This is a remote position.
Job Title: Senior Infrastructure Architect – IaaS
Location: Remote (occasional travel to the client office in Germany required)
Start Date: ASAP
Contract Type: Freelance / Contract, Full-Time
Overview
We are looking for an experienced Senior Infrastructure Architect specialising in Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) to take ownership of the software architecture for core infrastructure components in a hybrid cloud platform. The platform provides application teams with self-service capabilities for infrastructure, data, service lifecycle management, build and delivery, and operational services. It is deployed across both private and public cloud environments.
About the Role
The IaaS product line delivers network, compute, and storage services to other platform product lines and tenants. This role will define, evolve, and align the IaaS software architecture to meet the platform’s long-term goals, ensuring scalability, maintainability, and operational efficiency. You will work closely with engineering, product management, and platform leadership to design and guide the implementation of secure, observable, and reusable infrastructure services.
Responsibilities
Architecture Ownership
* Design architecture for orchestration layers, distributed microservices, and infrastructure automation
* Define and maintain REST APIs using FastAPI with consistent standards across interfaces
* Integrate asynchronous processing via Celery, RabbitMQ, and event-driven communication using Kafka
* Establish service discovery patterns optimised for dynamic IaaS workloads
* Apply domain-driven design principles and Pydantic-based modelling in modern Python frameworks
Strategic Architecture Initiatives
* Co-develop microservices architectures for IaaS provisioning workflows with graph-based dependency resolution
* Contribute to the architecture roadmap, identifying enablers and assessing risks
* Prioritise architectural initiatives in alignment with product strategy
Alignment & Technical Mentoring
* Coordinate with product managers, delivery teams, and peer architects to align design decisions
* Represent architecture in design forums and cross-functional reviews
* Provide mentoring and structured design input to engineering teams
Quality & Standards
* Define and enforce architectural guardrails for observability, authentication/authorisation (OAuth2, IAM), and resilience
* Review designs to ensure adherence to clean architecture principles and reusability
* Guide engineering decisions throughout the development lifecycle to safeguard architectural integrity
Deliverables & Communication
* Organise architectural work based on complexity, dependencies, and business value
* Communicate progress clearly and escalate blockers early
* Gather missing context and resolve design uncertainties proactively
Requirements
Eligibility
* Residency in the EU, EEA, UK, or Switzerland
Must-Have Experience
* 7–10 years in software architecture or infrastructure platform engineering
* Deep expertise in:
o Python (modern idioms, best practices)
o REST API development with FastAPI
o Asynchronous processing frameworks (Celery, RabbitMQ)
o Graph modelling (ArangoDB or similar)
o Pydantic-based data modelling
o Microservices and distributed systems design (synchronisation, replication, consensus)
* Data modelling (relational, document, graph)
* Service discovery patterns and Kubernetes concepts (namespaces, services, deployments, ingress)
* Observability concepts (logs, metrics, traces) and tooling (Prometheus, Grafana, OpenTelemetry)
* Software architecture patterns (DDD, event-driven design)
* Authentication/Authorisation (IAM/RBAC/OAuth/OIDC)
* Experience building scalable backend systems in Agile/DevOps environments
Must-Have Language Skills
* Fluent English (C1 level or above)
Preferred Experience
* Architecture, cloud infrastructure, or security certifications (TOGAF, AWS/Azure/GCP)
* Familiarity with observability tools (Prometheus, Grafana, OpenTelemetry)
* Experience with IaaS service delivery and API-first platform design
Benefits
As a freelancer / contractor with us, you will enjoy flexible working hours and the freedom to choose your own projects. Our platform gives you access to exciting projects in various industries and supports you in advancing your career. You'll benefit from competitive pay and a dedicated team to help you with any questions you may have. Work independently and utilise our strong network to achieve your professional goals.