Senior Databricks Architect

Data Elephant; Toronto; Remote; CAD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Data Elephant, a fast-growing Canadian data and AI consulting firm, seeks a senior data architect to lead modern data platforms atop Databricks across cloud environments. You will design, implement, and scale data solutions for mid-sized and enterprise clients, working with executives and technical teams to drive data strategy, governance, and value realization.

Remote within Canada. This role offers high-impact projects and collaboration with a senior, high-performing team that values speed,

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in data engineering, analytics, or architecture roles.
• 3+ years hands-on experience with Databricks, including Delta Lake, Unity Catalog, MLflow.
• Proven experience leading large-scale data migrations (ETL, workloads, cloud platforms).
• Strong expertise in at least one cloud environment (AWS, Azure, or GCP). Multi-cloud experience is an asset.
• Excellent understanding of data governance, security, and compliance in enterprise environments.
• Ability to engage both executives and technical teams with equal confidence.
• Consulting experience is strongly preferred.
• Databricks architecture or engineering certification.
• Microsoft Azure certification.
• Knowledge of data governance, medallion architecture, observability, and cloud cost management.
• Consulting or professional services experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and implementation of modern data platforms and architectures on Databricks (including ETL, workload migrations, and Unity Catalog).
• Partner with client executives and technical teams to align data strategy with business priorities.
• Architect scalable, secure, and cost-efficient solutions across AWS, Azure, and GCP.
• Provide hands-on technical leadership for solution delivery, including guiding engineers and ensuring best practices.
• Define and implement governance models, including data access, lineage, and security frameworks.
• Evaluate and prioritize high-value AI and ML use cases, embedding Generative AI into client strategies.
• Act as a thought leader by contributing to client workshops, executive roundtables, and industry discussions.

Skills

Leadership

Executive communication

Multi-cloud architecture

Data governance

Consulting experience

Education

Databricks architecture/engineering certification

Microsoft Azure certification

Tools

Databricks

Unity Catalog

MLflow

Delta Lake

Job description

DataElephantisafast-growingCanadiandataandAIconsultingfirm.Wehelporganizationsdesign,modernize,andscaleclouddataplatformsusingtechnologiesincludingDatabricks,MicrosoftAzure,AWS,PowerBI,andmodernAIandanalyticssolutions.

Responsibilities

• LeadthedesignandimplementationofmoderndataplatformsandarchitecturesonDatabricks(includingETL,workloadmigrations,andUnityCatalog).
• Partnerwithclientexecutivesandtechnicalteamstoaligndatastrategywithbusinesspriorities.
• Architectscalable,secure,andcost-efficientsolutionsacrossAWS,Azure,andGCP.
• Providehands-ontechnicalleadershipforsolutiondelivery,includingguidingengineersandensuringbestpractices.
• Defineandimplementgovernancemodels,includingdataaccess,lineage,andsecurityframeworks.
• Evaluateandprioritizehigh-valueAIandMLusecases,embeddingGenerativeAIintoclientstrategies.
• Actasathoughtleaderbycontributingtoclientworkshops,executiveroundtables,andindustrydiscussions.

QUALIFICATIONS

• 8+yearsofexperienceindataengineering,analytics,orarchitectureroles.
• 3+yearsofhands-onexperiencewithDatabricks,includingadvancedfeatures(DeltaLake,UnityCatalog,MLflow).
• Provenexperienceleadinglarge-scaledatamigrations(ETL,workloads,cloudplatforms).
• Strongexpertiseinatleastonecloudenvironment(AWS,Azure,orGCP).Multi-cloudexperienceisanasset.
• Excellentunderstandingofdatagovernance,security,andcomplianceinenterpriseenvironments.
• Abilitytoengagebothexecutivesandtechnicalteamswithequalconfidence.
• Consultingexperienceisstronglypreferred.
• Databricksarchitectureorengineeringcertification.
• RelevantMicrosoftAzurecertification.
• Knowledgeofdatagovernance,medallionarchitecture,observability,andcloudcostmanagement.
• Consultingorprofessionalservicesexperience.

BepartofCanada’sleadingboutiqueconsultingfirmfocusedonDatabricksandmoderndataplatforms.Workonchallenging,high-impactprojectswithmid-sizedandenterpriseclientsacrossindustries,andcollaboratewithasenior,high-performingteamthatvaluesspeed,pragmatism,andclientsuccess.

Location

Remote within Canada - only candidates based in Canada will be considered for this role.