Technical Lead

🚀 Tech Lead – Cloud & Platform Engineering

📍 Mechelen, Belgium (Hybrid)

📅 Long-term freelance/contract-based opportunity (until end of 2026)

We’re looking for a hands-on Tech Lead to join a large-scale, complex environment where technology plays a critical role in delivering high-impact services.

This is not a people management role - you’ll act as the technical backbone of the team, working closely with architects and engineering teams to ensure high-quality, scalable, and future-proof solutions.

💡 Your Role

As a Tech Lead, you will bridge the gap between architecture and implementation, ensuring that technical decisions are effectively translated into real-world solutions across multiple teams and vendors.

You’ll operate in a multi-team, multi-vendor environment, where your ability to influence, guide, and align will be key.

🔧 Key Responsibilities

🏗️ Technical Leadership & Architecture

• Translate architectural vision into clear technical standards and guidelines
• Ensure consistent and correct implementation across teams
• Act as a trusted partner to Solution Architects

⚙️ Engineering Excellence

• Drive best practices around:
• scalability
• security
• maintainability
• observability
• Perform high-level code and architecture reviews

🔗 Multi-Team & Vendor Collaboration

• Guide and challenge external vendor teams
• Ensure alignment across a complex ecosystem of teams

☁️ Cloud & Platform Enablement

• Support teams in adopting cloud platforms (AWS / GCP)
• Work with Kubernetes / OpenShift environments
• Bridge the gap between strategy and hands-on implementation

🚀 Modernisation & Innovation

• Drive technical improvements and modernization initiatives
• Reduce technical debt
• Promote cloud-native and AI-driven solutions

💬 Stakeholder Communication

• Collaborate with Product Owners, Analysts, and senior stakeholders
• Navigate a complex and sometimes political environment
• Communicate clearly and influence decisions without formal authority

✅ What We’re Looking For

Must-have:

• Strong experience with AWS and/or GCP
• Solid experience with Kubernetes or OpenShift
• Proven background in software architecture & system design
• Experience with:
• CI/CD pipelines
• Infrastructure as Code
• API-led and event-driven architectures
• Good understanding of infrastructure (networking, security, compute, storage)
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
• Ability to influence and guide teams without direct authority
• Hands-on mindset (not purely advisory)

Nice to have:

• Experience in large enterprise environments
• Exposure to AI-driven solutions or innovation initiatives
• Experience working with external vendors / consulting firms
• Background in telecom or network architecture
• Dutch language skills

👤 Ideal Profile

You are a senior engineer or technical lead who:

• enjoys working in complex, large-scale environments
• combines deep technical expertise with strong communication skills
• thrives in roles where you influence rather than manage
• is comfortable working across multiple teams and stakeholders

📍 Practical Info

• Location: Mechelen (hybrid – 2–3 days onsite/week)
• Start: ASAP
• Duration: Long-term (until end of 2026, extension likely)
• Language: English required (Dutch is a plus)