Senior Data Architect - Databricks

ZipRecruiter; London; Remote; GBP 60,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player in financial consultancy is seeking a skilled Data Architect specializing in Databricks. This role is pivotal in shaping a high-performing data platform that meets regulatory standards and drives innovation. You'll work in a dynamic environment, collaborating with top-tier professionals and leading the design of cutting-edge data solutions. If you're passionate about data architecture and eager to make an impact in a greenfield project, this is the perfect opportunity to elevate your career in a forward-thinking company.

Benefits

Flexible working hours

Professional development opportunities

Collaborative team environment

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a Data Architect in enterprise environments.
• Extensive hands-on experience with Databricks, SQL, and PySpark.

Responsibilities

• Lead the architecture and design of a next-gen data platform using Databricks.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to define data requirements and architecture patterns.

Skills

Databricks

SQL

PySpark

Data Warehousing

Data Lakes

Azure Cloud Services

Data Governance

Agile Methodologies

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Azure Data Lake

Synapse

Power BI

CI/CD Pipelines

Terraform

Unity Catalog

Job description

Job DescriptionJob Title: Data Architect – Databricks Specialist
Location: Remote (UK-based candidates )
Engagement: Contract - Status determination TBC
Start Date: ASAP
Sector: Financial Services / Consultancy

About the Role We’re looking for an experienced Data Architect with deep expertise in Databricks to join a high-profile data transformation programme within a leading financial consultancy. You will be instrumental in the design and delivery of a scalable, secure, and high-performing data platform leveraging the Databricks Lakehouse architecture.
This is a critical project where you’ll step into a mature environment, helping to define architectural direction and ensure best practices in data engineering, governance, and performance optimisation.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the architecture and design of a next-gen data platform using Databricks and Delta Lake
• Collaborate with stakeholders including data engineers, analysts, and business leads to define data requirements and architecture patterns
• Ensure the platform is scalable, secure, and aligned to financial regulatory standards
• Develop architectural artefacts (diagrams, documentation, guidelines)
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to engineering teams
• Champion best practices in data quality, lineage, governance, and performance tuning
• Integrate with a wider Azure ecosystem (e.g. Azure Data Lake, Synapse, Power BI)

Required Skills & Experience

• Proven experience as a Data Architect in enterprise environments
• Extensive hands-on experience with Databricks (including SQL, PySpark, Delta Lake)
• Solid background in data warehousing, data lakes, and big data frameworks
• Strong knowledge of Azure cloud services, especially in data integration
• Experience working in regulated environments (e.g. financial services, insurance, banking)
• Excellent communication skills, capable of engaging with technical and non-technical stakeholders alike
• Comfortable working in agile, fast-paced delivery environments

Nice to Have

• Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines, Infrastructure as Code (e.g. Terraform, ARM)
• Exposure to data governance tools like Unity Catalog, Purview, Collibra
• Knowledge of data privacy regulations (GDPR, financial compliance)

Why Join?

• Join a respected financial consultancy at the forefront of data innovation
• Work on a greenfield Databricks implementation with high visibility
• Collaborate with top-tier engineering and architecture professionals
• Long-term potential with future project opportunities