AI Solutions Architect

You design the end-to-end architecture of the AI solutions Centrax Digital delivers, and you hold design authority from use case to production. ABOUT CENTRAX DIGITAL Centrax Digital is an AI-first consulting and digital engineering firm operating from Bryanston, Sandton and Grand Prairie, Texas. We are a Level 1 B-BBEE, black woman-owned Advanced Zoho Partner. Our work spans AI and advisory, platforms, cloud and security, and digital engineering, delivered on our own published methodology. Because Innovation Matters. THE ROLE To turn prioritised AI use cases into secure, costed and operable designs that fit each client's existing platforms, on CAIF-5, the Centrax AI delivery framework. You make the trade-offs across models, data, integration, security, cost and operations explicit, and you work within the Ground and Embed pillars of CAIF-5. WHAT YOU WILL DO - Produce AI solution architecture for client engagements: context, logical and physical designs, data flows, integration points and non-functional requirements. - Select models, platforms and deployment patterns based on quality, cost, latency, data residency and risk. - Design data and retrieval architecture for AI workloads, including ingestion, vector and search stores, access control and lineage. - Design the integration of AI capabilities into client systems, including Zoho applications, line-of-business platforms and APIs. - Build security, privacy and safety into every design, including POPIA-aligned data handling, cross-border transfer controls and human oversight points. - Estimate effort, infrastructure and run costs, and support pre-sales with credible scoping. - Hold design authority during delivery, recording decisions in architecture decision records and reviewing builds against the design. - Maintain the CAIF reference architecture patterns with the AI Engineering team, and advise clients on AI platforms and vendors without bias. WHAT YOU NEED - Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems or a related field. A Master's in CS, AI or data science is an advantage. - Minimum 8 years' experience in software engineering or solution architecture, including at least 3 years as an architect. - At least two AI or ML solutions designed and taken to production, with measurable outcomes. - Hands-on experience designing LLM-based applications in production, including retrieval and evaluation. - Architect-level knowledge of Azure, AWS or Google Cloud and its AI services, and experience designing for POPIA or an equivalent privacy regime. - A cloud architect certification is preferred. An AI or ML specialisation, TOGAF certification, or Zoho integration experience is an advantage. WHERE THE BOUNDARIES SIT AI strategy, business cases and client AI governance sit with the AI Strategy Consultant. Build and operation sit with the AI Engineers. The wider client landscape and non-AI integration sit with the Solution Architect. HOW THIS ROLE EVOLVES Centrax is concurrently advertising an AI Engineer and a Lead / Principal AI Strategy Consultant. Progression from this role runs through Senior AI Solutions Architect to Principal AI Architect, with a path to AI Practice Lead. WORKING ARRANGEMENTS Standard working hours of 08:00 to 17:00, Monday to Friday, with flexibility expected around design reviews, deployment windows and client steering cycles. Hybrid working in line with company policy. Travel to client sites is expected, including occasional travel within South Africa and to the Texas office where engagements require it. Standard 21 days annual leave and BCEA leave entitlements apply. REMUNERATION Market related, commensurate with experience. EMPLOYMENT EQUITY AND POPIA Centrax Digital is an equal opportunity employer. Appointments are made in line with the Employment Equity Act and the company's employment equity plan, and preference may be given to suitably qualified candidates from designated groups. By applying, you consent to the processing of your personal information for recruitment purposes in accordance with POPIA. HOW TO APPLY Apply through the Centrax Digital careers portal. Applications close on the target date shown on this listing. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted; if you have not heard from us within four weeks of the closing date, please consider your application unsuccessful.