[UAE] AI Solution Architect

Company Description

Sia is a specialist Management Consulting firm born in Paris, France in 1999 and has grown into a global firm with over 3,000 employees and annual revenue exceeding $500m. Our culture is strongly oriented towards high-quality expertise and delivering excellent results and outcomes for our clients, which include a wide range of multinational companies. Testament to its success, Sia has shown double-digit growth every year since inception. 

Sia is a pioneer of Consulting 4.0, putting us at the forefront of the technology revolution, deploying augmented Consultants capable of leveraging emerging digital technology to enhance and improve their cognitive reasoning, analysis and planning. Supported by Augmented & Artificial Intelligence, Automation and Data Science we empower our clients to make the right decisions at the right time for the right reasons. 

With our consultants representing 41 different nationalities, we are a highly diverse team spread across 48 offices in 19 countries. However, using innovative technologies such as our own in-house apps, social networks, and digital tools, we provide a truly integrated global service. 

Sia is an equal opportunities employer, committed to diversity, inclusion, and employee well-being. Our diversity and inclusion networks (local and global) contribute to a pipeline of initiatives to enhance employee quality of life and foster a caring environment to work in. 

Employees are encouraged to contribute to these initiatives and drive positive change in the organisation across 5 pillars: Women@Sia, Multi-Ethnic, Well-being, and Environment. 

In the Middle East, Sia provides expert advisory services on strategy & execution, innovation, operational performance & cost reduction, cyber & data security, efficient organisation, transformation & change management, HR performance, and IT performance. In addition to these services, Sia Institute, Sia Partners’ world-class international training arm, provides a wide range of learning programs and workshops with modules successfully delivered across various locations and sectors, particularly in the Middle East.

Why join the Sia Village? 

Excellence | Entrepreneurship | Innovation | Teamwork | Care & Support | Employee Wellbeing

These are the six core values that guide all our actions. As an expression of our values, our Sia Village concept describes our commitment to fostering a sense of community within and among our offices. We believe that knowledge sharing is the key, not only to innovation, but to the growth and development of our people.

Job Description

Our AI Solution Architect will be the technical authority on Sia's Data & AI engagements in the Middle East, designing the AI and agentic architectures and the application modernization paths that take client ambitions from concept to production. As part of the Data & AI team in the Middle East, they will translate business requirements into scalable, secure and cost-aware solutions across cloud, machine learning and generative AI.

The role combines hands-on technical leadership with client-facing advisory work, giving our AI Solution Architect the opportunity to shape reference architectures and grow the role to suit their own experience and interests.

Tasks may include but are not limited to:

• Own the end-to-end architecture of data and AI projects, covering cloud infrastructure, data pipelines, model serving, generative AI and agent-based systems
• Design agent orchestration and the model layer, including the selection and use of open-weight models
• Define application modernization paths that embed AI into client systems and processes
• Act as the primary technical contact for senior client stakeholders, aligning designs with business goals, security policies and applicable regulation
• Lead client workshops and present technical capabilities and architecture options to technical and non-technical audiences
• Lead architecture reviews and technical governance across workstreams, and unblock delivery teams with hands-on guidance when needed
• Design for production readiness: scalability, reliability, observability and cost
• Support scoping, architecture proposals and effort estimates to build and convert the project pipeline
• Apply AI compliance frameworks and responsible AI practices to every design
• Mentor junior consultants and engineers, and contribute to Sia's internal IP, accelerators and reference architectures
• Carry out other appropriate delegated duties as required

As part of a diverse and motivated team, you will be involved in a range of projects with our clients, covering topics such as:

• AI and agentic architecture design for enterprise and government clients
• Application and data platform modernization on multi-cloud environments
• Responsible AI, governance and compliance by design

Qualifications

• Degree in Computer Science, Data Science, AI or a related field
• 8+ years' experience in solution or cloud architecture, or in a senior engineering role with significant design ownership
• Deep expertise in multi-cloud architecture (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud and/or Databricks), including networking, security, compute, storage and managed AI/ML services
• Proven experience designing agent orchestration and the model layer, including open-weight models
• Solid grasp of classical machine learning, deep learning, generative AI, autonomous agents and data engineering
• Demonstrable experience of taking AI solutions from proof of concept to production
• Proven ability to engage senior client stakeholders, lead workshops and translate business needs into technical solutions
• Familiarity with AI compliance frameworks and responsible AI practices
• Sound judgment on architectural trade-offs under uncertainty
• Professional-level certification is highly preferable: AWS Solutions Architect Professional, Azure Solutions Architect Expert, Google Cloud Professional Cloud Architect or Databricks Professional Data Engineer
• Management consulting experience is not required
• Professional proficiency in English is a must; Arabic is a plus
• Based in the UAE (Dubai or Abu Dhabi)

Additional Information

Joining Sia means integrating into a globally recognized firm that fosters personal growth through our unique Sia Village concept, which promotes a community-driven culture reinforced by values of Excellence, Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Teamwork, Care & Support, and Employee Wellbeing, ensuring a fulfilling career path. 

What a career at Sia offer you? 

• Competitive compensation: an competitive salary and benefits package, benchmarked against the market to ensure the most competitive offers. 
• Entrepreneurial spirit: Join us on an entrepreneurial journey that not only fosters innovation but also empowers you to drive your own success. Dive into a culture where your ideas shape the future. 
• Tailored career advocacy program: Receive dedicated support designed to help you achieve your professional aspirations. Our program pairs you with mentors who provide actionable feedback, ensuring continuous progress and success in your career path.
• Continuous growth: Engage with ongoing opportunities for learning and development, particularly in new and emerging topics. Stay ahead of the curve by continually advancing your knowledge and skills. 

Our Commitment to Diversity   

At Sia, we believe in fostering a diverse, equitable and inclusive culture where our employees and partners are valued and thrive in a sense of belonging. We are committed to recruiting and developing a diverse network of employees and investing in their growth by providing unique opportunities for professional and cultural immersion. Our commitment toward inclusion motivates dynamic collaboration with our clients, building trust by creating an inclusive environment of curiosity and learning which affects lasting impact.   

We are guided by the pursuit of understanding and take pride in being able to provide meaningful solutions to our clients’ unique challenges. We bring our whole selves to work and strive to listen, observe, understand and be understood. 

To learn more about our mission, values, and business sectors, please visit our website.

Sia is an equal opportunity employer. All aspects of employment, including hiring, promotion, remuneration, or discipline, are based solely on performance, competence, conduct, or business needs.