Senior Platform Engineering Solution Architect

Who is Trace3 ? Trace3 is a leading Transformative IT Authority, providing unique technology solutions and consulting services to our clients. Equipped with elite engineering and dynamic innovation, we empower IT executives and their organizations to achieve competitive advantage through a process of Integrate, Automate, Innovate. Our culture at Trace3 embodies the spirit of a startup with the advantage of a scalable business. Employees can grow their career and have fun while doing it! Trace3 is headquartered in Irvine, California. We employ more than 1,200 people all over the United States. Our major field office locations include Denver, Indianapolis, Grand Rapids, Lexington, Los Angeles, Louisville, Texas, San Francisco. Ready to discover the possibilities that live in technology? Come Join Us! Street-Smart - Thriving in Dynamic Times We are flexible and resilient in a fast-changing environment. We continuously innovate and drive constructive change while keeping a focus on the “big picture.” We exercise sound business judgment in making high-quality decisions in a timely and cost-effective manner. We are highly creative and can dig deep within ourselves to find positive solutions to different problems. Juice - The “Stuff” it takes to be a Needle Mover We get things done and drive results. We lead without a title, empowering others through a can-do attitude. We look forward to the goal, mentally mapping out every checkpoint on the pathway to success, and visualizing what the final destination looks and feels like. Teamwork - Humble, Hungry and Smart We are humble individuals who understand how our job impacts the company's mission. We treat others with respect, admit mistakes, give credit where it’s due and demonstrate transparency. We “bring the weather” by exhibiting positive leadership and solution-focused thinking. We hug people in their trials, struggles, and failures – not just their success. We appreciate the individuality of the people around us. JOB SUMMARY: The Senior Platform Engineering Solution Architect is a lead technical seller and hands-on architect for Trace3's platform engineering business. You will shape and close pursuits across product, professional services and consulting. You will build the demos and proofs of concept that win those pursuits, then oversee delivery so clients get what was sold. You will advise CIOs, CTOs and engineering leaders on platform engineering, observability and agentic AI for software delivery. You will also help regional and vertical sales teams find and qualify platform engineering opportunities. The role sits in the Cloud practice within Infrastructure & Operations. You will work closely with Trace3 account teams, architects, engineers and adjacent practices. SUMMARY OF ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS: Pre-Sales and Business Development (~70% of time) Lead pre-sales for platform engineering pursuits from discovery through close, working with Sales and Account Management. Own the technical win. Run discovery workshops, design solutions, and build demos and proofs of concept that prove value. Write proposals, SOWs and level-of-effort estimates that are accurate, priced to margin and deliverable. Meet bookings targets across product resale, hands-on professional services and consulting. Advise CIOs, CTOs, VPs of Engineering and platform leaders on platform engineering, observability, DevOps, developer experience and agentic AI. Turn client business priorities into platform engineering roadmaps, investment cases and target operating models. Bring in other Trace3 practices when clients need them, including Digital Consulting, Data, Security, Managed Services, and Innovation practices. Go-to-Market and Enablement Contribute meaningfully to the platform engineering GTM motion, including offerings, reference architectures, accelerators and sales collateral. Train regional and vertical sales teams, build sales plays, and join their account planning. Work with technology partners such as Microsoft, Dynatrace and Datadog on joint pursuits, partner funding and field alignment. Share a point of view on platform engineering, observability and agentic AI trends through client briefings, events and content. Solution Architecture Design platform reference architectures, golden paths and paved-road patterns that improve developer productivity, reliability and security. Advise on Internal Developer Platforms, Kubernetes platforms, CI/CD modernization, DevSecOps, infrastructure as code and platform automation. Advise on agentic AI across the software lifecycle. This covers AI-native developer experience, multi-agent orchestration, AI in CI/CD, and AI for SRE, root cause analysis and observability. Guide build versus buy decisions and align architectures with non-functional requirements such as scale, resilience, security and cost. Advise clients on platform team operating models and adoption plans that deliver measurable value. Delivery Oversight Hand off sold work to delivery teams with clear scope, architecture and success criteria. Serve as architect of record on key engagements. Review designs, set quality gates and step in when technical risk appears. Stay close to client sponsors during delivery to protect outcomes and find follow-on work. REQUIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE: 8 or more years in platform engineering, DevOps, SRE or cloud infrastructure, including at least 4 years in pre-sales, solution architecture or technical consulting. A track record of meeting or exceeding bookings targets for technology services or solutions. Enough hands-on experience with Kubernetes, CI/CD tooling and infrastructure as code to build demos and proofs of concept yourself. Examples include GitHub Actions, GitLab, Azure DevOps, Argo CD, Terraform and Bicep. Pre-sales experience positioning observability platforms such as Dynatrace, Datadog, Splunk Observability, Grafana, and OpenTelemetry based solutions. Pre-sales experience positioning AI and agentic solutions for software delivery and operations. Experience designing or advising on Internal Developer Platforms, golden paths and developer experience. Strong writing skills for proposals, SOWs and estimates, and the ability to present technical topics to executives and non-technical audiences. Experience leading architects and engineers on engagements without formal authority. A bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems or a related field, or equivalent experience. Preferred Azure experience, including Azure Kubernetes Service, Azure DevOps or GitHub. Certifications such as Azure Solutions Architect Expert, AZ-400, CKA or CKAD, Terraform Associate, or observability vendor certifications. Experience with IDP frameworks such as Backstage or Port. Experience selling into regulated industries such as healthcare or financial services. Prior experience at a solution provider, reseller or systems integrator. 3335 Actual salary will be based on a variety of factors, including location, experience, skill set, performance, licensure and certification, and business needs. The range for this position in other geographic locations may differ. Certain positions may also be eligible for variable incentive compensation, such as bonuses or commissions, that is not included in the base salary. Estimated Pay Range $190,000 — $225,000 USD The Perks Comprehensive medical, dental and vision plans for you and your dependents 401(k) Retirement Plan with Employer Match, 529 College Savings Plan, Health Savings Account, Life Insurance, and Long-Term Disability Competitive Compensation Training and development programs Major offices stocked with snacks and beverages Collaborative and cool culture Work-life balance and generous paid time off Our Commitment At the core of Trace3's DNA is our people. We are a diverse group of talented individuals who understand the importance of teamwork and demonstrating leadership, character, and passion in all that we do. We’re committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where everyone feels respected, valued, and empowered to grow. We recognize that embracing diversity drives innovation, improves outcomes, fosters collaboration, boosts teammate satisfaction, and builds a more inclusive culture. As an equal opportunity employer, Trace3 bases all employment decisions based on individual qualifications, merit, and business requirements. We do not engage in discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (