Databricks Architect

Cognizant; Sacramento (CA); Remote; USD 170,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Cognizant seeks an experienced Databricks Architect to lead the design and implementation of enterprise data modernization initiatives using the Databricks Lakehouse on AWS. The role focuses on large-scale data migration, governance, and scalable ELT/ETL pipelines.

The ideal candidate has 12+ years in data engineering/architecture, 5+ years in Databricks architecture, and strong skills in Spark, Delta Lake, Unity Catalog, Python, and SQL. Insurance domain experience is a plus.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of Data Engineering/Data Architecture experience.
• 5+ years of hands-on Databricks Architecture experience.
• Strong expertise in Databricks Lakehouse, Apache Spark/PySpark, Delta Lake, Databricks Workflows, and Unity Catalog.
• Proficient in Python and SQL; AWS Cloud experience (S3, IAM, networking, security).
• Experience with data governance, security, and enterprise data models.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement enterprise-scale Databricks Lakehouse architecture.
• Lead data modernization and migration programs from legacy platforms to Databricks.
• Architect ELT/ETL pipelines using Databricks, Spark, Delta Lake, and Python.
• Define governance, security, lineage, and metadata management strategies.
• Provide architecture guidance for cloud-native solutions on AWS.
• Collaborate with business, analytics, and engineering teams to define data strategies.
• Establish best practices for data quality, monitoring, and cost optimization.
• Create architecture standards, reference architectures, and technical documentation.
• Mentor data engineers and technical leads throughout development lifecycle.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and AI/ML capabilities within Databricks ecosystem.

Skills

Databricks Lakehouse

Apache Spark

Python

SQL

AWS Cloud

Data governance

Stakeholder management

Cloud architecture

Tools

Databricks

Terraform

Snowflake

Job description

No Visa transfer/ C2C/ Sponsorship available for this role

Must have 12+ years of experience to be considered.

Job Title- Databricks Architect

Experience: 12+ Years

Remote

Job Summary

We are seeking an experienced Databricks Architect to lead the design and implementation of enterprise data modernization initiatives. The ideal candidate will have deep expertise in Databricks Lakehouse architecture, AWS cloud technologies, large-scale data migration, and modern data engineering practices. Experience in the Insurance/P&C domain is highly preferred. This role will drive architecture decisions, establish best practices, and support the modernization of legacy data platforms into a scalable Databricks ecosystem.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and implement enterprise-scale Databricks Lakehouse architecture.
• Lead data modernization and migration programs from legacy platforms to Databricks.
• Architect scalable ELT/ETL pipelines using Databricks, Spark, Delta Lake, and Python.
• Define data governance, security, lineage, and metadata management strategies using Unity Catalog.
• Design batch and real-time data processing solutions.
• Provide architecture guidance for cloud-native solutions on AWS.
• Collaborate with business, analytics, and engineering teams to define data strategies.
• Establish best practices for data quality, monitoring, performance tuning, and cost optimization.
• Create architecture standards, reference architectures, and technical documentation.
• Mentor data engineers and technical leads throughout the development lifecycle.
• Evaluate and recommend emerging technologies and AI/ML capabilities within the Databricks ecosystem. Required Skills
• 12+ years of Data Engineering/Data Architecture experience.
• 5+ years of hands-on Databricks Architecture experience.
• Strong expertise in:
• Databricks Lakehouse
• Apache Spark / PySpark
• Delta Lake
• Databricks Workflows
• Unity Catalog
• Databricks SQL
• Python
• SQL
• AWS Cloud experience (S3, IAM, networking, security, cloud architecture).
• Experience designing enterprise data models and data integration patterns.
• Strong knowledge of data governance, security, and compliance frameworks.
• Experience with large-scale cloud migration and modernization initiatives.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.

Preferred Skills

• P&C Insurance domain experience.
• Databricks Certified Professional/Associate certification.
• Experience with AI/ML and MLOps on Databricks.
• Experience with Terraform and Infrastructure as Code.
• Exposure to Snowflake and modern analytics platforms.
• Experience with real-time streaming and event-driven architectures.

Cognizant is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.