Databricks Data Architect

Synectics for Management Decisions Inc; Reston (VA); Hybrid; USD 202,000 - 219,000; Full time

Job summary

Synectics for Management Decisions Inc seeks an experienced Databricks Data Architect to lead design, development, and implementation of enterprise data architectures on the Databricks Lakehouse Platform. You will define standards, reference architectures, and roadmaps, delivering scalable, secure data solutions across cloud environments.

The role requires 10+ years in data architecture, strong expertise in Delta Lake, Unity Catalog, Spark/PySpark, and a track record of guiding technical

Qualifications

• 10+ years of data architecture experience.
• Experience with Databricks Lakehouse Platform and Delta Lake.
• Experience in data modeling, data governance, and data security.
• Strong SQL, Python, and data processing skills.
• Ability to translate business requirements into enterprise data solutions.
• Proven leadership and collaboration with stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and implementation of enterprise data architectures on the Databricks Lakehouse Platform.
• Develop scalable, secure data architecture solutions supporting analytics and reporting.
• Define data architecture standards, principles, and roadmaps.
• Architect and implement lakehouse solutions using Delta Lake, Delta Live Tables, and Unity Catalog.
• Design and oversee data integration, ingestion, transformation, and processing (ETL/ELT).
• Establish data modeling strategies across conceptual, logical, and physical models.
• Design and optimize batch and streaming data pipelines for large-scale processing.
• Provide architectural guidance for cloud platforms (AWS/Azure/Google Cloud).
• Establish data governance, metadata management, data lineage, and security frameworks.
• Mentor data engineers and developers; lead architectural reviews and discussions.
• Evaluate emerging data technologies for scalability and cost efficiency.

Skills

Databricks

Cloud data architecture

Data modeling

ETL/ELT design

SQL

Python

Data governance

Data security

Stakeholder collaboration

Technical leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/IT/Data Engineering

Master's degree preferred

Tools

Delta Lake

Unity Catalog

Delta Live Tables

Spark / PySpark

AWS/Azure/GCP

Job description

We are seeking an experienced Databricks Data Architect to lead the design, development, and implementation of enterprise data architecture solutions leveraging the Databricks Data Intelligence Platform. The ideal candidate will have 10+ years of data architecture experience and a strong background in designing scalable, secure, and high-performing cloud-based data platforms.

The Databricks Data Architect will provide technical leadership in developing modern data architectures, including lakehouse solutions, data integration frameworks, data pipelines, and enterprise data management strategies. This individual will work closely with business stakeholders, data engineers, cloud architects, and technical teams to translate complex business requirements into scalable data solutions that support organizational objectives.

The successful candidate will bring deep expertise in Databricks, cloud data platforms, data modeling, data governance, and enterprise data architecture, with the ability to guide technical decisions and drive data modernization initiatives.This is a hybrid position and the person will need to onsite as needed based on client and business requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design and implementation of enterprise data architectures leveraging the Databricks Lakehouse Platform.

• Develop scalable, secure, and high-performing data architecture solutions supporting enterprise analytics, reporting, and advanced data initiatives.

• Define data architecture standards, principles, reference architectures, and technical roadmaps.

• Architect and implement modern data lakehouse solutions using Delta Lake, Delta Live Tables, Unity Catalog, and other Databricks capabilities.

• Design and oversee complex data integration, ingestion, transformation, and processing solutions using ETL/ELT frameworks.

• Establish enterprise data modeling strategies, including conceptual, logical, and physical data models.

• Design and optimize batch and streaming data pipelines to support large-scale data processing.

• Provide architectural guidance for cloud-based data platforms, including AWS, Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud.

• Establish data governance, data quality, metadata management, data lineage, and security frameworks.

• Implement data security and access control strategies, including role-based access controls and data protection standards.

• Collaborate with data engineers, data scientists, business analysts, and stakeholders to ensure architecture solutions align with business and technical requirements.

• Evaluate emerging data technologies and recommend solutions that improve scalability, performance, reliability, and cost efficiency.

• Lead technical reviews, architecture assessments, and design discussions to ensure compliance with enterprise standards and best practices.

• Identify opportunities to modernize legacy data environments and migrate existing data platforms to Databricks.

• Provide technical mentorship and guidance to data engineering and development teams.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of 10+ years of experience in data architecture, enterprise data management, or data engineering.

• Extensive hands‑on experience designing and implementing enterprise data architectures using Databricks.

• Strong expertise with the Databricks Lakehouse Platform, including Delta Lake, Unity Catalog, and Delta Live Tables.

• Demonstrated experience designing and implementing scalable data pipelines and ETL/ELT processes.

• Strong knowledge of cloud‑based data platforms, preferably AWS or Microsoft Azure.

• Experience with SQL, Python, and data processing frameworks such as Apache Spark and PySpark.

• Extensive experience with enterprise data modeling, data warehousing, data lakes, and lakehouse architectures.

• Experience developing data governance frameworks, metadata management, data lineage, and data quality strategies.

• Strong understanding of data security, access controls, encryption, and enterprise data protection practices.

• Experience with data integration tools, APIs, and structured and unstructured data sources.

• Ability to translate complex business and technical requirements into enterprise data architecture solutions.

• Strong analytical, problem‑solving, communication, and technical leadership skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Databricks Certified Data Engineer Professional or Databricks Certified Data Engineer Associate.

• Databricks Certified Data Engineer Professional or Databricks Certified Data Architect certification.

• Experience supporting federal government agencies or large enterprise environments.

• Experience with AWS services such as S3, Glue, Redshift, Lambda, and IAM, or equivalent Azure services.

• Familiarity with data governance platforms such as Collibra.

• Experience with Power BI, Tableau, or other enterprise business intelligence platforms.

• Experience with machine learning, artificial intelligence, and generative AI data architecture.

• Experience leading cloud migration and enterprise data modernization initiatives.

• Familiarity with Agile development methodologies and DevSecOps practices.

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Data Engineering, Information Systems, or a related discipline. A Master's degree is preferred.

Equivalent education and relevant professional experience may be considered.

Core Competencies

• Enterprise Data Architecture

• Databricks Lakehouse Platform

• Cloud Data Architecture

• Data Engineering and Integration

• Data Modeling and Warehousing

• Apache Spark and PySpark

• Data Governance and Data Quality

• Data Security and Compliance

• Technical Leadership and Architecture Strategy

• Cloud Modernization and Migration

Additional Requirements

Must be able to pass a federal background investigation prior to starting work and maintain eligibility throughout the engagement.

Salary range for this position is $202,000.00 - $219,000.00

Work Authorization: The Company is not currently sponsoring new H-1B visa petitions. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without requiring new employer-sponsored H-1B visa sponsorship at this time.

Synectics is an Equal Opportunity Employer.