Senior Architect

This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Senior Architect based in France.

This is a senior-level architecture opportunity for an experienced software engineering leader supporting multiple technology-driven businesses.
You will operate as a fractional CTO, helping founders translate business priorities into realistic technical strategies and high-quality products.
The role combines architecture, hands‑on technical guidance, developer coaching, code reviews, and product-oriented problem solving.
You will work across several projects, partnering closely with founders, product owners, engineers, and multidisciplinary delivery teams.
Beyond client-facing work, you will contribute to improving engineering practices, recruitment, training, and internal technology capabilities.
The environment is highly autonomous and collaborative, with flexibility to work full‑time or begin on a part‑time basis.
This role is ideal for a technically strong architect who enjoys variety, strategic influence, and helping teams build scalable solutions in a startup‑focused environment.

Accountabilities

• Act as a fractional CTO for approximately 2–3 technology businesses, providing technical leadership, architecture guidance, and strategic direction.

• Work directly with founders and product owners to understand business priorities, challenge assumptions when needed, and translate requirements into realistic and actionable technical solutions.

• Review and evolve software architecture and system designs to ensure scalability, maintainability, security, and alignment with product goals.

• Protect engineering teams from unnecessary complexity while helping prioritize technical work according to business needs.

• Conduct frequent code reviews, provide technical mentorship, and coach developers toward stronger engineering practices.

• Perform technical code audits for potential investments, clients, or new projects, identifying risks, opportunities, and areas for improvement.

• Provide hands‑on support for complex technical challenges, including software development, DevOps, infrastructure, and troubleshooting when required.

• Contribute to the continuous improvement of engineering teams through recruitment support, training initiatives, knowledge sharing, and technical standards.

• Participate in candidate assessments, technical interviews, and occasional research into emerging frameworks and technologies to strengthen training and development programs.

• Support occasional in‑person founder or investment meetings and provide specialized technical consulting across other projects when relevant.

Requirements

• At least 15 years of professional experience in software development, with extensive experience progressing into senior technical leadership or architecture roles.

• Expert‑level proficiency in Microsoft C#/.NET or Node.js.

• Mastery of React, with experience in Angular or Vue considered an advantage.

• Extensive experience with relational databases such as MySQL, Microsoft SQL Server, MariaDB, or PostgreSQL.

• Strong experience with both Microsoft Azure and AWS, with solid DevOps knowledge considered a plus.

• Experience with Ionic and React Native is advantageous.

• Familiarity with additional technologies such as Python, Java, Kotlin, iOS/Swift, or Golang is a plus, particularly for supporting diverse technical environments.

• Strong understanding of software architecture, system design, development practices, cloud technologies, and modern engineering workflows.

• Proven ability to communicate effectively with founders, business stakeholders, product teams, and engineers, translating between business objectives and technical execution.

• Strong coaching, mentoring, analytical, and problem‑solving abilities, with the confidence to challenge decisions constructively and guide teams toward pragmatic solutions.

• Comfortable working autonomously across multiple projects and adapting quickly to different products, technologies, and organizational contexts.

• Willingness to participate in occasional in‑person client or founder meetings when needed.

Benefits

• Fully remote working environment within Europe.

• Flexible working schedule, with freedom to choose working hours within reasonable business requirements.

• Possibility to work full‑time or start on a part‑time/hourly basis, depending on availability and mutual fit.

• Opportunity to operate in a fractional CTO capacity acros