Job description

We Impact Lives Through Purpose-Driven Work in A People First Culture Ascend Learning, a leading healthcare and learning technology company, is the connection between a powerful portfolio of brands serving students, educators, and employers with outcomes-based, data-driven solutions across the lifecycle of learning. From testing to certification, Ascend Learning products are used by physicians, emergency medical professionals, nurses, allied health professionals, certified personal trainers, financial advisors, skilled trades professionals and insurance brokers. Headquartered in Burlington, MA, with additional office locations and hybrid and remote workers in cities across the U.S., Ascend Learning was recognized by Newsweek and Plant-A Insights Group as one of America’s 2025 Greatest Workplaces as well as America’s Best Places to work for Mental Well-Being for 2025.  We're always looking for talented, passionate professionals to join us in our mission to help change lives. If this sounds like an environment where you'd thrive, read on to learn more.  WHAT YOU'LL DO The Solution Architect role is a critical member of the Enterprise Applications team, creating the overall technical vision for an integrated solution with an emphasis on AI-enablement to support and enhance business processes. This includes aligning business processes, implementing, and architecting enterprise platforms in an integrated environment, with an emphasis on AI-enablement across the technology stack This role interacts with business stakeholders and leaders, software engineers, development leads/architects, business/platform analysts, and quality engineering resources. The ideal candidate will work closely with cross-functional teams and collaborate with engineers to develop standard platforms across multiple business units and develop standard integration patterns. This person will also possess the ability to lead key initiatives, build consensus, and produce conceptual and logical architectures to meet strategic business, financial and technology objectives through prototyping concepts, documentation of systems, architectures, and business process flows. This position is expected to work closely with the teams within the Enterprise Applications team, designing and overseeing the implementation of architectures, as well as a key collaborator with our Enterprise Architecture team for model architecture guidance. In addition to the leadership and architecture responsibilities, a firm understanding of the underlying technologies is required. WHERE YOU’LL WORK This position will work a hybrid schedule from our Leawood, KS preferred. Candidates working from our Burlington, MA office location may be considered. HOW YOU’LL SPEND YOUR TIME • Provide technical leadership through architecture discussions, documentation, technical design, performing code reviews, providing guidance on building reusable components, and designing integrations • Understand the business process; facilitate the discovery of entities, attributes, relationships, and business rules from functional experts and the user community • Evaluate current environments, conduct research, recommend, and implement innovative designs that can enhance the reliability, security, productivity, and efficiency of systems • Ability to visualize with the ability to explain a solution to the business through a POC or diagram that is clear and related to the business goals. • Design and evolve the architectural patterns, platforms, and guardrails that enable engineering teams to responsibly integrate AI capabilities, including LLMs, agents, and ML pipelines, into platforms at scale. • Advocate for and embrace DevOps and CI/CD across the teams with a focus on scaling components and APIs horizontally, automated continuous deployment, version control, and monitoring • Be responsible for all design and governance decisions across enterprise platforms; Perform design reviews and manage the software development lifecycle; Act as the ultimate technical owner for any automation; Validate software design and implementation, enforce robust tests, help formulate deployment strategies and ensure software is scalable, resilient and performant • Build trust and work collaboratively with all levels of the Technology organization, including staff, business stakeholders, and executives, with an ability to present recommendations in a concise and relevant manner WHAT YOU'LL NEED • High school diploma or GED required. Bachelor's degree in Information Systems, Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent work experience preferred. • 4+ years of software architecture, design, and implementation with a variety of technologies • 4+ years of cumulative experience implementing eCommerce and Marketing Automation platforms, with a preference of experience with Adobe Commerce (Magento) and Hubspot • 3+ years of software development in Java, PHP, HTML, JQuery, JavaScript, and SQL. Expertise is also required in Microservices, Micro frontends, and asynchronous messaging using Kafka or other technology preferred • Experience utilizing technology platforms such as Kafka (Messaging), Azure Service Bus, LogicApps, and PowerPlatform preferred • Must be able to produce clear documentation to convey architecture, development standards, roadmaps, and potential challenges to both technical and non-technical resources • Disciplined, dynamic and flexible to manage multiple projects and tasks, work effectively in a rapidly changing environment and meet ongoing and overlapping deadlines • Strong oral and written communicator. Ability to summarize complex issues and situations concisely and clearly • Able to apply an entrepreneurial approach and passion to problem solving and product development • Strong influencing, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills HIRING RANGE The current full-time annualized hiring range for this role is $114,100.00-$163,130.00 and does not include discretionary bonus or sales incentives, if applicable. In accordance with applicable state laws, we are providing the expected salary range for this position. Individual compensation will be determined by various factors, including relevant experience, qualifications, current business needs and local market factors. Most regular, full-time employees are eligible to participate in an Ascend incentive bonus or sales plan. BENEFITS • Health, dental, and vision insurance • Company paid Life Insurance • 401(k) with company match • Paid time off and parental leave • Employee assistance program • Other employee wellness programs such as Headspace and Airvet • Charitable matching program Fostering A Sense of Belonging Our values-driven culture unifies our teams and inspires a mindset of action, innovation, and collaboration, with a relentless focus on customers. We seek out and celebrate all people and perspectives and cultivate an inclusive culture where everyone can thrive, feel valued, and be authentic. Our culture is firmly rooted in the belief that by embracing our differences and drawing on diverse perspectives, we are a stronger, more innovative, and more successful organization where employees experience a sense of belonging.  Ascend Learning, LLC is proud to be an equal opportunity employer (M/F/Vets/Disabled). No agency or search firm submissions will be accepted. Applications for U.S.-based positions with Ascend Learning, LLC must be legally authorized to work in the United States, and verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.

Requirements

Must-haves

We Impact Lives Through Purpose-Driven Work in A People First Culture
We're always looking for talented, passionate professionals to join us in our mission to help change lives. If this sounds like an environment where you'd thrive, read on to learn more.
Provide technical leadership through architecture discussions, documentation, technical design, performing code reviews, providing guidance on building reusable components, and designing integrations
Understand the business process; facilitate the discovery of entities, attributes, relationships, and business rules from functional experts and the user community
Evaluate current environments, conduct research, recommend, and implement innovative designs that can enhance the reliability, security, productivity, and efficiency of systems
Ability to visualize with the ability to explain a solution to the business through a POC or diagram that is clear and related to the business goals.
Design and evolve the architectural patterns, platforms, and guardrails that enable engineering teams to responsibly integrate AI capabilities, including LLMs, agents, and ML pipelines, into platforms at scale.
Advocate for and embrace DevOps and CI/CD across the teams with a focus on scaling components and APIs horizontally, automated continuous deployment, version control, and monitoring
Build trust and work collaboratively with all levels of the Technology organization, including staff, business stakeholders, and executives, with an ability to present recommendations in a concise and relevant manner
4+ years of software architecture, design, and implementation with a variety of technologies
4+ years of cumulative experience implementing eCommerce and Marketing Automation platforms, with a preference of experience with Adobe Commerce (Magento) and Hubspot
Must be able to produce clear documentation to convey architecture, development standards, roadmaps, and potential challenges to both technical and non-technical resources
Disciplined, dynamic and flexible to manage multiple projects and tasks, work effectively in a rapidly changing environment and meet ongoing and overlapping deadlines
Strong oral and written communicator. Ability to summarize complex issues and situations concisely and clearly
Able to apply an entrepreneurial approach and passion to problem solving and product development
Strong influencing, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills

Nice-to-haves

This position will work a hybrid schedule from our Leawood, KS preferred. Candidates working from our Burlington, MA office location may be considered.
High school diploma or GED required. Bachelor's degree in Information Systems, Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent work experience preferred.
3+ years of software development in Java, PHP, HTML, JQuery, JavaScript, and SQL. Expertise is also required in Microservices, Micro frontends, and asynchronous messaging using Kafka or other technology preferred
Experience utilizing technology platforms such as Kafka (Messaging), Azure Service Bus, LogicApps, and PowerPlatform preferred

Application prep

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aimlci/cdjavajavascriptsqlazure

Platform: successfactors
Effort: medium

Benefits

Benefits detected in the listing.

Dental

Vision

401(K)

Paid Time Off

Parental Leave

Wellness