What does a computer architect do?
Computer architect responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real computer architect resumes:
- Lead creation of client virtualization strategy and roadmap.
- Lead ITIL processes, contract negotiations, architecture, vendor management, and project management.
- Manage the desktop computing environment that includes hardware and software, defining standards, ensuring security and support.
- Manage technical architects for development and support of existing and new terminal platforms to support Walmart mobile and batch application infrastructure.
- Function successfully in both Java and .Net programming.
- Consult for university academic groups and research groups HPC needs.
- Optimize DSP algorithms for real-time execution on PIII SIMD micro-architecture.
- Implement new ITIL processes, including incident, change, and problem management procedures.
- Play a key role for integration management & development between ERP and other applications.
- Introduce change management to Salesforce administration and development.
- Mentore and develop engineering staff on infrastructure and EUC technologies.
- Develop various custom functionalities using apex and visualforce to accommodate their requirements.
- Lead analysis of the current middleware environment to detect critical deficiencies and recommend solutions for improvement and performance tuning.
- Develop protected DSP core and MMU architecture to enable protect operating system execution for constrain hardware power and area design.
- Manage technical architects for development and support of existing and new terminal platforms to support Walmart mobile and batch application infrastructure.
Computer architect skills and personality traits
We calculated that 39% of Computer Architects are proficient in Cloud, C++, and Cloud Computing. They’re also known for soft skills such as Creativity, Organizational skills, and Technical skills.
We break down the percentage of Computer Architects that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Cloud, 39%
Involved with product life cycle standardization processes, Data Center Modernization projects, Cloud Infrastructure Automation, Digital Data Transformation;
- C++, 8%
Researched on architecture optimization MPEG1/2 Encoder (C, C++, Perl, assembly) for real-time Software only implementation.
- Cloud Computing, 8%
Present Cloud Computing solutions and benefits to Managers and Director Level prospects as well as Systems Managers and Administrators.
- AWS, 6%
Implemented detective controls to identify potential security incidents, threat identification and response both automated and manual using AWS Cloud watch.
- Azure, 4%
Designed and developed security guidelines to ensure tenant isolation and integrated with Azure Access Control Service to provide ADFS based authentication.
- Java, 4%
Supported students with C/C++, Java, Bash, Oracle, DB2, and Networking/TCP/IP assignments.
Common skills that a computer architect uses to do their job include "cloud," "c++," and "cloud computing." You can find details on the most important computer architect responsibilities below.
Creativity. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a computer architect to have is creativity. Their role and responsibilities require that "architects design the overall look of houses, buildings, and other structures." Computer architects often use creativity in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "project systems autocad 2008-10, revit, civil 3d, 3d inventor, microstation. "
Organizational skills. Many computer architect duties rely on organizational skills. "architects often manage contracts," so a computer architect will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways computer architect responsibilities rely on organizational skills: "facilitated changes to organizational units, group policy objects and other containers in windows 2003 active directory. "
Technical skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of computer architects is technical skills. This skill is critical to many everyday computer architect duties, as "architects need to use cadd technology to create plans as part of building information modeling (bim)." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "performed technical manager role for technical implementation of cts+ for portal, java, abap. "
Visualization skills. For certain computer architect responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "visualization skills." The day-to-day duties of a computer architect rely on this skill, as "architects must be able to envision how the parts of a structure relate to each other." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what computer architects do: "designed a simple xml based metadata for visualizations to replace proprietary third party libraries thereby improving maintainability and debugging. "
Analytical skills. Another common skill required for computer architect responsibilities is "analytical skills." This skill comes up in the duties of computer architects all the time, as "architects must understand the content of designs and the context in which they were created." An excerpt from a real computer architect resume shows how this skill is central to what a computer architect does: "provided cache memory access data for select cache configurations. "
Communication skills. While "communication skills" is last on this skills list, don't underestimate its importance to computer architect responsibilities. Much of what a computer architect does relies on this skill, seeing as "architects share their ideas, both in oral presentations and in writing, with clients, other architects, and workers who help prepare drawings." Here is a resume example of how this skill is used in the everyday duties of computer architects: "facilitate communications & collaboration with management, application development, project managers and client. "
The three companies that hire the most computer architects are:
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Compare different computer architects
Computer architect vs. School plant consultant
A Job Captain is responsible for overseeing the drafting process of a project and completing outstanding items or tasks that remain to be accomplished. They take direction from the Project Manager, the Project Architect, and/or the Architect of Record.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, computer architect responsibilities require skills like "cloud," "c++," "cloud computing," and "aws." Meanwhile a typical school plant consultant has skills in areas such as "classroom observations," "public schools," "iep," and "mental health." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
School plant consultants tend to reach higher levels of education than computer architects. In fact, school plant consultants are 14.0% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 2.0% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Computer architect vs. Job captain
An architectural consultant is an individual who owns or works for an independent architecture or multidisciplinary design firm to develop innovative building design solutions. The essential skills that an architectural consultant should possess to accomplish his/her or her responsibilities include good creative ability and strong organizational, technical, and visualization skills. The education requirements for the job include possessing a college degree in architecture, business, or a related field.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, computer architect responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "cloud," "c++," "cloud computing," and "aws." Meanwhile, a job captain has duties that require skills in areas such as "revit," "construction administration," "cad," and "bim." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Job captains may earn a lower salary than computer architects, but job captains earn the most pay in the hospitality industry with an average salary of $76,826. On the other hand, computer architects receive higher pay in the technology industry, where they earn an average salary of $127,037.In general, job captains achieve similar levels of education than computer architects. They're 4.4% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 2.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for computer architects in the next 3-5 years?
Dr. Barry Stiefel Ph.D.
Associate Professor, College of Charleston
My suggestion is to try to be aware, as much as possible, of the latest and upcoming tech but focus on a specific set (or two) of hardware and software that most interests you. When I was younger, I tried staying on top of it all but quickly found that so much was coming out so fast that soon I spent all my time just trying to be on top of it all and unable to do much else. Technology has become so vast and diversified that to be good at something, you may not be able to do it all.
Professional and social networking can create professional communities where people who specialize in one set or two of technology or skills can share and exchange knowledge and expertise with colleagues and friends that complement each other. This is a strategy that I recommend.
Computer architect vs. Architectural consultant
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a computer architect is likely to be skilled in "c++," "cloud computing," "os," and "hpc," while a typical architectural consultant is skilled in "api," "design solutions," "business problems," and "data architecture."
Architectural consultants make a very good living in the technology industry with an average annual salary of $110,423. On the other hand, computer architects are paid the highest salary in the technology industry, with average annual pay of $127,037.architectural consultants typically earn higher educational levels compared to computer architects. Specifically, they're 12.0% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 5.5% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Computer architect vs. Architect in training
Types of computer architect
Updated January 8, 2025
