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Jacobs

Lead Software Architect

Reading
Posted about 22 hours ago
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At Jacobs

At Jacobs, we're challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world's most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission-critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting-edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good.

Your impact

You will shape how a global product organisation designs, builds and evolves its software.

Your expertise will help engineering and product teams move away from isolated or overly complex solutions and towards an architecture that is scalable, secure, reusable and easier to change. You will give teams the technical direction and practical frameworks they need to deliver high-quality products more consistently.

This is an opportunity to influence more than an individual platform or project. You will establish architectural principles and patterns that can be applied across products, helping the organisation make better technical decisions and create greater long-term value from its technology.

You will also help determine where artificial intelligence and agent-based capabilities can solve meaningful problems. This includes ensuring that platforms, data, integrations and engineering practices are ready to support more intelligent and connected digital products.

About The Opportunity

You will help shape how a global product organisation designs, builds and evolves its software. Working across product and engineering teams in all our markets, you will define an architecture strategy that enables products to become more scalable, secure, integrated and easier to change. You will introduce practical architectural principles, reusable patterns and technical standards that help teams make better decisions, reduce unnecessary complexity and deliver high-quality software more consistently.

This is a broad and influential role where you will remain connected to delivery while setting the longer-term technical direction. You will lead architecture and design discussions, guide the development of complex enterprise software and identify opportunities to improve platforms, integrations and engineering practices. You will also explore where AI and agent-based capabilities can create genuine value, helping ensure the organisation’s technology, data and delivery approach are ready to support more intelligent and connected digital products. Success will mean creating an architecture that works in practice, earns the confidence of engineering teams and supports sustainable product growth.

Reasons to use Rodeo

I’m in my final year doing Economics and I don’t know whether to apply for grad schemes now or do a masters first. What do you think?

Honest answer — it depends on where you want to end up. A lot of top grad schemes (Big 4, civil service, banking) don’t need a masters. Let’s look at the ones you’d be competitive for now, and we can decide if a masters actually adds anything.

Also worth knowing: most autumn 2026 applications are open now. Timing matters more than you think.

Start with a chat, not a search bar

Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.

P

Graduate Consultant — 2026 Scheme

PwC·London, UK
£35,000/yr

Why you're a good match

Strong

Your economics background and your summer at a regional bank line up with what PwC looks for on the consulting scheme. Applications close in four weeks.

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It searches the market for you

Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.

Why you're a good match

You’ve got the grades and the economics background, and your bank internship is exactly the experience this scheme looks for. Apply soon — deadlines close within the month.

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Strong

Experience fit

Your summer at the bank plus your econometrics coursework map directly to the day-one responsibilities on this scheme — client modelling, market briefings, and deal support.

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Strong

Only hits

No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.

Here's what you'll need

  • Significant experience designing and delivering complex enterprise software systems.
  • Strong knowledge of software architecture, system design, architectural patterns and technical trade-offs.
  • Experience designing software that is scalable, maintainable, secure and extensible.
  • Evidence of leading technical initiatives across more than one engineering or product team.
  • The judgement to balance strategic architecture with practical delivery constraints.
  • Experience working with cloud-based software platforms.
  • A good understanding of modern software delivery practices, including CI/CD, DevOps and source control.
  • The ability to explain complex technical decisions clearly to engineering, product and non-technical stakeholders.

Joining Jacobs

Joining Jacobs not only connects you locally but globally. Our values stand on a foundation of safety, integrity, inclusion and belonging. We put people at the heart of our business, and we truly believe that by supporting one another through our culture of caring, we all succeed. We value positive mental health and a sense of belonging for all employees.

With safety and flexibility always top of mind, we’ve gone beyond traditional ways of working so you have the support, means and space to maximize your potential. You’ll uncover flexible working arrangements, benefits, and opportunities, from well-being benefits to our global giving and volunteering program, to exploring new and inventive ways to help our clients make the world a better place. No matter what drives you, you’ll discover how you can cultivate, nurture, and achieve your goals – all at a single global company. Find out more about life at Jacobs.

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Inclusion and Belonging

We aim to embed inclusion and belonging in everything we do. We know that if we are inclusive, we’re more connected and creative. We accept people for who they are, and we champion the richness of different perspectives, lived experiences and backgrounds in the workplace, as a source of learning and innovation. We are committed to building vibrant communities within Jacobs, including through our Jacobs Employee Networks, Communities of Practice and our Find Your Community initiatives, allowing every employee to find connection, purpose, and belonging. Find out more about our Jacobs Employee Networks here.

Jacobs partners with VERCIDA to help us attract and retain talent from a wide range of backgrounds. For greater online accessibility please visit https//www.vercida.com/uk/employers/jacobs to view and access our roles.

As a disability confident employer, we will interview disabled candidates who best meet the criteria. We welcome applications from candidates who are seeking flexible working and from those who may not meet all the listed requirements for a role.

Application Experience

Your application experience is important to us, and we’re keen to adapt to make every interaction even better. If you require further support or reasonable adjustments with regards to the recruitment process (for example, you require the application form in a different format), please contact the team via Careers Support.

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Location

Reading, England, United Kingdom

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