📍 Location: Remote (Romania, Bulgaria, Poland, Czechia, Serbia, Slovakia, and other eligible European countries)We are looking for an experienced Security & Sovereign Cloud Architect to join a strategic international programme supporting a national defence and security client. This high-profile initiative focuses on sovereign cloud adoption, secure enterprise platforms, and large-scale digital transformation within a highly regulated environment.As a Data Scientist, you will lead the design and governance of enterprise security architecture, ensuring all programme workstreams comply with national security, regulatory, and sovereign cloud requirements. This is a senior architecture role with strong stakeholder engagement across government organisations, enterprise architects, and delivery teams.Key ResponsibilitiesDefine and own the programme-wide security architecture and security standards.Design Zero Trust security models, Identity & Access Management (IAM), network segmentation, cryptographic controls, and data protection strategies.Design secure sovereign cloud deployment models, including:Data residency and sovereigntyEncryption at rest and in transitBYOK/HYOK key managementHardware Security Module (HSM) integrationLead security architecture reviews, threat modelling workshops, and security governance across multiple programme workstreams.Produce security architecture artefacts, including threat models, security requirements, security design patterns, and security risk registers.Define security guardrails and architecture principles for solution teams.Provide guidance on secure data flows, information classification, and cross-domain architectures.Review security designs from third-party vendors and system integrators.Participate in Architecture Review Boards (ARB), providing technical security approvals and recommendations.Collaborate with government security authorities, information assurance teams, and external auditors to ensure compliance.Required Skills & Experience7--12 years of experience in Cybersecurity or Security Architecture within enterprise, government, or defence programmes.Proven experience designing security architecture for classified, regulated, or highly secure environments.Strong expertise in Zero Trust Architecture, including identity-centric security, continuous verification, and micro-segmentation.Experience designing sovereign cloud environments on AWS GovCloud, Azure Government, Oracle Government Cloud, or equivalent platforms.Strong knowledge of Identity & Access Management (IAM), including:SAMLOpenID Connect (OIDC)RBAC & ABACPrivileged Access Management (PAM)Secrets Management platformsExperience with security frameworks and standards such as:ISO 27001NIST SP 800-53NCSC Cyber Essentials / CAFNCA Essential Cybersecurity Controls (or equivalent)Experience producing security architecture artefacts, including:Threat models (STRIDE or equivalent)Security design patternsSecurity requirements specificationsSecurity risk registersAbility to engage confidently with senior stakeholders, enterprise architects, and government security authorities.English level: C1.Nice to HaveKnowledge of Saudi NCA Essential Cybersecurity Controls.Familiarity with Saudi NDMO Data Governance requirements.Experience with Trusted Execution Environments (TEE), Secure Enclaves, or Hardware Security Modules (HSM).Enterprise PKI design and certificate lifecycle management.Experience working with GCC or Saudi government organisations.Knowledge of FIPS 140-2/140-3 or Suite B cryptographic standards.Active or recent SC, DV, NATO SECRET, or equivalent security clearance.Preferred CertificationsCISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) -- Strongly PreferredCCSPAWS Certified Security -- SpecialtyMicrosoft Azure Security Engineer AssociateSABSA Foundation or PractitionerISO 27001 Lead Implementer or Lead AuditorSoft SkillsStrong leadership and stakeholder management skills.Excellent communication and presentation abilities.Ability to chair security architecture and design review sessions.Strong analytical thinking and problem-solving skills.Comfortable working in complex, multi-vendor, enterprise-scale environments.Ability to influence technical direction across cross-functional teams.Team StructureYou will collaborate closely with:Lead / Chief ArchitectSolution ArchitectSecurity & Sovereign Cloud ArchitectData & Integration ArchitectThis is an excellent opportunity to shape the security architecture of a large-scale sovereign cloud programme while working remotely with an international team on cutting-edge AI, cloud, and national security technologies.
