Formed in 1993, CFAN is a 50/50 Joint Venture between GE Aviation & Safran Aircraft Engines of France. The partnership was created to introduce composite fan blades in a GE90 Engine that powers the Boeing 777. It has leveraged the success of this product to introduce additional fan blades on the GEnx Engines that power the Boeing 787 and Boeing 747-8.
CFAN has become a leader in advanced composite technology through the use of Lean/Six Sigma methodologies. With close to half of its engineering personnel graduating from Texas State University, CFAN relies on this relationship to keep bringing technological breakthroughs in the manufacturing of composite fan blades. We are seeking a Senior Solutions Architect to join our growing team.
- We have a "family" like culture where we value every employee.
- Our manufacturing process is one of a kind
- Our benefits are competitive: Medical, compensation, etc.
- Short term disability (paid 100%)
- Permissive Time Off
- Work-life balance
- Re-mote work available occasionally
Summary/Objective:
The Senior Solutions Architect serves as a strategic bridge between organizational requirements and technical execution, responsible for designing, governing, and delivering scalable, secure, and high-performance solutions aligned with organizational goals. From initial service architecture and design to development oversight and platform stability, the Senior Solutions Architect ensures that all software tooling and infrastructure align with long-term organizational goals. By prioritizing data-driven measurement, security, and continuous improvement, this role delivers well-architected systems that translate complex requirements into reliable, high-impact technical reality.
Essential Functions
· Lead the design and maintenance of scalable, secure, and resilient system architecture.
· Define technical standards, blueprints, and patterns for the organization with focus on manufacturing.
· Design and govern enterprise data strategies, including the implementation and optimization of data lakes to ensure data accessibility, integrity, and performance for downstream analytics.
· Craft user-centric service models that balance technical feasibility with business utility.
· Partner with business and technical stakeholders to define scope, success metrics, and a future-state roadmap, leveraging Agile, SDLC, and PMI principles.
· Translate ambiguous business needs into detailed technical specifications. Collaborate with stakeholders to identify pain points and document functional/non-functional requirements.
· Ensure services are designed for high availability, serviceability, and seamless integration.
· Evaluate, implement, and manage the internal development stack. Optimize CI/CD pipelines, version control systems, and automated testing frameworks to improve developer velocity.
· Develop automated reporting dashboards to provide visibility into technical performance and ROI.
· Coordinate across IT/engineering, operations, and external vendors to align on architecture decisions, environments, integrations, and implementation approach.
· Deliver training, change enablement, and responsive customer support for implemented solutions; ensure a seamless transition to functional owners and service teams.
· Develop detailed process maps, standard operating procedures, and technical/user documentation that supports sustainment and audit readiness.
· Stay current with industry trends by researching and adopting project delivery tools, software, and technologies that support innovation and continuous improvement.
· Other duties as assigned by leadership.
Competencies:
· Thoroughness
· Organizational skills and prioritization
· Data literacy and analytics mindset
· Ethical conduct
· Detail-oriented execution
· Time management
· Project management frameworks (Agile/Scrum, hybrid, waterfall)
· Technical acumen: Measurement and reporting, business analysis, development management, architecture management, service design, infrastructure and platform management, software tooling and management
· Ability to learn new technologies quickly and independently
· Strong communication and stakeholder management
Required Education and Experience:
· 5+ years (7+ preferred) in software engineering or systems architecture, with at least 3 years in a leadership or architectural role.
· Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Computer Science, Information Systems, or related field from an accredited college or university (or equivalent experience).
· Deep understanding of LLM, AI, microservices, API design, and containerization
· Expertise in cloud platforms (AWS, Azure)
· Strong command of modern programming languages (e.g., Python, Java, Go).
· Proficiency with Microsoft 365 collaboration tools (Teams, SharePoint, Excel, PowerPoint) and at least one project/work management tool (e.g., Smartsheet, Microsoft Project, Azure DevOps).
· Advanced skills with Power BI, Fabriq or similar analytics/visual management tools.
Preferred Education/Certifications:
· Exceptional ability to communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders and a "big picture" mindset for problem-solving.
· Advanced degree in Business, Engineering, Computer Science, Information Systems, or related field.
· Strong technical fluency: APIs/integrations, manufacturing tooling, identity/access concepts, and basic cybersecurity/data privacy practices.
· Ability to develop and lead training sessions for users with varying levels of technical knowledge; strong documentation skills (SOPs, work instructions, and technical/user guides).
· Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional programs/projects, manage vendors, and influence without authority.
· SharePoint/Teams power user (site structure, permissions basics, forms/workflows); familiarity with low-code tools (e.g., Power Platform) is a plus.
· Strong presentation and communication skills with customers, suppliers, auditors, staff, and production associates.
Physical Demands:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Performing the duties of this job will require the ability to lift equipment no more than 40 lbs., walk, bend or stand frequently. Occasionally requires sitting and working on computers/Network/Software and phones.
Other Duties:
This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
Legal authorization to work in the U.S. is required. We will not sponsor individuals for employment visas, now or in the future, for this job.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $110,000.00 - $135,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Tuition reimbursement
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
