Systems Architect
Summary:
The Systems Architect has the role of defining, monitoring, and driving product architectures within Xyratex from concept to end of life. The Systems Architect will serve as the primary technical point of contact for these product architectures. This key individual must have a broad, in-depth knowledge of hardware and software for storage based system environments. The system architect must be able to effectively lead a multi-disciplined and geographically dispersed development team. The candidate will have a strong architectural/development background proven through the delivery of other solutions in their career. The Systems Architect will also interface with both internal and external customers and development teams and therefore must possess very good communication and writing skills. This specific architect role will provide direct technical leadership to a large SW-oriented, rack scale solution.
Essential Job Functions and Responsibilities:
• Accountable and responsible for adhering to the architectural design process and for the integrity of the resulting product architecture to include HW, SW and FW.
• Drive design teams, internal or external, to deliver products that meet the marketing/customer requirements outlined by the Product Manager in the Marketing Requirements Document.
• Own the creation of the Product Requirements Document, with input from the wider Architecture Team, including Technologists and other System Architects through peer reviews. The PRD details the defining aspects of the product architecture, features and functions, which are required to meet the needs of the MRD.
• Liaise with the Product Manager to ensure that the key attributes of the product defined in the PRD addresses all of the requirements laid out in the MRD. Identify, review and resolve un-addressed requirements through depreciation or re-architecting.
• Own the creation of the System Functional Specification; pulling in content from Lead Engineers responsible for the Assets from which the product is made. Review the specification with other members of the Architecture Team to ensure completeness and consistency with other product developments.
• Work with the Test organization to define the scope of the System Integration Test, under which the product will be validated (HW and SW); ensuring sufficient test coverage for all of the product functions. The System Architect will be part of the review and sign-off of the final product validation reports.
• Support customer technical meetings, bid responses or escalations through the fielding of technical questions in a swift and professional manner; authoring product specific technical overviews or issue status packs as appropriate.
• Support a Solution Architect, or customer, during the integration of the product into the customer’s environment.
• Highlight and document risks, associated with developing the product, to the project or program manager with supporting risk mitigation ideas.
• Support the project manager in the creation of the project schedule through briefing the wider project team and resource managers on the technical scope of the project.
• Responsible for ensuring that component vendor selection is aligned with strategic vendors and cost optimized suppliers.
• Work with procurement organization to ensure an optimized balance of component quality versus cost and ensure cost competitiveness of Xyratex products.
• Have an understanding of the primary cost drivers of the product architecture and work to reduce these during the feasibility phase of the development. Understand industry price points of major components.
• Work with the technical writing teams to ensure the quality and accuracy of external technical product documentation.
• Display a high-degree of self-motivation and encourage motivation within the teams with whom they work.
• Mentor other members of the Development organization to improve product knowledge and design skills. Demonstrate leadership in a field of expertise, so as to encourage design and process improvements across the organization.
• System architect balances trade-off between the requirements from all teams and ultimately owns the final trade-off decisions made.
Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
• Proficient with large SW efforts to include rack scale SW architecture and implementation.
• Experience with HW rack scale product solutions.
• Expert level in SW architecture from high level architecture to detailed coding techniques
• Familiarity with Lustre OS is a plus.
• Ability to lead a cross-functional, geographically distributed product development team.
• Hands-on development and architecture experience with storage based hardware and/or software products.
• Self motivating with a proven ability to take initiative and accomplish tasks with limited direction.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral.
• Ability to clearly communicate technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences in easily understandable language.
• Moderate proficiency in storage architectures and storage interface/protocol standards to include PCIe, IB, SAS, SATA, FC, SCSI, SES and ATA based standards.
• Expert proficiency in different operating systems and associated storage application requirements.
• Proven experience with Intel based CPU’s and embedded IO processors.
• Able to perform in a fast-paced, multi-tasking environment.
• Working knowledge of HW and FW architecture.
• RAID SW experience is a plus.
Required Education and Experience:
• Minimum of 12 years design and architecture experience in computer based storage hardware and software development.
• BS degree in at least one of the following; Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or Equivalent. Master’s degree is preferred.
• Successful experience architecting and delivering storage products to market.
• Working understanding of system level engineering principles outside of candidate’s specific area of expertise to include cooling, RVI, shock, vibration, HW/SW interaction, customer focused design integration, system testing and engineering trade-offs.
• A minimum of 5 years experience leading a multi-disciplined engineering development team. Experience with Asian based design teams is desired (not mandatory).
Mental Requirements:
• Organizing and coordinating schedules
• Analyzing and interpreting data
• Communicating with the public
• Creating written documentation
Physical Requirements:
• Ability to operate computer equipment
Environmental Conditions:
• Normal office environment
Travel Requirements:
• International travel is estimated at 1 trip per quarter.
• Domestic travel as required to support customer and internal requirements.
• Travel is not expected to exceed 25% per year.
By submitting your personal information to Xyratex you consent to the use of this information by Xyratex for purposes relating to employment, and to Xyratex holding the data on file for a period of six months from the date of submission. Information you provide may be transferred to Xyratex locations outside the European Economic Area. By submitting your application to Xyratex you consent to these transfers.
Please note: Non-approved agency CVs will not be accepted for this position.