Data Architect

Venquis; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 350,000 - 650,000; Full time

Job summary

Venquis in the UAE is seeking a Lead Data Lakehouse Architect to guide end-to-end AWS S3 Lakehouse implementation, setting standards, governance and performance across the data platform. You will lead Data Factory squads, define Iceberg table standards, medallion architecture, data modeling and metadata lineage using OpenMetadata, collaborating with multiple squads to meet migration targets.

Strong communication and stakeholder management required; 10+ years in data architecture and 3+ years in

Qualifications

• Proven experience in Lakehouse architecture with S3, Iceberg, Glue, Spark.
• Strong understanding of Medallion architecture and data modeling principles.
• Hands-on experience with schema evolution, partitioning strategies, and Iceberg table optimization.
• Ability to lead architectural forums and influence decision-making.
• Experience in defining metadata management, lineage, and data quality frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Architectural Leadership: Design and enforce Lakehouse standards and governance.
• Iceberg Standards: Define partitioning, schema evolution, time travel and retention.
• Data Modeling & Standards: Establish dimensional modeling, SCD2 and metadata conventions.
• Collaboration & Governance: Coordinate with platform teams and data quality leads.
• Technical Leadership: Guide Glue Data Engineers and create reusable design patterns.

Skills

Lakehouse architecture

Medallion architecture

Data modeling

Data governance

OpenMetadata lineage

AWS data services

Code review & patterns

Stakeholder management

Tools

AWS S3

Apache Iceberg

Apache Spark

AWS Glue

AWS Athena

AWS EMR

OpenMetadata

Job description

Role: Data Architect

Location: Dubai-Abu Dhabi, Employment Type: Full-time

Overview

We are seeking a highly experienced Lead Data Lakehouse Architect to provide end-to-end architectural leadership for the implementation of an AWS S3 Lakehouse. This role will be pivotal in defining and enforcing data architecture standards, ensuring scalability, performance, and governance across the data ecosystem.

Key Responsibilities

• Architectural Leadership
  • Design and enforce Medallion Architecture for the Lakehouse.
  • Drive architectural decision-making through SAF/ARB architecture forums.
  • Lead design for all Data Factory squads working on data initiatives.
• Iceberg Table Standards
  • Define standards for Apache Iceberg tables, including:
  • • Partitioning strategy
    • Schema evolution
    • Time travel and snapshot retention
    • Table optimization schedules
• Data Modeling & Standards
  • Establish data modeling standards (e.g., dimensional modeling for Gold layer, SCD2, naming conventions, metadata management).
  • Define lineage standards leveraging OpenMetadata.
• Collaboration & Governance
  • Coordinate with platform teams on Iceberg-related activities.
  • Collaborate with Data Quality leads to implement validation rules.
  • Proactively manage escalations and communicate progress with senior stakeholders.
• Technical Leadership
  • Provide guidance to Glue Data Engineers.
  • Establish code review processes and best practices.
  • Create reusable design patterns and templates for consistency.

Required Skills & Experience

• Technical Expertise
  • Proven experience in Lakehouse architecture (S3, Iceberg, Glue, Spark).
  • Strong understanding of Medallion architecture and data modeling principles.
  • Hands-on experience with schema evolution, partitioning strategies, and table optimization in Iceberg.
• Leadership & Governance
  • Ability to lead architectural forums and influence decision-making.
  • Experience in defining metadata management, lineage, and data quality frameworks.
• Tools & Technologies
  • AWS services (S3, Glue, Athena, EMR)
  • Apache Iceberg, Spark
  • OpenMetadata or similar lineage tools
  • Able to automate their work / repetive tasks.
• Soft Skills
  • Strong communication and stakeholder management.
  • Ability to work collaboratively across multiple squads and teams.
  • Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and deliver aggressive migration targets.
  • Strong collaboration and communication skills.
  • Work with Jira and agile way of working.

Preferred Qualifications

• 10+ years in data architecture roles, with at least 3 years in Lakehouse implementations.
• Experience in financial services or banking domain is a plus.