Senior Data Platform Architect
Zurich, Switzerland (hybrid)
Permanent Role
Are you an experienced Data Architect looking for an opportunity to shape a modern enterprise data landscape within a highly complex and technically advanced environment?
We are supporting a Zurich based organization that is investing significantly in the modernisation of its data architecture and platforms.
As a Senior Data Platform Architect, you will play a key role in defining how data is modelled, integrated, governed and made available across the organisation – while helping establish the foundations for future analytics, AI and data-driven solutions.
This is a senior architecture position combining strategic influence with genuine technical depth, with the opportunity to help shape a modern, event-driven data ecosystem.
Your Role
You will take significant responsibility for the future direction of the organisation's data architecture, including:
- Designing and evolving conceptual, logical and physical data architectures
- Developing consistent data modelsacross multiple business and technology domains
- Modernising integration architecture and helping transition from traditional point-to-point interfaces towards event-driven and decentralised architectures
- Designing data platform and persistence strategies covering relational, document/JSON, graph and vector databases
- Contributing to modern Data Warehouse, Data Lake and Lakehouse architectures
- Establishing and improving Data Governance, including metadata management, data quality, classification, ownership and approval processes
- Designing modern data pipelines and integration solutions using technologies and approaches such as ETL/ELT, Kafka, CDC and Apache NiFi
- Creating the architectural foundations required for Business Intelligence, advanced analytics, AI and Machine Learning
- Advising technical teams, application owners and business stakeholders on modern data and integration solutions
- Producing clear architecture documentation and representing Data Architecture in technical and strategic discussions
- Contributing to technology evaluations and the selection of future data solutions and platforms
Your Background
We are looking for someone who brings:
- Several years of experience in a Senior Data Architect, Data Platform Architect, Solution Architect or comparable architecture role
- A degree in Computer Science, Business Informatics or a comparable technical discipline
- Strong experience in information architecture and data modelling
- Solid relational database expertise, ideally including Oracle, SQL, DDL and PL/SQL
- Experience with additional persistence technologies such as document/JSON, graph and/or vector databases
- Knowledge of modern Data Warehouse / Data Lake / Lakehouse architectures, ideally involving technologies such as Spark, Databricks or similar
- Practical understanding of ETL/ELT and data pipeline engineering, with technologies such as Apache NiFi and/or Informatica
- Experience with Kafka and event-driven integration patterns, including areas such as CDC and Schema Registry
- Good knowledge of Data Governance, metadata management, data catalogues, classification and data quality
- An interest in – and ideally some practical exposure to – AI / Generative AI within modern data environments
- Strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively with both technical specialists and senior stakeholders
Fluent German and English are required.
Why Join?
This is an opportunity to work within an environment where technology plays a fundamental role in supporting innovation and long-term development.
You can expect:
- A senior role with real architectural influence and ownership
- The opportunity to help shape a major modernisation of the organisation's data landscape
- Exposure to event-driven architecture, modern data platforms and integration technologies
- The opportunity to contribute to the foundations for future AI and advanced analytics
- An international and intellectually stimulating working environment
- Genuine scope to introduce ideas and influence technical direction
- Excellent opportunities for continuous learning and professional development
- A stable, long-term environment with attractive Swiss employment conditions and benefits