Solution Architect (Cloud)

Why should you choose us?

Rakuten Symphony is reimagining telecom, changing supply chain norms and disrupting outmoded thinking that threatens the industry’s pursuit of rapid innovation and growth. Based on proven modern infrastructure practices, its open interface platforms make it possible to launch and operate advanced mobile services in a fraction of the time and cost of conventional approaches, with no compromise to network quality or security. Rakuten Symphony has operations in Japan, the United States, Singapore, India, South Korea, Europe, and the Middle East Africa region. For more information, visit:

Building on the technology Rakuten used to launch Japan’s newest mobile network, we are taking our mobile offering global.

To support our ambitions to provide an innovative cloud-native telco platform for our customers, Rakuten Symphony is looking to recruit and develop top talent from around the globe. We are looking for individuals to join our team across all functional areas of our business – from sales to engineering, support functions to product development.

Let’s build the future of mobile telecommunications together!

About Rakuten Group, Inc. (TSE: 4755) is a global leader in internet services that empower individuals, communities, businesses and society. Founded in Tokyo in 1997 as an online marketplace, Rakuten has expanded to offer services in e-commerce, fintech, digital content and communications to approximately 1.9 billion members around the world. The Rakuten Group has over 30,000 employees, and operations in 30 countries and regions. For more information visit

Responsibilities:

• Lead Application and Cloud Engagements: Understand complex business requirements across Telco Grade (CNFs), OSS, BSS, and IT applications, and translate them into clear cloud solution architectures.
• Deliver Innovative Solutions: Provide expert technical and business guidance to deliver innovative cloud/platform solutions.
• Align Business & Technology: Ensure technology infrastructure aligns with business goals through strategic solution design, leveraging Rakuten Cloud.
• Architect Telco-Grade Solutions: Design high-performance, cloud-native solutions for Telco Network Functions (e.g., 5G Core, RAN), ensuring carrier-grade reliability and 3GPP compliance.
• Architect OSS/BSS & IT Apps: Architect the cloud-native transformation of OSS/BSS functionalities and modernize IT applications on the Kubernetes platform.
• Design Cloud Strategies: Develop robust cloud and automation strategies for scale, networking, and storage, especially for high-performance Telco workloads.
• Ensure Architectural Alignment: Guarantee solution designs align with Rakuten Cloud capabilities, security, and cost efficiencies, preventing architectural drift.
• Oversee Implementation: Provide architectural oversight for solution deployment and integration, ensuring successful implementation per project plans.
• Drive Platform Evolution: Lead internal best practices and operational improvements to continuously evolve the Rakuten Cloud platform and offerings.
• HLD Review: Review High-Level Designs (HLDs) to ensure solution design integrity, adherence to architectural principles, and feasibility on the Rakuten Cloud platform.
• Proven ability to translate business requirements into technical cloud solutions.

Skills:

• Proficient in architecting and delivering successful Proof of Concept solutions based on containerized technology that met customer needs and project timelines.
• Well-versed with service-oriented architecture, cloud-based web services architecture, design patterns, and frameworks.
• Excellent understanding of Cloud & Infrastructure Architecture (Virtualization, Containerization, Orchestration, SDN, Software defined storage etc).
• Experience with cloud governance, security frameworks, and compliance within a private cloud context.
• Outstanding working knowledge of Cloud-Native technologies, Networking with demonstrable experience in a Production environment.
• Excellent understanding of performance optimization technologies such as SR-IOV, DPDK, NUMA, CPU Isolation, and Hugepages.
• Good understanding of K8s CNI such as Calico, OVS, macvlan, IPVLAN, SR-IOV etc.
• Good Understanding of storage requirements and solutions (e.g., Ceph).
• Strong Linux System Admin Experience with excellent troubleshooting and problem-solving skills.
• Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) and/or Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD) certification from CNCF is highly preferred; Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist (CKS) is a strong plus.
• Knowledge of Security Requirements of Cloud Platform, Automation Frameworks, and Operating systems to adhere to customer use cases.
• Experienced in designing and implementing large-scale projects in 4G/5G Telco environments.
• Demonstrated ability to present complex technical concepts clearly and concisely to both technical and non-technical audiences, including senior management.
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively in a cross-cultural environment.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to influence, negotiate, and build consensus among diverse teams.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills with the ability to influence and collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders.
• Ability to flex working hours to accommodate regular real-time collaboration with teams in Japan.

RAKUTEN SHUGI PRINCIPLES:

Our worldwide practices describe specific behaviours that make Rakuten unique and united across the world. We expect Rakuten employees to model these 5 Shugi Principles of Success.

• Always improve, always advance. Only be satisfied with complete success - Kaizen.
• Be passionately professional. Take an uncompromising approach to your work and be determined to be the best.
• Hypothesize - Practice - Validate - Shikumika. Use the Rakuten Cycle to success in unknown territory.
• Maximize Customer Satisfaction. The greatest satisfaction for workers in a service industry is to see their customers smile.
• Speed!! Speed!! Speed!! Always be conscious of time. Take charge, set clear goals, and engage your team.