Senior Solution Architect

Senior Solution Architect

• 32 to 40 hours
• €6287 - €8982

Would you like to contribute to the design and implementation of new innovative systems that contribute to the future of education? Then we have the perfect challenge for you! We are looking for a senior solution architect. In this position, you will contribute directly to the design and implementation of new components to be developed within the infrastructure for agile organized education. If this sounds like something for you, we would love to hear from you!

Where you will work

SURF is the ICT cooperative for Dutch educational and research institutions. Together with them, we work on digital services and complex innovation challenges to enhance the quality of education and research. SURF works closely with the National Growth Fund Program Npuls. Npuls focuses on making education future-proof. SURF supports this program with appropriate ICT solutions and infrastructure. As a senior solution architect, you will make a significant contribution to the collaboration between institutions, chain partners, and SURF's services and products, as well as to SURF's long-term vision.

Working at SURF means working for a unique and open organization. This is evident in everything: the structure of the organization, the setup of the project teams, the culture in our offices, and the atmosphere among colleagues. SURF offers excellent terms of employment and takes a flexible approach to work/life balance. Employees enjoy working independently. In addition, everyone is given the space and freedom to use and develop their talents as effectively and broadly as possible.

The team you will join

You will be working within the Flexible Education team in the Accessible and Open Education & Research unit. This multidisciplinary team develops and manages advanced services that help educational institutions organize their education in a more flexible way. This gives learners more control over their own learning path. Together with your colleagues and experts from educational institutions, you will create a coherent service portfolio. The team's activities are closely linked to developments within the Npuls growth fund program, which focuses on flexible education and barrier-free learning as key pillars.

What you will do

As a Solution Architect, you will work on the design, development, and coordination of multiple SURF services: eduXchange, SURFeduhub, OOAPI, and the Npuls project AII (Login, Enrollment, Registration). These services and projects are closely interrelated, but also make use of cross-domain components, thus forming digital sector facilities for further education in the Netherlands.

Your task is to create designs for new functionality and ensure that these are coordinated across these projects and services. You not only advise, but also guide developers, convince stakeholders, and ensure that plans are actually realized. In doing so, you are able to support and steer domain and enterprise architecture.

What else you will be doing

• Creating technical designs for new functionality that affects multiple services and projects.
• You will involve fellow technical product managers in the long-term vision and solutions.
• Guiding developers during implementation and ensuring that designs are executed correctly.
• Convincing stakeholders from various organizations (SURF, Studielink, Cambo) and creating consensus.
• Proactively identifying problems before they arise and anticipating them.
• You will be part of and actively contribute to an international network that collaborates on pan-European solutions related to student mobility.

Your skills and experience

You are a senior solution architect with strong technical knowledge and understand how systems really work, not just on paper. You feel at home in an environment with diverse technologies and paradigms. You work in a context where educational data is sensitive, so you naturally act in accordance with privacy and security-by-design principles. You are able to quickly understand wishes and interests and explain complex technical issues clearly to both developers and less technically savvy stakeholders.

In addition, you have

• Academic working and thinking level and at least 5 years of relevant work experience;
• A hands-on mentality, writing a script or debugging an HTTP request when necessary;
• Extensive experience in designing and developing RESTful APIs and microservices architectures;
• A security-minded attitude, working in accordance with privacy and security-by-design principles as a matter of course, given the sensitivity of educational data;
• Basic knowledge of OAuth/OIDC and willingness to quickly master domain-specific standards such as OOAPI;
• Experience with event-driven/push-based patterns and working within various tech stacks such as TypeScript, Java, and Clojure;
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in Dutch and English.

SURF takes pleasure in doing its recruitment itself; acquisition is therefore not appreciated.

Applying for a job at SURF

This is what you can expect

Apply

After submitting your application, you will immediately receive a confirmation e-mail.

Response

After the the closing date, you will receive a response from our recruitment team.

First interview

We invite you to our office, because we want to get to know you.

Second interview

We invite you again for an interview with others who also want to get to know you.

Assessment

We may ask you to do an assignment (assessment).

Are you the right person?

Then you will receive a salary offer from one of our HR advisors.

Welcome to SURF!

You join onboarding activities with other new colleagues.

Location Moreelsepark 48, 3511 EP Utrecht, Nederland, 3511 EP, Utrecht, Netherlands Degree Master of Science (MSc) Employment Fixed term with permanent employment intention Salary €6287 - €8982 Hours per week 32 to 40 hours Deadline 15 March 2026 Substantive questions Ronde

Questions about procedure SURF Recruitment

What we offer

• Extensive training opportunities
• 8.33 % holiday pay
• 8.33 % end-of-year bonus
• 36 holidays per year (based on a 40-hour working week)
• An excellent pension scheme
• An NS Business Card 1st class
• Chair massages
• Home working allowance

Research shows: many people do not apply for a job until they can tick all the boxes. We think talent, commitment and fresh insights are just as important. So do you find this job opening interesting? Don't hold back and apply!