Typical duties and responsibilities
A solutions architect designs, describes and manages the solution engineering in relation to specific business problems. They are in charge of leading the practice and introducing the overall technical vision for a particular solution. Their typical duties include:
- Analyzing the technology environment
- Analyzing enterprise specifics
- Analyzing and documenting requirements
- Setting the collaboration framework
- Creating a solution prototype
- Participating in technology selection
- Controlling solution development
- Supporting project management
Qualifications
Like most technology and computer-focused roles, employers typically look for a degree in computer Science, information systems or another related field. Typically, solutions architects will take further education (e.g., an MSc) and courses to specialize in specific subjects.
Skills and work experience
As well as meeting the educational requirements, solutions architects will need skills such as:
- Analytical skills, as they will need to understand how different parts of a business work together and must be able to design effective corporate strategies
- Network knowledge, as solutions architects will work with a variety of different networks and must understand telecommunication networks
- Problem-solving, as solutions architects will need to solve a huge range of technical problems and business-related problems
- Communication and teaching skills, as solutions architects will need to be able to communicate effectively with clients and with coworkers
Hours
You can expect to be working full-time in normal business hours (Monday to Friday). However, sometimes you will need to be on call and work outside of normal business hours!
Salary
According to Zippia, the average salary for a solutions architect in the United States is $100,000 annually. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $75,000 and the highest 10 percent earned over $133,000 per year.
Progression
Typically, solutions architect will start their career working under the supervision of someone more experienced. However, as they gather more experience, there are options for them to advance into more senior and specialized roles. They can also progress further by become a self-employed consultants.