AI Solution Architect - Data & AI, Middle East

About the role

Sia, a global management consulting firm, is hiring an AI Solution Architect for its Data & AI team in the Middle East. The role is the technical authority on Data & AI engagements, designing AI and agentic architectures and application modernization paths that take client ambitions from concept to production. It combines hands-on technical leadership with client-facing advisory work.

Key responsibilities

• 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 regulations.
• Lead client workshops and present technical capabilities and architecture options to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Lead architecture reviews and technical governance, and unblock delivery teams with hands-on guidance.
• 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 internal IP, accelerators and reference architectures.

Required profile

• Degree in Computer Science, Data Science, AI or a related field.
• 8+ years in solution or cloud architecture, or a senior engineering role with significant design ownership.
• Proven experience taking AI solutions from proof of concept to production.
• Ability to engage senior client stakeholders, lead workshops and translate business needs into technical solutions.
• Professional proficiency in English is a must; Arabic is a plus.
• Based in the UAE (Dubai or Abu Dhabi).

Required skills

• Deep expertise in multi-cloud architecture (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud and/or Databricks), including networking, security, compute, storage and managed AI/ML services.
• Experience designing agent orchestration and the model layer, including open-weight models.
• Classical machine learning, deep learning, generative AI, autonomous agents and data engineering.
• Familiarity with AI compliance frameworks and responsible AI practices.
• Professional-level certification (AWS Solutions Architect Professional, Azure Solutions Architect Expert, Google Cloud Professional Cloud Architect or Databricks Professional Data Engineer) is highly preferable.

What we offer

• Competitive salary and benefits package benchmarked against the market.
• Tailored career advocacy program with mentors and continuous learning and development opportunities.