The Software Solutions Architect, reporting to the Senior Manager, Front End Engineering, is responsible for designing and governing scalable, secure, and high-performing digital commerce architectures across a wide range of client engagements. With a strong emphasis on BigCommerce and other modern, API-first, headless commerce platforms, this role ensures the delivery of best-in-class technical solutions that align with client business goals.
You will translate strategy into technical execution, define architectural blueprints, guide cross-functional teams, and serve as a trusted advisor to clients throughout their digital transformation journey. The Architect collaborates closely with client stakeholders, delivery teams, and technical leadership to shape solutions, drive project success, and ensure architectural integrity end-to-end.
Key Responsibilities:
Commerce Architecture & Solution Design:
- Define and maintain commerce platform system architecture including product data models, module and capability selection, integration patterns, and client-specific adaptations.
- Lead solution design for BigCommerce implementations, including Stencil, headless/Storefront API, B2B Edition, and multi-storefront configurations.
- Support implementations across other modern commerce platforms (e.g., Shopify Plus, commercetools, Salesforce Commerce Cloud, Adobe Commerce) as needed.
- Develop architecture blueprints, technical roadmaps, and documentation to support scalable and modular solution delivery.
Platform Evaluation & Technology Advisory:
- Evaluate and advise clients on commerce technology platforms, participating in platform selection processes and providing strategic recommendations aligned to business goals.
- Guide clients on composable, MACH, and headless strategies across the modern commerce landscape.
Technical Leadership & Problem Solving:
- Work alongside client technical teams and Zaelab development teams to solve emerging platform or integration challenges.
- Ensure solutions are scalable, secure, resilient, and aligned with best practices.
- Act as a technical escalation point for architecture, integration, and performance-related issues.
Pre-Sales Architecture & Discovery Support:
- Define solution architecture concepts and technical approaches during pre-sales efforts.
- Collaborate with sales teams, delivery leads, and client stakeholders to shape proposals and advise clients on platform, integration, and technology strategies.
- Conduct technical assessments, discovery workshops, and scoping engagements.
Legacy System Modernization:
- Assess existing or legacy commerce platforms to identify technical debt, performance limitations, refactoring opportunities, and modernization pathways.
- Guide clients through phased modernization or replatforming strategies toward headless, API-driven architectures.
Risk Management & Delivery Alignment:
- Partner with Project Managers and delivery leads to identify project technical risks, evaluate alternative solutions, and implement mitigation strategies.
- Ensure architectural decisions align with timelines, scope, and delivery constraints.
Communication & Stakeholder Engagement:
- Effectively communicate architectural designs, technical constraints, design rationale, and implementation roadmaps to client teams and internal delivery teams.
- Serve as a trusted advisor, aligning technical decisions with business goals and helping stakeholders make informed tradeoffs.
Requirements
- 10+ years of Solution Architecture experience in commerce or enterprise platform environments
- Strong experience with BigCommerce, including Stencil, headless/Storefront API, B2B Edition, and multi-storefront architectures
- Familiarity with other modern digital commerce platforms including Shopify Plus, commercetools, Adobe Commerce (Magento), or Salesforce Commerce Cloud
- Expertise designing API-first, event-driven architectures using REST, GraphQL, JSON, webhooks, and messaging/queueing patterns
- Experience defining product data models, domain models, integration patterns, and composable solution architectures across multi-system ecosystems
- Strong engineering background with Node.js, TypeScript, serverless functions, or microservices within cloud environments
- Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud), including API gateways, queues/streams, serverless compute, and containerized applications
- Working knowledge of both relational and NoSQL data models, with experience designing data flows and transformations across systems such as ERP, PIM, OMS, CMS, and payment platforms
- Experience integrating modern commerce solutions with ERP, PIM, OMS, payment gateways, middleware, and other enterprise applications
- Familiarity with MACH, headless commerce, microservices, and cloud-native architectural best practices
- Experience with modern web technologies and composable storefront frameworks such as React, Next.js, Vue.js, or similar
- Experience working in IT consulting environments in client-facing roles, collaborating with both technical and business stakeholders
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, able to articulate complex architectural concepts clearly and effectively
- Experience working with distributed teams and tools such as Git, GitHub/GitLab, Jenkins, Jira, and related DevOps practices
- Experience with Agile or hybrid iterative delivery methodologies
- Comfortable operating in a dynamic, high-growth consulting environment with the ability to rapidly learn new technologies
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a related technical field
Benefits
Why you’ll love working here:
- Unlimited Vacation/PTO
- Full Health Benefits and 401k Fixed Percentage Plan (USA only) RRSP (Canada)
- Fully remote and distributed teams
- Paid Parental Leave
- Ongoing training and education opportunities
- 0% Bureaucracy Culture - Focus is on responsibilities, not title
Like what you see but don’t meet every requirement? Apply anyways! Studies have shown that various groups (women and people of colour) are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every requirement. At Zaelab, we’re committed to building and fostering an inclusive accessible environment, where all employees feel valued, respected and supported. We are dedicated to creating a culture with a diversity of talented individuals who join, stay, and work in an environment that enables them to thrive.
Zaelab is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. We are committed to providing accommodations. If you require accommodation, we will work with you to meet your needs. We use E-Verify to confirm the identity and employment eligibility of all new USA hires.
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