Solution Architect - R&D

About the Role

The R&D Solution Architect is a hands-on architecture role within Digital & Technology (D&T), accountable for designing end-to-end solution architectures that enable Research & Development outcomes across the product innovation lifecycle. Working under the QSC & R&D Domain Architect, the role translates target architecture, standards and guardrails into practical, implementable solution designs that delivery teams can build, validate and operate. The role partners closely with R&D Product Owners, scientists, engineers, data teams, security and compliance specialists to ensure solutions are secure, compliant, scalable and fit for scientific and regulated environments.

This role is delivery-proximate and technically hands-on, providing clear solution designs, implementation guidance and architectural governance - enabling faster innovation while maintaining appropriate control, traceability and data integrity.

Role purpose

To design and govern secure, scalable and compliant R&D solution architectures that enable faster, safer product development and innovation, aligned to enterprise standards and the QSC & R&D target architecture.

Key accountabilities

• Designing end-to-end solution architectures for R&D capabilities across the product development lifecycle.
• Ensuring solution designs align to QSC & R&D domain guardrails and enterprise architecture standards.
• Embedding security, data integrity, compliance and resilience into solution designs by default.
• Providing architecture governance and implementation guidance throughout delivery.
• Designing data and integration architectures that support traceability, insight and reuse across R&D.

Key responsibilities

1. Solution Architecture & Design (R&D)
   • Produce implementable solution designs covering functional and non-functional requirements, including security, scalability, performance, maintainability and operability.
   • Translate R&D business and scientific requirements into clear architecture artefacts (solution views, integration diagrams, data flows and operational views).
   • Ensure designs support R&D capabilities including: Product development and formulation; Clinical and pre-clinical systems; Lab and scientific data platforms; Document, data and knowledge management.
2. R&D Platforms & Lifecycle Alignment
   • Work within the R&D platform and target architecture direction set by the Domain Architect.
   • Ensure solutions support end-to-end product lifecycle traceability from concept through development and readiness for manufacturing and quality transition.
   • Balance standardisation with flexibility required for scientific innovation.
3. Data, Integration & Insight Architecture
   • Design secure, reliable data flows supporting scientific analysis, decision-making and reuse of data across R&D.
   • Define APIs, integration patterns and data models aligned to enterprise data governance principles.
   • Partner with Data & AI teams to enable advanced analytics and AI use cases where appropriate.
4. Compliance, Integrity & Research Controls by Design
   • Ensure solution designs support appropriate regulatory, data integrity and validation expectations relevant to R&D environments.
   • Embed auditability, versioning, access controls and evidence capture into architectures from the outset.
   • Ensure clear operational ownership and supportability of R&D solutions.
5. Architecture Governance & Delivery Assurance
   • Provide architectural governance to delivery teams through design reviews, implementation checkpoints and ongoing guidance.
   • Ensure delivered solutions align with approved architectures and do not introduce unnecessary complexity or risk.
   • Document architecture decisions, trade-offs and risks clearly, escalating where needed.
6. Security, Privacy & Resilience by Design
   • Ensure security and privacy requirements are embedded into R&D solutions from design stage.
   • Design for resilience and continuity appropriate to critical R&D processes and data assets.
7. Standardisation, Reuse & Simplification
   • Promote reuse of reference architectures, shared services and common patterns across R&D solutions.
   • Identify opportunities to simplify the R&D technology landscape and reduce bespoke or duplicative solutions.
8. Stakeholder & Community Collaboration
   • Act as a bridge between R&D business stakeholders, Product Owners, Engineering, Data, Security and Delivery teams.
   • Contribute to architecture communities of practice, sharing learnings and improving standards and patterns.

Your profile

Required:

• Demonstrated experience as a Solution Architect in Digital or Technology environments.
• Experience designing solutions across R&D, scientific, product development or data-intense domains.
• Ability to translate complex business and scientific requirements into implementable architectures.
• Understanding of integration patterns, APIs and data flows.
• Solution design skills (logical architecture, integration, data flows, non-functional design).
• Ability to provide pragmatic “minimum viable architecture” guidance that accelerates delivery.
• Clear communication with both technical teams and scientific/business stakeholders.
• Comfort operating across ambiguity, experimentation and evolving requirements.

• Preferred: Experience in regulated or compliance-aware environments; experience with R&D platforms, lab systems or scientific data platforms; experience operating within enterprise architecture standards and governance models.

Note

Expiry date: 2026-07-09. Salary, benefits and other details may vary by location and are provided where applicable during recruitment.