Level 1 Architect – Distributed Systems

About the role

We are a leading global technology organisation seeking a Level 1 Architect to join our advanced Architecture function in Pretoria. The role focuses on designing end‑to‑end software architectures for multi‑system initiatives, guiding engineering teams and ensuring solutions are scalable, resilient and compliant.

Key responsibilities

• Analyse business requirements, system constraints and technical risks to define architectural direction.
• Design end‑to‑end architectures and produce artefacts such as ADRs, integration diagrams and delivery strategies.
• Maintain architectural decision records and review designs, APIs and code for consistency.
• Provide architectural consulting to engineering teams and coordinate multi‑team solution planning.
• Research emerging technologies, run prototypes and drive architectural improvements.
• Troubleshoot complex production incidents and contribute to post‑mortems.
• Mentor engineers on architectural thinking, design patterns and software quality.

Required profile

• 8–10 years of progressive experience in software architecture or engineering.
• Proven experience designing solutions for complex distributed systems.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, IT or a related field.

Required skills

• Distributed systems & cloud‑native architecture
• Kubernetes & containerisation
• API design & integration patterns
• CI/CD, DevOps, SDLC
• Cloud services & infrastructure
• Disaster recovery & resilience engineering
• Network routing & configuration management
• Automation & workflow management
• Architectural analysis, documentation, ADR frameworks
• Machine learning exposure (beneficial)

What we offer

• Salary range R110,000 – R205,000 per month (experience‑dependent) plus benefits.
• Opportunity to work on cutting‑edge distributed systems within a global tech leader.