Technical Architect

Role: Technical Architect
Hiring Mode: Freelance contract of 1 year with extension possible
Location: Bremen/Hamburg, Germany
Remote/Onsite/Hybrid: 3-4 visits of 2-3 days each per year
Language: English fluent

Job description:
Project context: Scientific Computing
Our customer operates a high-performance computation (HPC) environment for Engineering simulation services. This Scientific Computing platform is moving towards a cloud-native, containerized, and scalable future. This role requires deep technical expertise and hands-on experience in Linux-based HPC environments, containerization, and cloud architecture.

Role: Technical Architect—Linux, Cloud and Containerization expert
The technical architect is responsible for designing and implementing complex IT systems for our clients, ensuring that these solutions meet business requirements and are future-proof.

Project-specific tasks and responsibilities
•    Architect and guide the evolution of the HPC platform from RHEL-based clusters to cloud-native containerized solutions.
•    Design and develop hands-on Proof of Concepts (PoCs) to validate architectural decisions and emerging technologies, including containerization workflows (e.g., Apptainer, Docker), batch processing APIs, and cloud-native scientific computing environments.
•    Develop and automate infrastructure using Ansible, ensuring consistent configuration management across clustered systems.
•    Create and maintain scripts in Python, Shell, and Bash to support system operations, monitoring, and deployment workflows.
•    Architect and implement container orchestration solutions using Kubernetes, enabling scalable and reproducible scientific workloads.
•    Integrate and optimize batch processing systems (e.g., LSF) with modern APIs and container runtimes like Apptainer.
•    Ensure secure and efficient authentication mechanisms using LDAP/SSSD and Active Directory within clustered and virtualized environments.
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Generic tasks and responsibilities:
• Development and implementation of complex IT solutions that meet business requirements, for example in the context of PLM solutions, cloud platforms, or the automation of testing and DevOps pipelines.
• Participation in creating, reviewing, and maintaining requirements.
• Identification and evaluation of technical solutions to fulfill requirements.
• Conducting technical analyses and assessing new technologies.
• Leading the technical planning and implementation of IT projects.
• Creating and maintaining technical documentation like Architecture Dossiers, Operations Dossier, Disaster Recovery Plans, etc.
• Contribution to Release and Deployment Planning
• Cross-functional communication and collaboration to clarify and resolve requirements, dependencies, and outcomes, for instance with business units, development organizations, infrastructure teams, security teams, etc.
• Ensuring compliance with security and quality standards.
• Identification and mitigation of risks.
• Presentation of work results.
• Contributing to the assurance and improvement of our services.
• Supporting the further development of project staff in technical areas.