
iSAQB Certified Professional for Software Architecture – Foundation Level (CPSA-F)
experts in Germany, matched in minutes from 15,000 CVs with the power of AI.CPSA-F holders know how to shape software structure, weigh architecture decisions, and communicate clearly with developers, product owners, and stakeholders. Find vetted freelancers in Germany fast, with precise matching for the skills your project needs.
Meet FRATCH iSAQB Certified Professional for Software Architecture – Foundation Level (CPSA-F) in Germany
Valerii S.
Last position:
Freelance Software Engineer & Systems Architect at Early-Stage.dev
- IONOS Managed K8s Service: Engineered core K8s Operators and Auth architecture (Golang, OpenAPI, Postgres).
- IONOS Data Export Service: Built logging webservices and GitOps CI/CD pipelines (Golang, Loki, S3, ArgoCD).
- Pharma Cloud Migration: Modernized legacy on-premise software (Golang, OpenAPI, MongoDB, TypeScript).
- Greenfield ERP System: Engineered robust backend using augmented coding (Golang, GraphQL, Ent, Postgres).
- National Public Television: Delivered backend analysis and RESTful implementation (Golang, Postgres).
- Industrial Manufacturer R&D: Optimized QA and executed IoT refactoring (Golang, InfluxDB, MQTT).
- Recipe & Cooking App: Managed backend bugfixing and infrastructure adjustments (Golang, AWS EC2, Terraform).
Paul B.
Last position:
Full-Stack Developer / Software Architect at HUK Coburg
Development and further enhancement of an internal quotation system for managing and analyzing insurance policies. The focus was on consolidating existing systems, establishing modern development standards, and improving testing, security, and deployment processes. Alongside implementing new features, special attention was paid to code quality, security, and performance.
Responsibilities:
- Full-stack development of an internal quotation system based on Spring Boot and Angular
- Design and implementation of a secure Spring Security configuration, including certificate management
- Merging two bounded contexts using Domain-Driven Design (DDD)
- Introducing and integrating Testcontainers for automated integration tests
- Establishing and applying common testing methods (unit, integration, and end-to-end tests)
- Presenting and integrating Cypress as a black-box GUI testing tool
- Improving the CI/CD pipeline through automated versioning and a custom Jenkins Library
- Proof of Concept (PoC) for state management with NgRx in the frontend
- Refactoring legacy code and fixing incorrect Spring Boot configurations
- Training developers in Clean Code, best practices, and the Spring Framework
- Developing a tool to analyze test data and improve quality
- Further development of the existing Cucumber project
- Carrying out dependency updates and analyzing and maintaining the application
- Implementing telemetry and building a Dynatrace dashboard
- Improving technical documentation in line with Arc42 and introducing AsyncAPI
Technologies: Scrum, TDD, CleanCode, Spring Boot, Java, Angular, NgRx, Testcontainers, Cypress, Cucumber, Jenkins, Dynatrace, Docker, Git, Maven, Kafka, Oracle, REST, DDD, Arc42, AsyncAPI, IntelliJ, Jira, Confluence, Windows, Linux
Fabian K.
Last position:
Technical Architect & Field Service Lead at Family-owned German manufacturer of robotic packaging machines, operating worldwide
Migration from Microsoft Dynamics to a Multi-Cloud Salesforce Platform
- Lead of the Field Service stream in a programme replacing Microsoft Dynamics with Salesforce Sales, Service, Marketing and Field Service, including access for external contractors.
- Designed the end-to-end process from opportunity or case via work order and the Field Service mobile app to the service report.
Serhat K.
Last position:
Kafka issues in production at Fiverr client
Fiverr client
- Fixed consumer issues in a production Kafka environment.
- Analyzed consumer lag with Datadog.
- Added synthetic tests to detect issues early.
Stack: Kafka, Datadog, Consumer Groups
Edgardo C.
Last position:
Independent Senior Software Engineer & Integration Consultant at Thinkronic
Software engineering and integration consulting for enterprise clients, with a focus on backend development, APIs, system integration, and event-driven architectures. Currently developing and evolving a recruitment and staffing platform using Elixir and RabbitMQ, including asynchronous, event-driven communication and integrations with external recruitment and staffing platforms.
Eric K.
Last position:
Digital roadside assistance platform at SABK
Markus M.
Last position:
Project Manager: Engineering Excellence at EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg
- Evaluation and further development of Engineering Excellence initiatives as part of the “Digital First” program
- Validation of efficiency, productivity, and cost-saving potential in the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC)
- Organization-wide analysis of the use of Generative AI in the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC)
- Evaluation of optimization measures in the areas of product management, delivery, developer experience, metrics, and quality assurance
- Alignment of the “Next Level Architecture (NLA)” target vision with regard to organizational design, governance model, and scalability
- Identification of structural bottlenecks in the delivery organization and development of alternative optimization approaches
- Preparation of decision-making and management documents for department management and the Executive Board to evaluate efficiency potential and transformation measures
Skillset: Engineering Excellence, Operating Model Design, Generative AI, AI in SDLC, SAFe, DevOps, Software Delivery Metrics, Value Streams, Team Topologies, Domain Driven Design, Azure DevOps, Jira, Confluence, Management Reporting, Business Case Assessment
Michael H.
Last position:
Frontend Developer at RTL Tech
- Development and optimization of the RTL+ frontend application for SmartTV and set-top box platforms with React and Next.js.
- Key role in the technical coordination of developers within the team and in coordinating implementation.
- Central interface to adjacent teams to simplify development processes and improve cross-team alignment.
- Improved frontend performance, stability, and rendering behavior on low-powered devices in a restricted runtime environment.
- Implemented a frontend testing strategy with Jest, React Testing Library, and Playwright.
- Implemented accessibility improvements according to WCAG 2.2 and WAI-ARIA.
- Integrated Didomi Consent Management as a contribution to increasing ad monetization on streaming platforms.
- Used AI-supported engineering workflows with Cursor for structured implementation, refactoring, and faster problem solving.
Technologies used: React, Next.js, TypeScript, JavaScript, GraphQL, Apollo Gateway, Zustand, Tailwind CSS, Styled Components, React Testing Library, Playwright, Jest, HTML5, CSS3, AWS Lambda, EC2, CloudFront, S3, GitLab CI/CD, NX, Cursor
Vishnu V.
Last position:
Senior Software Architect at Roche Diagnostics Automation Solutions
- Own the software system architecture for laboratory automation products; specify interfaces across software, middleware, hardware and motor control in a regulated IVD environment.
- Led architecture evaluations and proof-of-concepts for integrating AI capabilities (anomaly detection, predictive maintenance) into lab automation under medical-device quality standards.
- Introduced GenAI-assisted development tools across the team, improving productivity and code review quality.
- Communicate architecture decisions to product and project management; coordinate research and improvement projects with system, electronics and external partners.
Volker F.
Last position:
Technical Lead | Software Architect | Embedded Software Engineer at Hydac
- Development of safety-related embedded software for a mobile machine on a Hydac TTC 2390 controller.
- Implementation in C with consideration of SIL 3 / ASIL D and MISRA-C:2025.
- Implementation of communication via CAN, CANopen, and J1939.
Standards, guidelines and norms: ISO 26262, IEC 61508, MISRA-C:2025
Technologies: C99, Hydac TTC 2390, Infineon TriCore Aurix TC397, Hightec C/C++ Compiler, PC-lint Plus, CAN, CANopen, J1939, MISRA-C:2025
Fred H.
Last position:
Software Architect and Developer at Personal project
Recurring problem in my own AI-assisted projects: requirements analysis, use cases, and architecture decisions can be created quickly with AI support, but remain difficult to follow and scattered across Markdown files – knowledge is lost as soon as it is no longer in the context window. arknet turns requirements engineering and architecture knowledge into structured, verifiable data instead of plain text: requirements, use cases, and architecture decisions form a consistently linked knowledge graph, traceable from requirement to architecture decision – queryable by both people and AI agents. Technically based on RDF/OWL and a custom MCP server.
Result: Working MCP daemon, Docker image published automatically to GHCR, nine hexagonal modules, eleven ADRs (including an Open-Core licensing model). Requirements engineering and Ubiquitous Language hexagons are active. Public as a Community Edition under Apache-2.0 since 07/2026 (github.com/kogn-io/arknet), together with the Claude Code plugin and GHCR image; Open-Core model.
Label: Java, Maven, RDF, RDF4J, OWL, SPARQL, Model Context Protocol, Spring AI, Docker, GitHub, Git, Claude Code, Obsidian, DDD, Hexagonal Architecture, ArchUnit, JUnit, AssertJ, Interface Development, Software Architecture, Continuous Integration, Knowledge Management
Jens H.
Last position:
Interim CTO (occasional assignments) at Fujitsu / FSAS
Stabilization of an Azure/.NET landscape in live operation.
- Architecture, DevOps, and operational readiness; technical decisions under time pressure
- Azure DevOps, monitoring, ETL/ELT, cloud security, FinOps, and data-mesh-related topics
Technologies: Azure DevOps, .NET, CI/CD, monitoring, FinOps
Carsten R.
Last position:
Enterprise Product Owner at opta data IT GmbH
- Product responsibility for the central platform "one" as a group-wide web-based customer portal
- Coordination of the connection of 20 group companies to the product platform
- Derivation and steering of a group-wide product strategy and roadmap aligned with company goals
- Prioritization and bundling of strategic requirements from the various group companies
- Harmonization of different interests and moderation of complex decision-making processes at management level
- Ensuring the technical and business integration of the product into existing system landscapes, business processes, and business models
- Building transparent governance and decision-making structures for group-wide product development
- Representation of the product towards internal and external stakeholders at leadership level
Kathrin S.
Last position:
Requirements Engineer at Governikus GmbH & Co. KG
- Impact: Structured requirements analysis and quality assurance as a foundation for the further development of a software solution.
- Analysis, documentation, and coordination of requirements. Conducting stakeholder analyses, interviews, and workshops to gather and validate requirements. Conducting requirements reviews and working closely with business departments and development teams.
Techniques & Tools: Requirements Engineering, Stakeholder Management, Workshop Facilitation, System Context Modeling, Requirements Reviews, Quality Scenarios, Miro, Jira, Confluence
Sascha M.
Last position:
Senior eCommerce & AI Engineer at UNIQBIT AG
Re-platforming an e-commerce shop to a microservice architecture
- Goal: Replace an outdated Shopware system with a scalable, future-proof solution based on microservices and a headless architecture.
- Led a full architecture consulting process and defined the microservice boundaries based on a headless architecture with commercetools as PIM/OMS and Next.js as the frontend solution.
- Developed and integrated several decentralized services (e.g. internationalization, personalization).
- Took over the configuration of central third-party systems such as Contentstack and Algolia.
- Built a stable cloud infrastructure on Google Cloud with monitoring via Grafana.
Technologies: commercetools, Next.js, Contentstack, Algolia, Google Cloud, Grafana, TypeScript, Shopware
Development of an international e-commerce platform
- Goal: Build a high-performance, user-friendly and international e-commerce platform.
- Defined a scalable, high-performance and maintainable software architecture that served as the foundation for the platform's international expansion.
- Selected a best-of-breed technology stack that enabled the development of an industry-leading shop and reduced development effort for new features by 30%.
- Ensured seamless integration of critical third-party systems (PIM, CRM, ERP) to guarantee end-to-end business processes and a consistent data foundation.
- Implemented comprehensive tracking and analytics tools for continuous performance monitoring and optimization of the customer journey.
Technologies: React.js, Next.js, commerceTools, Algolia, Salesforce, Heroku, CI/CD, PHP, Google Analytics
AI-powered personalization and customer data platform in e-commerce
- Goal: Replace static content with a dynamic, AI-based personalization strategy to increase user relevance and automate marketing processes.
- Designed and built a customer data platform to aggregate and combine customer and analytics data from distributed sources.
- Implemented automated categorization of customer profiles as the basis for delivering personalized content and product recommendations in the Shopware frontend.
- Developed a semantic similarity algorithm based on Python and OpenAI to calculate product and content similarity from user profiles.
- Built the technical connection to retail media platforms to control external ad placements along the customer journey.
Technologies: Shopware 6, Python 3, OpenAI, Elasticsearch, PHP, Symfony, Twig
Shopware tracking & consent architecture (GDPR) for 4 online shops
- Goal: Build a unified, GDPR-compliant tracking infrastructure across multiple shops with central consent management across several Shopware instances.
- Defined a comprehensive tracking guide and developed a modular architecture compatible across multiple Shopware versions.
- GDPR-compliant integration of Usercentrics and Adobe Launch through a central tag manager.
- Full tracking setup (page, order, product, user) incl. partner-specific tracking (Emarsys, Channelpilot, etc.).
- Detailed event and error tracking to proactively identify technical drop-offs.
Technologies: Shopware, Adobe Analytics, Usercentrics, Tag Manager, PHP, MySQL, GDPR
AI/LLM search engine with RAG and hybrid search (Python, Elasticsearch)
- Goal: Build an AI-powered search engine with RAG architecture and hybrid search to accurately match service providers from over 500,000 company records.
- Developed an automated data pipeline (web scraping + LLM) that continuously crawls company data and converts it into structured formats using LLMs.
- Implemented a RAG workflow incl. vectorization for semantic search to increase search accuracy and relevance.
- Configured and fine-tuned Elasticsearch for hybrid search (vector + keyword search).
- End-to-end development of backend API, frontend and deployment on live servers.
Technologies: Python, FastAPI, Elasticsearch, LLM, RAG, React, Docker, Web Scraping
AI/computer vision system (Python, ML) – object detection under difficult conditions
- Goal: Develop an AI-powered recognition system with reliable performance even in rain, fog, snow and darkness.
- Built and annotated a large training dataset incl. difficult conditions.
- Trained a YOLO-based object detection model; carried out systematic error analysis and improved data quality and preprocessing.
- Coordinated with stakeholders through regular status updates.
Technologies: Python, Machine Learning, TensorFlow, PyTorch, YOLO, OpenCV
Discover over 15,000 top freelancers
iSAQB Certified Professional for Software Architecture – Foundation Level (CPSA-F) statistics
Aggregated from the professional profiles of matched freelancers.
Experience
19 years

Position duration
2.1 years

Positions per freelancer
14

Top business areas
Information Technology, Product Development, Quality Assurance

Top industries
Information Technology, Automotive, Banking and Finance

Certification focus areas
Information Technology, Product Development, Project Management
Bachelor's degree or higher
94%
Master's degree or higher
66%
Doctorate
5%

Certifications per freelancer
7

Most common languages
German, English, French

Speak two or more languages
95%
Based on our profile pool as of 15 Nov 2026.
Daily rate distribution
The chart shows how the daily rates of experts holding this certification in Germany are distributed, based on recent contracts on our platform. Each bar covers a rate range — its height shows the share of experts charging within that range.
Discover detailed iSAQB Certified Professional for Software Architecture – Foundation Level (CPSA-F) rate benchmarks:
Explore rate insightsAverage rates for iSAQB Certified Professional for Software Architecture – Foundation Level (CPSA-F) in Germany
Rates are based on recent contracts and do not include FRATCH margin.
The average daily rate is the mean of all daily rates from recent contracts of comparable freelancers on our platform.
The median daily rate is the middle value of all daily rates — half of comparable freelancers charge less, half charge more. Unlike the average, it is barely affected by outliers.
Calculated based on our freelancers’ daily rates as of 15 Nov 2026. Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.
iSAQB Certified Professional for Software Architecture – Foundation Level (CPSA-F) experts industry focus
See which industries our matched freelancers work in most often — every figure is calculated live from the freelancers on FRATCH.
- Information Technology (98%)
- Automotive (53%)
- Banking and Finance (48%)
- Manufacturing (42%)
- Professional Services (38%)
- Retail (33%)
- Healthcare (29%)
- Government and Administration (28%)
Please note that freelancers can work across multiple industries, so percentages overlap.
About the certification
What CPSA-F means
The iSAQB Certified Professional for Software Architecture – Foundation Level, usually called CPSA-F or iSAQB Foundation Level, is the entry certification for software architecture in the iSAQB track. It shows that a professional can think beyond isolated code and look at the system as a whole.
What it validates
The certification is relevant when a freelancer needs to support architecture work without pretending to be the sole owner of the architecture. It confirms a solid foundation in analysis, communication, and structured decision-making.
- Understands core software architecture concepts
- Can describe and compare architectural options
- Can work with quality goals and constraints
- Can document decisions in a clear, usable way
- Can discuss architecture with technical and non-technical stakeholders
Knowledge behind it
CPSA-F covers the everyday knowledge needed to support architecture work in real projects. That includes decomposition of systems, interfaces, quality attributes, technical risks, and the effects of design choices on maintainability and evolution.
- System structure and modularization
- Architectural styles and patterns
- Communication and documentation of architecture
- Quality goals such as performance, security, and modifiability
- Decision-making under business and technical constraints
Typical holder profile
People with this certification are often developers, senior engineers, tech leads, or aspiring software architects. In Germany, it is especially useful in teams that need clear structure across distributed systems, legacy modernization, or complex product development.
For companies, CPSA-F is a good signal that a freelancer can step into architecture discussions quickly, speak the same language as engineering teams, and contribute without long ramp-up time.
Where it fits best
The certification matters most in projects where software design choices have long-term impact and many people depend on them.
- Greenfield systems that need a clean architectural base
- Modernization of legacy applications
- Microservice and platform design
- Enterprise software with many integrations
- Projects that need clear trade-offs between quality goals
What it tells a company
A freelancer with the iSAQB CPSA-F has a shared vocabulary for architecture work and a disciplined way of thinking about systems. The certification does not replace deep project experience, but it helps you filter for people who can contribute to structure, decisions, and technical alignment from day one. For German teams, it is also a practical sign that the person can work well in structured review settings and collaborate clearly with local stakeholders.
Frequently asked questions
Before you brief your next project: the most common questions about iSAQB Certified Professional for Software Architecture – Foundation Level (CPSA-F).
The iSAQB Certified Professional for Software Architecture – Foundation Level (CPSA-F) proves that a person understands the basics of software architecture and can apply them in real project work. It signals more than coding skill: it covers structure, communication, and architectural reasoning. For companies, that means a freelancer can support design decisions with a consistent method.
CPSA-F is the foundation level, so it focuses on core concepts and a shared language for architecture work. Advanced iSAQB levels go deeper into specific topics and are aimed at people with broader or more specialized architecture responsibility. If you need someone to contribute to architecture discussions and support system design, CPSA-F is the right starting point.
The CPSA-F fits developers, senior engineers, tech leads, and junior or aspiring architects who want to formalize their architecture knowledge. It is also useful for freelancers who are asked to bridge development and architecture in client projects. Companies often look for it when they want someone who can think structurally without needing a long introduction.
Preparation for iSAQB Foundation Level usually combines practical project experience with structured study of architecture concepts, quality goals, and communication methods. Candidates should be comfortable discussing trade-offs, system decomposition, and documentation of decisions. A strong programming background helps, but the focus is on architecture thinking, not on a single language or framework.
The iSAQB Certified Professional for Software Architecture – Foundation Level is designed as an entry point, so it does not target only people with long architecture careers. In practice, candidates usually already have software development experience and some exposure to design work. That background makes the certification much easier to apply in real projects.
The CPSA-F is part of the iSAQB qualification path, so professionals should keep learning as methods, platforms, and architecture practices evolve. The certification itself is best understood as proof of a foundation, while current project experience shows how well that foundation is used. Companies should therefore look at both the certificate and the freelancer’s recent work.
CPSA-F matters most in projects where architecture choices affect many teams or a system will live for a long time. That includes modernization, complex enterprise software, integration-heavy landscapes, and product teams that need clearer design rules. In Germany, it is particularly useful when local stakeholders expect structured communication and careful documentation.
Yes, CPSA-F is useful in remote and hybrid setups because it emphasizes clear architecture communication and shared understanding. That matters when teams are spread across locations and need precise documentation and decisions. For German companies, it is a good sign that a freelancer can work well in structured, cross-functional collaboration.
The average hourly rate for freelancers with iSAQB Certified Professional for Software Architecture – Foundation Level (CPSA-F) in Germany is 104 €, which corresponds to a daily rate of about 832 € based on an 8-hour working day.
Of the freelancers with iSAQB Certified Professional for Software Architecture – Foundation Level (CPSA-F) in Germany, 94% hold at least a Bachelor's degree, 66% hold at least a Master's degree, and 5% hold a doctorate.
On average, freelancers with iSAQB Certified Professional for Software Architecture – Foundation Level (CPSA-F) in Germany have 19 years of professional experience, with a single engagement typically lasting around 2.1 years.
The most common languages among freelancers with iSAQB Certified Professional for Software Architecture – Foundation Level (CPSA-F) in Germany are German (100%), English (93%), and French (12%).
The most common industries among freelancers with iSAQB Certified Professional for Software Architecture – Foundation Level (CPSA-F) in Germany are Information Technology (98%), Automotive (53%), and Banking and Finance (48%).
The most common business areas among freelancers with iSAQB Certified Professional for Software Architecture – Foundation Level (CPSA-F) in Germany are Information Technology (99%), Product Development (96%), and Quality Assurance (64%).
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