Databricks Lakehouse Architect - Remote Data Modernization

Cognizant; Santa Fe (NM); Remote; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Cognizant is seeking an experienced Databricks Architect to lead the design and implementation of enterprise data modernization initiatives. You will architect Databricks Lakehouse solutions, guide migration from legacy platforms, and establish governance and security practices on AWS.

The role requires 12+ years in data engineering/architecture, hands-on Databricks experience, and strong collaboration with business and engineering teams to drive scalable data strategies.

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, 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.

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.

Skills

Data Engineering

Data Architecture

Stakeholder Management

Cloud Architecture

Python

SQL

Tools

Databricks Lakehouse

Apache Spark/PySpark

Delta Lake

Databricks Workflows

Unity Catalog

Databricks SQL

AWS S3

IAM

Job description

Cognizant is seeking an experienced Databricks Architect to lead the design and implementation of enterprise data modernization initiatives. You will architect Databricks Lakehouse solutions, guide migration from legacy platforms, and establish governance and security practices on AWS.

The role requires 12+ years in data engineering/architecture, hands-on Databricks experience, and strong collaboration with business and engineering teams to drive scalable data strategies.