critical program build-out phase.
• Opportunities for professional growth as the platform and program expand.

Join Us

• This role is ideal for an architect who enjoys solving complex integration challenges, working across technical and operational teams, and designing technology that performs reliably in demanding real-world environments.
• If you are motivated by mission-driven work and want to help establish the architecture behind a transformative customs-modernization program, we encourage you to apply.
• KIBO Laboratories LLC is an equal-opportunity employer and welcomes qualified applicants of all backgrounds.