Integration Architect

About Gradera — Digital Twin & Physical AI Platform 

At Gradera, we are building a next-generation Digital Twin and Physical AI platform that enables enterprises to model, simulate, and optimize complex real-world systems. Our work brings together strategy, architecture, data, simulation, and experience design to power decision-making across large-scale operational environments such as manufacturing, logistics, and supply chain networks. 

This platform-led initiative applies AI-native execution, advanced simulation, and governed orchestration to help organizations test scenarios, predict outcomes, and continuously improve performance. We operate with an enterprise-first mindset prioritizing reliability, transparency, and measurable business impact as we build intelligent systems that scale beyond a single industry or use case. 

Integration Architect

Reports to: Chief Executive Officer

Location: United States (Remote) 
Employment Type: Full Time 

Work Location This role is fully remote and open to candidates across all 50 U.S. states.
If you're located in the Greater Denver, Colorado area, you’ll also have optional access to our office in the Denver Tech Center (DTC).

Overview 

Gradera is seeking an experienced Integration Architect to lead API, service, and event-driven integration patterns across large-scale, mission‑critical environments. This role focuses on designing resilient microservice interfaces, governing API contracts, enabling secure and observable integrations, and architecting event-driven capabilities across systems including Movement Planner, ESD (Engineering Systems Data), Crew Management, and other operational platforms. 

You will design REST and gRPC APIs, architect service mesh routing, define event and data integration patterns, and drive governance across OpenShift, Kong Gateway, Kafka, and microservice ecosystems. This role requires strong architecture leadership, exceptional communication skills, and the ability to collaborate across engineering, product, and domain stakeholders. 

Key Responsibilities: 

API & Integration Architecture 

Define and govern API design standards across REST and gRPC services. 

Architect integration patterns for Movement Planner, ESD, Crew Management APIs, and other mission‑critical systems. 

Establish API versioning strategies, contract governance, and backward compatibility guidelines. 

Gateway & Service Mesh Architecture 

Lead the design and configuration of Kong Gateway for API routing, rate limiting, authentication, and observability. 

Architect and maintain OpenShift Service Mesh (Istio) for secure service‑to‑service communication, mTLS, policy, and traffic shaping. 

Define ingress/egress patterns using OpenShift Routes with security and reliability in mind. 

Event‑Driven & Data Integration 

Design event-driven architecture patterns using Kafka, including topics, schemas, partitions, consumer groups, and event contracts. 

Develop event processing and streaming strategies to support real‑time operational workflows. 

Establish data integration patterns for cross‑system data exchange, replication, and operational state handling. 

Microservices Architecture 

Define integration-aware microservice patterns, including domain boundaries, service responsibilities, and dependency modeling. 

Partner with backend teams to ensure microservices conform to architectural standards and integration requirements. 

Guide service decomposition, API evolution, and integration refactoring efforts. 

Governance, Security & Compliance 

Define integration governance frameworks, including SLAs, SLOs, schema standards, and interface approval processes. 

Champion secure integration practices, including authentication, authorization, mTLS, token management, secrets, and identity propagation. 

Ensure compliance with operational, regulatory, and security requirements across integration layers. 

Cross‑Functional Leadership 

Collaborate with engineering, platform, data, and product teams to align integration strategy to business and technical needs. 

Facilitate technical discussions, solution reviews, and integration workshops. 

Provide architectural direction to developers, SREs, and DevSecOps teams across implementation cycles. 

Core Qualities & Skills 

Deep expertise in API architecture (REST, gRPC), microservices, and distributed systems. 

Strong experience with Kong Gateway and API lifecycle management. 

Strong understanding of transition security. OAuth 2.0, OIDC, MTLS, gateway policies, edge protection, zero-trust, etc.  

Hands-on experience with Kafka and event-driven architecture. 

Experience with OpenShift Service Mesh (Istio), OpenShift Routes, and cloud‑native networking. 

Strong understanding of data integration patterns, transformation flows, and schema evolution. 

Ability to design for high availability, scalability, and low latency. 

Excellent communication skills and comfort presenting architecture decisions to senior stakeholders. 

Strong problem‑solving skills and ability to operate effectively in evolving, fast‑paced environments. 

Preferred Qualifications 

8+ years in integration architecture, platform engineering, or enterprise architecture. 

Experience integrating large-scale operational systems such as Movement Planner, ESD, or Crew Management platforms. 

Knowledge of service mesh traffic management, API security patterns, and zero‑trust architectures. 

Experience with CI/CD automation, GitOps, and infrastructure‑as‑code (Terraform/OpenTofu). 

Background in cloud-native architectures on OpenShift, Kubernetes, or similar environments. 

Highly Desirable 

Experience designing integration patterns for simulation, planning, or operational data systems. 

Experience with schema registries, event versioning, or contract testing. 

Ability to coach teams on integration best practices and API governance. 

Employee Benefits at Gradera

At Gradera, we’re committed to supporting our team.  Here’s how we invest in your well-being, growth, and future:

Comprehensive Health Coverage — 100% Company-Paid

We take care of your health so you can focus on what matters.
Gradera covers 100% of your medical, dental, and vision insurance premiums. No hidden fees. No fine print. Just full coverage.

Paid Time Off
We believe in rest and recharge—paid holidays and PTO are part of the package.

Remote-First Flexibility

Work from wherever you feel most productive. As a remote-first company, we champion flexibility, autonomy, and a healthy work-life balance. Your desk is wherever you want it to be.

401(k) Retirement Savings

Your future matters. We offer access to a 401(k) retirement plan to help you build long-term financial security—starting now.

Compensation: The final salary for this role will be determined based on a combination of factors including relevant experience, performance during interviews, and results from applicable assessments.
This position is bonus eligible.

Equal Opportunity Employer (EEO) Statement 

Gradera provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

Application Instructions & Deadline

How to Apply: To be considered, please complete the job application for the role you're interested in via our careers page.

Deadline: Applications are accepted until role is filled.

Questions: Contact us at [email protected] If you need a reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process, just let us know—we’re happy to assist.