Solution Architect jobs in United Kingdom

Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Speechify’s mission is to make reading never a barrier to learning.

Over 50 million people use our text-to-speech products to turn whatever they’re reading—PDFs, books, Google Docs, news articles, websites—into audio, so they can read faster, read more, and remember more. Speechify’s products include iOS, Android, Mac, Chrome Extension, and Web App. Google named our Chrome Extension of the Year and Apple awarded our 2025 Design Award for Inclusivity.

• Lead the design, architecture, and development of native Windows desktop applications using Windows App SDK, WinUI (or related UI frameworks), C#, XAML, and—when needed—C++.
• Define and enforce best practices for Windows desktop development across the codebase: architecture, performance, memory usage, responsive UI, cross‑version compatibility (Windows 10/11+), and maintainability.
• Drive accessibility: integrate and validate support for accessibility APIs such as Microsoft UI Automation; ensure UI controls, focus management, keyboard navigation, screen‑reader support, and usability for users with disabilities.
• Collaborate closely with product designers, UX researchers, QA, and other stakeholders to shape feature planning, UI/UX architecture, and long‑term roadmap for the Windows platform.
• Identify, diagnose, and resolve complex bugs, performance bottlenecks, memory leaks, rendering issues, or compatibility problems—and propose robust architectural or design solutions.

Required:

• 3+ years in Windows desktop application development using Windows App SDK, WinUI (or similar), C#, XAML—ideally with native Windows code (C++, Win32/WinRT/COM).
• Deep understanding of Windows application architecture, including interop between managed (.NET) and native code.
• Proven track record of designing, building, and shipping production‑quality desktop applications focused on reliability, performance, scalability, and maintainability.
• Strong experience with accessibility APIs on Windows (e.g., Microsoft UI Automation) and a dedication to building accessible and inclusive software.
• Excellent software engineering fundamentals: OOP, design patterns, data structures, algorithms, memory management, multithreading or asynchronous programming.
• Experience leading technical design, mentoring engineers, conducting code reviews, and making architecture‑level decisions.
• Strong communication skills; ability to articulate trade‑offs, collaborate with cross‑functional teams, and drive consensus.
• A user‑centric mindset: focus on building polished, intuitive, and accessible experiences for end users.

Preferred / Bonus:

• Experience writing automated UI tests: unit tests, integration tests, UI automation; familiarity with relevant frameworks.
• Performance optimization for desktop apps: memory usage, startup time, rendering performance, high‑DPI support, responsiveness under load.
• Localization/globalization, right‑to‑left UI support, internationalization, and accessibility across regions.
• Telemetry, analytics, crash reporting, logging, and error monitoring in desktop applications.
• Shaping CI/CD workflows, release pipelines, and deployment strategies for desktop apps.
• Taking ownership of feature areas or modules and driving long‑term maintenance, refactoring, and technical debt management.

• A high‑impact role: define architecture, shape the future of our Windows product, and directly influence millions of users.
• A collaborative, flat‑structure engineering culture—builder and decision‑maker.
• Opportunities to lead—mentor others, steer technical direction, and grow into broader leadership (Tech Lead, Architect).
• Flexibility, autonomy, and responsibility: own features end‑to‑end and contribute to long‑term product vision.
• A purpose‑driven mission: deliver reliable, accessible, and user‑centered software that makes a real difference.

Tell us more about yourself and why you’re interested in the role when you apply. Include links to your portfolio and LinkedIn.

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Speechify is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. Speechify does not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, disability, age, or other legally protected status.