AI Architect

Desert Financial Credit Union • Phoenix, AZ

9d • Hybrid

About The Position

The AI Architect designs, builds, and leads the delivery of enterprise-grade AI solutions for SwitchThink and its clients. This role partners with business and technology leaders to identify opportunities for AI-driven transformation, develop AI strategies and roadmaps, and establish scalable AI capabilities that enable organizations to improve member experiences, increase operational efficiency, and accelerate innovation. As a trusted technical advisor and hands-on architect, the AI Architect translates business objectives into secure, scalable, production-ready solutions. This role is responsible for evaluating emerging technologies, defining AI architecture standards and best practices, creating reusable frameworks and accelerators, and guiding cross-functional teams through discovery, design, implementation, adoption, and optimization. The AI Architect helps shape SwitchThink's AI capabilities while delivering impactful solutions across client environments.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or a related field (preferred) OR equivalent combination of education and experience required.
• 8+ years of progressive experience in solutions architecture, AI/ML engineering, or Microsoft cloud consulting required.
• 5+ years of experience serving in a technical advisory or client-facing solutions capacity, including solutions architecture, technology consulting, professional services, and/or advising executives and senior stakeholders required.
• 3+ years of hands-on experience with Microsoft Power Platform and conversational AI technologies, including experience with Microsoft Copilot Studio (formerly Power Virtual Agents), Azure AI Foundry/Azure OpenAI, and Power Apps, Power Automate and Dataverse required.
• AI & Technical Architecture: Copilot Studio design, including multi-agent orchestration, plugins/actions, and grounding.
• Azure AI Foundry, Azure OpenAI, and RAG pipeline architecture.
• Power Platform architecture (Power Apps, Power Automate, Dataverse, Power Pages) and Dynamics 365 integration patterns.
• API and systems integration architecture across enterprise platforms and data sources.
• Working knowledge of data pipelines and data quality fundamentals required.
• Client Advisory & Consulting: Structured discovery — translating ambiguous client requirements into scoped technical solutions.
• Executive-level communication, framing outcomes in terms of business value, risk, and ROI rather than technical detail.
• Facilitating architecture sessions and leading proof-of-concept efforts with client stakeholders.
• Ability to influence without direct authority across client and internal delivery teams.
• Governance & Risk: AI readiness assessment: data governance, compliance, and infrastructure prerequisites for Copilot/agent deployment.
• Security and multi-tenant data governance for client-facing AI solutions.
• Responsible AI principles, including bias, explainability, and human-in-the-loop design required.
• Delivery & Execution: Building reusable components and frameworks across client engagements, rather than one-off solutions.
• Mentoring engineers and developers in AI/automation best practices.
• Technical documentation and architecture-decision communication to senior client and internal stakeholders
• Hands-on expertise with Microsoft Copilot Studio, Azure AI Foundry, and Power Platform across multiple client environments.
• Microsoft Power Platform Solution Architect (PL-600), Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-305) required (or ability to obtain within 90 days of hire).

Nice To Haves

• Advanced degree (Master's in a technical discipline, or MBA) preferred.
• 1+ years' experience in financial services, banking, or credit unions, or another regulated enterprise environment preferred.
• Prior experience architecting solutions for external clients (consulting/professional services background), given this role's client-facing nature preferred.
• Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Engineer Associate (AI-102), or emerging AI-governance credentials such as ISO/IEC 42001 preferred.

Responsibilities

• Partner with business and technology leaders to identify opportunities for AI-driven transformation and develop AI strategies and roadmaps for SwitchThink and its clients.
• Translate business objectives into secure, scalable, production-ready AI solutions across Copilot Studio, Azure AI Foundry, Power Platform, and CAIP, owning architecture decisions for assigned engagements.
• Define AI architecture standards and best practices, and create reusable frameworks and accelerators that establish scalable AI capabilities across engagements.
• Guide cross-functional teams through discovery, design, implementation, adoption, and optimization as a trusted technical advisor and hands-on architect.
• Evaluate emerging AI technologies and platforms for applicability to SwitchThink and its clients.
• Define technical standards, integration patterns, and security/data-governance requirements for AI deployments; assess AI readiness and evaluate technical risk.
• Help shape SwitchThink's internal AI capabilities and mentor engineers and developers on AI/automation best practices.

Benefits

• For additional information about our organization, careers, and benefits visit: http://www.desertfinancial.com/careers.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior