AI & Shift Left Architect

About the Role

As an AI & Shift Left Architect at Cognizant, you will make an impact by driving the shift-left quality strategy and AI-led engineering transformation for one of Belgium's leading financial institutions. You will be a valued member of our Engineering & Quality Practice and work collaboratively with client architects, product owners, and agile delivery teams to define target architectures, build AI accelerators, and embed quality earlier across the entire software delivery lifecycle.

This is a senior, client-facing role that combines deep technical expertise in quality engineering and GenAI with the consulting gravitas to influence at a strategic level — from engineering teams all the way to senior stakeholders.

In This Role, You Will

Define and drive the shift-left testing strategy across value streams and Agile Release Trains, establishing quality gates, automated testing, and static analysis directly within CI/CD pipelines.
Design and implement AI and GenAI accelerators and agents for requirement analysis, test design, test case and script generation, and code quality assurance — leveraging prompt engineering and agentic workflows.
Conduct AS-IS assessments of the client's engineering and quality practices, and define the TO-BE architecture alongside a phased, measurable adoption roadmap.
Build reusable assets, including prompt libraries, frameworks, and governance structures designed for enterprise-wide scale and reuse.
Define and track measurable outcomes such as cycle time reduction, defect leakage, and cost of quality — ensuring benefit realization throughout the engagement.
Run workshops with client architects and product owners, and actively coach delivery teams on AI-assisted engineering practices and modern quality disciplines.

Work Model

We believe hybrid work is the way forward as we strive to provide flexibility wherever possible. Based on this role's business requirements, this is a hybrid position requiring regular on-site presence at the client location in Brussels, Belgium. Regardless of your working arrangement, we are here to support a healthy work-life balance through our various wellbeing programs.

The working arrangements for this role are accurate as of the date of posting. This may change based on the project you're engaged in, as well as business and client requirements. Rest assured; we will always be clear about role expectations.

What You Need to Have to Be Considered

10+ years of experience in software quality engineering, test architecture, or engineering practice roles — with hands-on delivery ownership.
Hands-on GenAI and LLM expertise applied to engineering use cases, including prompt engineering, fine-tuning, and the design of agentic workflows.
Deep shift-left knowledge: TDD/BDD, unit testing, API and contract testing, and quality gate design.
Test automation proficiency across tooling such as Selenium and Playwright, and REST API automation frameworks, using Java, Python, or JavaScript.
CI/CD and DevOps toolchain experience with platforms including Azure DevOps, GitLab, or Jenkins, supported by cloud exposure in Azure or AWS.
Banking or regulated financial services background, with the ability to navigate compliance and governance requirements within a complex delivery environment.
Agile at scale exposure (SAFe, ARTs, value streams) and a track record of working effectively within large, cross-functional programs.
Strong client-facing communication skills, with the confidence and gravitas to present to senior stakeholders and influence architectural decisions.
Professional proficiency in English; knowledge of French and/or Dutch is an advantage.

These Will Help You Stand Out

Relevant certifications such as ISTQB Advanced, SAFe, or cloud and AI certifications (e.g., AWS, Azure AI).
Experience with AI governance frameworks and responsible AI practices within a regulated financial environment.
Exposure to reskilling and capability-building programs, including enabling client teams to develop AI-assisted engineering competencies.
A consulting mindset with the ability to build trusted advisor relationships directly with customer stakeholders.

We're Excited to Meet You

We're excited to meet people who share our mission and can make an impact in a variety of ways. Don't hesitate to apply, even if you only meet the minimum requirements listed. Think about your transferable experiences and unique skills that make you stand out as someone who can bring new and exciting things to this role.

What We Offer

At Cognizant, we care about the wellbeing and growth of our people. As part of our Belgian team, you will benefit from:

Health Insurance – comprehensive hospitalization cover
️ Life Cover – group insurance for your peace of mind
Company Car or Mobility Budget – flexible to your lifestyle and commuting needs
Work-from-Home Allowance – supporting your hybrid setup
32 Vacation Days – so you can truly recharge
Pension Plan – investing in your future
️ Luncheon Vouchers – a daily benefit to enjoy
✈️ Travel Insurance – coverage when you need it most
EcoCheques – rewarding sustainable choices
Travel & Entertainment Expense Coverage
Laptop & Mobile Phone with Subscription – everything you need to work effectively

Contact the Recruiter

Interested in this opportunity? Reach out directly to our recruiter:

Sophie Künzel [email protected]

Sobre a Cognizant
Cognizant (NASDAQ: CTSH) é uma construtora de IA e fornecedora de serviços de tecnologia, criando a ponte entre o investimento em IA e o valor para as empresas por meio do desenvolvimento de soluções de IA completas para nossos clientes. Nossa profunda experiência em setores, processos e engenharia nos permite incorporar o contexto único de cada organização em sistemas tecnológicos que potencializam a capacidade humana, geram resultados tangíveis e mantêm empresas globais à frente em um mundo em rápida transformação. Saiba mais em cognizant.ai ou @cognizant.

A Cognizant é uma empregadora que investe em equidade. Sua candidatura não será pautada em raça, cor, gênero, sexualidade, credo, origem, deficiência, gravidez ou qualquer outra característica protegida pelas leis brasileiras.

Informações adicionais de emprego
Os candidatos podem ser obrigados a comparecer a entrevistas presenciais ou por videoconferência. Além disso, os candidatos podem ser obrigados a apresentar seu documento de identificação emitido pelo estado ou governo atual durante cada entrevista.

Embora nosso sistema permita a candidatura em todos os idiomas, o(s) idioma(s) e o(s) nível(is) de proficiência exigidos para o trabalho variam. No entanto, é necessário um nível básico de inglês para fins de comunicação em toda a empresa.

Se você tem uma deficiência que requer adaptações razoáveis para procurar uma vaga de emprego ou enviar uma candidatura, envie um e-mail para [email protected] com sua solicitação e informações de contato.