Data Architect - Contract

HRM Search Partners; Dublin; On-site; EUR 129,000 - 185,000; Full time

Job summary

HRM Search Partners is seeking a senior Data Architect contractor for a Dublin-based financial services client. You will own core data architecture, canonical models, and governance across multiple engineering squads, with a focus on Snowflake, Python, and AWS.

The role demands leadership of multi‑team initiatives, hands‑on PoCs, and development of data contracts while ensuring regulatory compliance and scalable data delivery.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of hands-on data engineering and architecture experience.
• Deep expertise in Python and AWS cloud ecosystems.
• Proven experience as Staff Data Architect/Enterprise Architect leading multi‑team initiatives.
• Hands-on knowledge of modern lakehouse tech: Iceberg, Parquet, Glue, EMR, PySpark, Athena, Redshift/Databricks.

Responsibilities

• Define and own canonical entity models, identity resolution, time-travel data designs, and semantic layers.
• Architect scalable Snowflake data warehouses and data-sharing mechanisms.
• Draft RFCs and ADRs to guide multi-quarter roadmaps and debt remediation.
• Drive cross-team alignment among Engineering, Product, and Data Science leaders.
• Implement governance controls for regulated financial data (PII masking, lineage, auditability).
• Deliver PoCs, reference data models, and clean data contracts for engineering teams.
• Provide expert design reviews to Senior Engineers across streams.

Skills

Snowflake Mastery

Python

AWS

Data Architecture

Staff Leadership

Lakehouse

Can-Design Approach

Tools

Iceberg

Parquet

AWS Glue

EMR

PySpark

Athena

Redshift

Databricks

Job description

HRM Search Partners is currently inviting applications from expert Daily Rate Contractors for a Data Architect position with a rapidly scaling Dublin-based Financial Services organisation.

Our client is expanding its Data Cloud capabilities to support high-volume transaction processing, enterprise governance, and complex financial data domain models. As a senior contractor, you will take hands‑on ownership of the core data architecture, shaping canonical entity models, identity resolution layers, modern lakehouse environments, and governance frameworks across multiple core engineering teams.

Scope of Work & Deliverables

• Core Technical Domain Ownership: Define and implement the architectural standards for canonical entity modeling, identity resolution, temporal data design ("time-travel"), semantic layers, and cross-platform data delivery.
• Snowflake Architecture & Optimization: Serve as the subject matter expert on Snowflake, designing robust, scalable, and cost‑efficient data warehouse architectures and data‑sharing mechanisms.
• Architecture Strategy & RFCs: Author crucial RFCs and Architectural Decision Records (ADRs) to shape multi‑quarter technical roadmaps and prioritize technical debt remediation.
• Cross-Team Technical Alignment: Drive technical consensus across Engineering, Product, and Data Science leadership on critical platform‑level decisions.
• Financial Governance & Compliance: Architect robust governance controls suited for regulated financial data, including PII tokenization, dynamic masking, lineage tracking, and auditability (supporting KYC, UBO, and risk requirements).
• Engineering Standards & Reference Design: Deliver hands‑on proofs‑of‑concept (PoCs), foundational data models, and clean data contract/API definitions for engineering teams to build upon.
• Technical Guidance: Provide expert design reviews and guidance to Senior Engineers across project delivery streams.

Key Requirements:

• Snowflake Mastery: Extensive commercial experience designing, building, and optimizing enterprise data environments on Snowflake.
• Proven Track Record: 8+ years of hands‑on data engineering and architecture experience with deep expertise in Python and AWS cloud ecosystems.
• Contractor/Staff‑Level Leadership: Proven experience operating effectively as a Staff Data Architect, Principal Contractor, or Enterprise Architect leading multi‑team technical initiatives.
• Modern Lakehouse Tech Stack: Hands‑on knowledge of Apache Iceberg, Parquet, AWS Glue, EMR, PySpark, Athena, and Redshift (or Databricks).

Ready to take on a high‑impact Staff Data Architect role in Dublin? If you're a seasoned architect with deep Snowflake, Python, and AWS experience looking for a senior IC role in a high‑growth financial services business, we'd love to speak with you.