R&D System Platform Architect

In this role, you will be responsible for defining, evolving, and governing the system and platform architecture of ABB's nextgeneration Automation Extended / Distributed Control System (DCS) platform. You will act as the primary authority for platform architecture within R&D, covering all foundational services that enable the platform to operate securely, reliably, and at scale. These include operating system definition, base system services, lifecycle management, security foundations, and system operability. The role sits at the intersection of industrial automation (Operations Technology - OT) and modern cloudnative platform engineering, requiring both strategic architectural thinking and a practical, proofofconcept driven approach. You will be in a key position for the definition of the Automation Extended Ecosystem of the future.

Main responsibilities

• Define and evolve the end-to-end system & platform architecture for an on-premise, cloud-native DCS platform that unifies control and digital applications into one ecosystem.
• Own architectural definitions for core platform services: OS & base services, lifecycle (install/provision/update/upgrade), observability, audit/logging, licensing, PKI/cert/key management, and foundational network services (e.g., DNS/DHCP).
• Be responsible for designing Linux-based systems on server-class, industrial, and edge hardware, balancing availability, determinism/real-time constraints, security, and maintainability.
• Define platform patterns for containerization and orchestration (Red Hat technologies such as MicroShift/OpenShift), ensuring resilience in industrial environments.
• Ensure designs meet industrial automation expectations for reliability, long lifecycles, field upgradeability, and operability.
• Collaborate with cross-domain architects (networking, security, application, runtime, engineering) to maintain a coherent architecture across the stack.
• Conduct proof-of-concepts/technical spikes to validate decisions, reduce risk, and inform an architectural roadmap with Product Management and R&D.
• Provide technical leadership within the platform architecture domain: coordinate, mentor, and promote shared architectural best practices.

Qualifications

• 8-10+ years in system architecture/platform engineering (or closely related roles), in complex product platforms or large R&D organizations.
• Deep knowledge of industrial automation (DCS/SCADA/OT) and understanding of constraints (availability, safety mindset, lifecycle/maintainability).
• Deep practical knowledge of Linux (configuration, services, hardening, lifecycle management).
• Solid experience with containers and orchestration in Red Hat ecosystems (MicroShift/OpenShift/Kubernetes).
• Demonstrated ability to design and communicate architecture at conceptual, logical, and physical levels (clear documentation and stakeholder communication).
• Practical experience with security foundations (PKI/certificates, key management, secure boot concepts, platform hardening).
• Familiarity with on-prem, cloud-native, distributed systems in constrained or industrial environments.
• Master's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related field (or equivalent practical experience).