EMBL-EBI is looking for an experienced and forward-thinking Senior Solutions Architect to join its Digital Experience Team in Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom. This is a new role at the intersection of architecture, user experience, software engineering and emerging AI technologies, offered on a 3-year fixed-term contract (renewable to 9 years) at Grade 7, with a monthly salary from £4,395 after tax. Applications close on 17 November 2026 at 23:59 CET. At Youth Works Hub, we went through the full vacancy and set out every responsibility, requirement and benefit below.
Job Summary
💼 Position: Senior Solutions Architect, Digital Experience & AI
🏢 Employer: EMBL-EBI (part of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory)
👥 Team: Digital Experience Team (ITS)
📍 Location: Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom
📝 Contract: 3-year fixed-term Staff Member contract, renewable to 9 years
💷 Salary: Grade 7, monthly salary from £4,395 per month after tax
🗂️ Job requisition: JR4667
What Should Digital Services Look Like in an AI-Enabled Future?
This is a new role at an exciting point in EMBL-EBI's digital evolution. As the focus expands towards the digital experience landscape, you will help shape how users discover, access and interact with EMBL-EBI's information, platforms and services. You will design and shape a more connected ecosystem of user-centred, AI-enabled and multi-channel digital services, turning emerging technologies into sustainable, accessible and genuinely useful services. This is a role where you won't simply inherit an established architecture: you'll help shape what comes next.
The Digital Experience Team
The Digital Experience Team brings together expertise across UX, development and digital architecture to create a more connected digital experience for users. It is bringing together people, technology and services that have historically evolved across different areas, with a focus on a more coherent and user-centred digital ecosystem.
Where AI Fits In
AI is an important part of this evolution. The team is exploring how technologies including large language models, advanced retrieval approaches and emerging interaction models can enhance how users discover and engage with EMBL-EBI's information and services.
Reporting Line and Collaboration
👤 You will report to the Digital Experience Team Leader
🤝 You will work closely with UX, web development and product colleagues, as well as stakeholders across EMBL-EBI
🛠️ You will stay technically hands-on through discovery, prototyping and architectural development, while providing technical direction and leadership to the development team
Key Responsibilities
🏗️ Lead solution architecture for digital experience initiatives spanning web applications, APIs, content platforms, AI-enabled services and emerging digital channels
🧠 Shape AI-enabled digital services, applying approaches such as LLMs, retrieval-augmented generation, intelligent agents, semantic search, tool calling and workflow orchestration where they provide genuine value
🌉 Bridge UX and engineering, translating user needs, service journeys and design principles into effective, accessible and sustainable technical architectures
🧭 Provide technical leadership throughout discovery, prototyping, implementation and production, guiding technology choices, architectural decisions and engineering practices
👥 Lead and develop the development team, providing technical direction, mentoring and people management while building capability in modern software and AI engineering
🔌 Design integrations across APIs, data sources, content platforms, enterprise systems and EMBL-EBI's existing digital infrastructure
💬 Work with stakeholders across EMBL-EBI to understand user and organisational needs, evaluate options and balance technical, user and organisational considerations
🔭 Shape future technical capability, evaluating emerging technologies and establishing reusable architecture patterns, guidance and good practices for the Digital Experience portfolios
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What You Will Bring
🎖️ Significant experience in a senior Solution architecture, Digital architecture or Software engineering lead role
💻 A strong software engineering background, with experience designing and delivering modern digital applications and services
🤖 Practical experience designing and delivering AI-enabled digital services, with a strong understanding of LLM-based applications, retrieval, agentic patterns and AI orchestration
☁️ Strong understanding of modern application architecture, including APIs, integrations, cloud and/or containerised architectures, CI/CD and modern software delivery practices
🧑🏫 Experience providing technical leadership to software development teams, including mentoring, coaching and developing technical capability
🎨 Experience working closely with UX, product or design professionals to turn user needs and service requirements into technical solutions
🗣️ Strong stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts and make pragmatic architectural decisions
🔐 An understanding of security, privacy, accessibility, observability and responsible AI considerations
♿ Good understanding of accessibility and inclusive design principles, including WCAG, and how these should inform architecture and delivery
Beneficial Experience
⚛️ Modern front-end technologies such as React, Angular or similar
📰 Content management platforms such as Drupal, WordPress or similar
🐳 Kubernetes, Docker and cloud-native technologies
🗃️ Relational and non-relational databases, vector databases, enterprise search or knowledge graphs
⚙️ Workflow automation and orchestration platforms
💭 Conversational, assistant or agent-based user experiences
🔬 Scientific, research, data-intensive or information-rich digital services
📐 Establishing architecture patterns, technical standards or reusable digital capabilities across an organisation
Contract and Salary Details
📝 3-year fixed-term Staff Member contract, renewable to 9 years
💷 Grade 7: monthly salary from £4,395 per month after tax, plus generous benefits and financial allowances based on individual circumstances
📉 Excluding 12.99% personal pension and insurance contributions
Why Join EMBL-EBI
EMBL-EBI, part of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory, is a worldwide leader in the storage, analysis and dissemination of large biological datasets. It provides the global research community with access to publicly available databases and tools that are crucial for the advancement of healthcare, food security and biodiversity. Here you can apply your talent and passion to accelerate science and tackle some of humankind's greatest challenges.
Life on the Wellcome Genome Campus
EMBL-EBI is located on the Wellcome Genome Campus, alongside other prominent research and biotech organisations, surrounded by the Cambridgeshire countryside. It describes a highly collaborative and inclusive community with a relaxed atmosphere, committed to ensuring employees feel valued, supported and empowered to reach their professional potential.
Benefits Package
💶 Financial incentives: monthly family, child and non-resident allowances, annual salary review, pension scheme, death benefit, long-term care, accident-at-work and unemployment insurances
🏠 Flexible working arrangements, including hybrid working patterns
🩺 Private medical insurance for you and your immediate family, including all prescriptions and generous dental and optical cover
🏖️ 30 days annual leave per year, in addition to public holidays
📦 Relocation package including an installation grant (conditions apply)
🚌 Campus life: free shuttle bus to and from work, on-site library, subsidised on-site gym and cafeteria, casual dress code, extensive sports and social club activities
👶 Family benefits: on-site nursery, 10 days of child sick leave, generous parental leave, holiday clubs on campus and monthly family and child allowances
🌐 Benefits for non-UK residents: visa exemption, education grant for private schooling, financial support to travel back to your home country every second year and a monthly non-resident allowance
International Applicants, DORA and Diversity
🛂 EMBL recruits internationally, and successful candidates are offered visa exemptions.
📜 EMBL is a signatory of DORA and applies its principles to recruitment and performance assessment.
🤗 EMBL believes diverse teams drive innovation and scientific excellence, and encourages applications from candidates of all genders, identities, nationalities and other diverse backgrounds.
How to Apply
📄 Submit an up-to-date CV and a supporting cover letter outlining your transferable skills, experience and motivation for applying.
🖱️ Applications are made through EMBL's online system.
⏰ Applications close at 23:59 CET on 17 November 2026, and EMBL-EBI welcomes your application as soon as possible.
📬 EMBL aims to provide a response within two weeks after the closing date.
ℹ️ For more about the role, the vacancy points to EMBL-EBI's ITS Digital Experience Team and Geetika Malhotra, Digital Experience Team Lead.
Find more roles like this in the Jobs section on Youth Works Hub →.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the salary for the EMBL-EBI Senior Solutions Architect role?
The role is Grade 7, with a monthly salary from £4,395 after tax, plus benefits and financial allowances based on individual circumstances. This excludes 12.99% personal pension and insurance contributions.
How long is the contract?
It is a 3-year fixed-term Staff Member contract, renewable to 9 years.
Which AI skills are expected?
You need practical experience designing and delivering AI-enabled digital services, with a strong understanding of LLM-based applications, retrieval, agentic patterns and AI orchestration. The role applies LLMs, RAG, intelligent agents, semantic search, tool calling and workflow orchestration where they add genuine value.
Is this a hands-on or a management role?
Both. You stay technically hands-on through discovery, prototyping and architecture, while leading and developing the development team through technical direction, mentoring and people management.
Can international candidates apply?
Yes. EMBL recruits internationally and offers successful candidates visa exemptions, plus benefits for non-UK residents such as an education grant, home travel support and a non-resident allowance.
Is hybrid working possible?
Yes. EMBL-EBI offers flexible working arrangements, including hybrid working patterns, on the Wellcome Genome Campus in Hinxton.
What documents do I need to apply?
Submit an up-to-date CV and a cover letter outlining your transferable skills, experience and motivation through EMBL's online system. Applications close at 23:59 CET on 17 November 2026.
Deadline
⏳ 17 November 2026
Link
🔗 Apply (EMBL careers portal): https://embl.wd103.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/EMBL/job/Hinxton-Cambridgeshire/Senior-Solutions-Architect---Digital-Experience---AI_JR4667
