Platform Lead/Architect_Tempe,AZ

Platform Lead / Architect - AI Platform Engineering

Summary

Photon is seeking an experienced Platform Lead / Architect to lead the design, architecture, and delivery of Tulip AI, unified AI-powered employee support platform.

Tulip AI is an enterprise AI platform designed to streamline support across frontline and HQ teams through a single AI-driven interface. The platform combines generative AI, workflow orchestration, enterprise integrations, and automation to help employees resolve requests faster and improve operational efficiency.

The Platform Lead / Architect will drive the overall technical architecture for AI platforms, backend services built using Python and FastAPI, integrations, mobile/web applications, and cloud-native systems. This role requires strong expertise in enterprise architecture, AI-enabled platforms, distributed systems, workflow automation, and scalable digital platform delivery.

Responsibilities

• Lead architecture and technical design for Tulip AI and related digital platforms.
• Design scalable, secure, and cloud-native solutions across AI, backend, frontend, and mobile ecosystems.
• Architect and oversee backend services and APIs using Python and FastAPI.
• Drive implementation of agentic AI capabilities, workflow orchestration, and intelligent automation.
• Architect enterprise integrations with HR, IT, identity, operational, and third-party systems.
• Define API, microservices, event-driven, and integration architecture standards.
• Collaborate with product, engineering, UX, and business teams to align technical solutions with business goals.
• Support product roadmap planning, backlog prioritization, and Agile delivery execution.
• Lead engineering best practices for scalability, performance, security, monitoring, and reliability.
• Drive adoption of AI-assisted engineering and automation practices.
• Provide technical leadership, mentoring, and architectural governance across teams.
• Support CI/CD, DevOps, Kubernetes, and cloud deployment strategies.
• Ensure platform quality through testing, observability, monitoring, and production readiness practices.

Qualifications

Need to Have

• 12+ years of experience in software engineering, platform architecture, or enterprise solution architecture.
• Strong expertise in Python backend development and FastAPI-based microservices architecture.
• Strong expertise in cloud-native architecture, distributed systems, and scalable enterprise platforms.
• Experience with Generative AI, AI orchestration frameworks, workflow automation, and enterprise AI platforms.
• Strong understanding of microservices, REST APIs, event-driven systems, and integration architecture.
• Experience with cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, or GCP.
• Expertise in DevOps, CI/CD pipelines, Kubernetes, containerization, and Infrastructure as Code (IaC).
• Strong understanding of enterprise security, authentication, authorization, and secure API design.
• Experience working with Agile delivery models and cross-functional teams.
• Strong communication, stakeholder management, and technical leadership skills.

Good to Have

• Experience in QSR, retail, hospitality, or large-scale consumer digital platforms.
• Exposure to conversational AI, enterprise virtual assistants, or workflow automation platforms.
• Experience with RAG architectures, vector databases, semantic search, or AI observability tools.
• Experience with Kafka, RabbitMQ, or other event-streaming technologies.
• Experience leading global engineering teams and enterprise transformation programs.

Compensation, Benefits and Duration

Minimum Compensation: USD 64,000

Maximum Compensation: USD 224,000

Compensation is based on actual experience and qualifications of the candidate. The above is a reasonable and a good faith estimate for the role.

Medical, vision, and dental benefits, 401k retirement plan, variable pay/incentives, paid time off, and paid holidays are available for full time employees.

This position is available for independent contractors

No applications will be considered if received more than 120 days after the date of this post.