Solutions Architect

Solution Architect

Location: Hybrid, Edinburgh
Duration: Early November 2026 to end of March 2027
Outside IR35

We're looking for an experienced Solution Architect to shape the future of a Scottish public body's data centre and cloud infrastructure. This role will baseline current state, assess options and set out target solutions and transition roadmaps across server virtualisation, virtual desktop hosting and storage, along with wider infrastructure such as SAN, firewalls, backups and disaster recovery (DR).

You'll bring strong hands-on knowledge of virtualisation, VDI and SAN technologies, including Broadcom vSphere, Omnissa Horizon, Hyper-V, Nutanix, Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365, along with the ability to turn complex dependencies into clear, practical recommendations.
Working closely with technical teams and stakeholders, you'll make sure transition plans account for other in-flight projects that may add to or remove from these platforms.
The role also involves baselining and updating architecture artefacts for current infrastructure solutions, supporting change through architecture governance, helping shape infrastructure standards and strategy, and providing wider architecture consultancy.

Key responsibilities:

• Server virtualisation: baseline the current Broadcom vSphere platform and its dependencies, recommend a replacement (e.g. Hyper-V, Nutanix), define the target solution and set out a transition roadmap (e.g. vSphere 8 to vSphere 9 / VVF / VCF, then to the target)
• Virtual desktop hosting: baseline the current Omnissa Horizon service, assess options (e.g. Azure Virtual Desktop, Windows 365), make a recommendation and set out a transition roadmap
• Future SAN requirements: baseline current usage, assess hardware and support options and define the future state and roadmap based on the outcomes of in-flight initiatives
• Wider infrastructure: baseline and assess other infrastructure components, including firewalls, backups and DR, and define target solutions and roadmaps where needed
• Work with operational teams to validate the current (as-is) state
• Develop strategic, enterprise target solutions using established options and design artefacts that take account of the complete solution (business, application/platform, data, infrastructure/cloud, security and operational model)
• Align recommendations and designs with the organisation's architecture principles
• Ensure transition plans take account of other projects that may add to or remove from these platforms
• Baseline, assess and update artefacts for current infrastructure solutions (e.g. DevOps platforms, including on-premises and cloud instances of Azure DevOps and potentially Cloudflare), working with teams to clarify details and assist with changes via architecture governance
• Contribute to an infrastructure / asset catalogue
• Contribute to and help shape infrastructure standards and good practice, including well-architected cloud frameworks where relevant
• Deliver against, align with and contribute to the organisation's infrastructure strategy
• Collaborate with colleagues from information governance and cyber security
• Attend regular architecture office sessions to provide updates and build consensus
• Present findings, recommendations and artefacts in architecture governance forums
• Peer review similar work from other architects to ensure consistency and broader alignment across initiatives
• Provide general architecture consultancy and administration, including updating application portfolios where gaps are identified