Backbase logo

Lead Principal Solution Architect - EMEA

Backbase

Amsterdam
Full-time
10+ years experience
Hybrid

Key Skills

Solution architecture
Java
Spring
API design
Cloud native deployment
Microservices
Event-driven architecture
AI frameworks
Digital banking
Enterprise integration
DevOps
Identity and access management
Kubernetes
Technical leadership
Stakeholder management
Prototyping

Job Description

The job in short

As a Principal Solutions Architect at Backbase, you help banks integrate BankingOS with their existing technology and build solutions for Digital Banking and Agentic Banking.

You combine architecture expertise with hands-on development. You work with AI models, agent frameworks, APIs and integrations to build prototypes, test ideas and understand what works in practice.

You work alongside Solutions Engineers to design the overall architecture, connecting BankingOS with the bank’s systems, data and security requirements. You explain technical decisions to executives, architects and engineers, and adjust your approach based on testing and evidence.

This is a senior individual contributor role focused on technical design, practical experimentation and mentoring colleagues. You also contribute to product improvements and develop reusable architecture patterns.

Meet the job

  • Work with bank technology teams: Understand their technical requirements and help them make architecture decisions.

  • Design BankingOS integrations: Define how banking journeys, AI agents, data and existing systems connect through APIs, events and other integration patterns.

  • Design Agentic Banking solutions: Define how AI agents use data and tools, including permissions, human approvals, testing and traceability.

  • Address AI limitations: Assess reliability, hallucinations, privacy and agent autonomy. Test solutions and define where additional controls are needed.

  • Build and test prototypes: Work directly with AI agents, knowledge retrieval, tools and integrations. Investigate failures and use the results to improve the architecture.

  • Plan for production: Consider performance, security, reliability, cost and implementation effort. Document the architecture in the Digital Solution Document (DSD) and align customer teams, Services and partners on delivery requirements.

  • Lead technical evaluations: Run architecture workshops, technical assessments and RFP responses. Explain how the proposed solution meets requirements and where compromises may be needed.

  • Share technical knowledge: Build demos, reusable components and architecture patterns. Mentor colleagues and help them apply new technologies in customer projects.

  • Contribute to product development: Share customer feedback and testing lessons with the product team to help improve BankingOS.

How about you?

  • Experience designing complex enterprise solutions in customer-facing architecture or technical consulting.

  • Practical experience building AI applications and agent workflows, including an understanding of their limitations and trade-offs.

  • Strong knowledge of enterprise integration, distributed systems, APIs, event-driven architectures and cloud native deployment.

  • Engineering experience with Java, Spring, identity and access management, DevOps and modern cloud platforms.

  • Understanding of security, data privacy, access permissions and operational resilience in banking or other regulated industries.

  • Ability to explain technical decisions to executives, architects and engineers and connect them to business requirements.

  • A hands-on approach to testing new technologies, building prototypes and sharing knowledge with colleagues.

  • Ability to work independently, solve technical problems and make decisions when requirements are unclear.

  • Experience mentoring colleagues and willingness to travel for customer engagements approximately 25% of the time.

What do we offer?

  • A bonus on top of your base salary.

  • Referral bonus.

  • Time for self-development, a training budget and a clear promotion path.

  • Work-from-home allowance.

  • Private healthcare through Luxmed.

  • Headspace application.

  • Flexible working hours and work-life balance.

  • MacBook and all necessary equipment.

  • Online and offline team events.

Core Responsibilities

You will lead the technical architecture for strategic banking engagements, designing complex integrations and AI-driven solutions. You will also mentor engineering teams, contribute to product development, and represent the company in high-level technical discussions with clients.

Requirements

The role requires over a decade of hands-on experience in designing large-scale Java platforms and enterprise systems. Candidates must possess deep expertise in cloud-native architectures, API design, and modern integration patterns, along with the ability to communicate complex technical strategies to executive stakeholders.

Benefits

  • Bonus
  • Referral bonus
  • Training budget
  • Work-from-home allowance
  • Private healthcare
  • Headspace application
  • Flexible working hours
  • MacBook
  • Team events

About Backbase

Industry: Financial Services

Company size: 1,001-5,000 employees

Backbase built the AI-native Banking OS - the operating system that turns fragmented banking operations into a Unified Frontline. Customers, employees, and AI agents work as one across digital channels, front-office, and operations. 120+ leading banks run on Backbase across Retail, SMB & Commercial, Private Banking, and Wealth Management. Backbase was founded in 2003 by Jouk Pleiter and is headquartered in Amsterdam, with teams across North America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, Africa and Latin America.

Added Today