Director, Databricks Platform Architect - Unity Catalog Enablement

Infinitive Inc; United States; On-site; USD 170,000 - 215,000; Full time

Job summary

Infinitive Inc. is seeking an accomplished Data Platform Architect to define a unified, scalable, and governed Databricks-based data platform for enterprise-wide data access and analytics.

You will shape standards and promote adoption across business domains, balancing cost, performance, and compliance. The role emphasizes Unity Catalog governance, metadata management, and secure API design, with collaboration across engineering, risk, and data science teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field.
• “8+ years in data architecture or platform engineering for enterprise-scale distributed data environments.”
• “Deep hands-on knowledge of Databricks, Delta Lake, Spark, and Lakehouse principles.”
• “Demonstrated success architecting and operationalizing Unity Catalog for governance and access control.”
• “Proficiency in Python (PySpark) and SQL; cloud data platforms (AWS/Azure/GCP).”
• “Strong API design (REST/GraphQL/OpenAPI) and security/observability.”
• “Knowledge of data governance regulatory frameworks and data quality.”
• “Excellent communication and influence across exec/technical/risk audiences.”

Responsibilities

• Define end-to-end architecture for the Databricks-based data platform with scalability and cost efficiency.
• Design a self-service data access layer leveraging Unity Catalog for discovery, access, and observability.
• Establish reference patterns to drive enterprise-wide reuse and standardization.
• Lead Unity Catalog governance including catalog hierarchies and access controls across environments.
• Implement metadata management, RBAC/ABAC, and data masking for regulatory compliance.
• Create a scalable shared service architecture across lines of business.
• Engineer observability and FinOps practices for visibility into compute, storage, and catalog operations.
• Develop dashboards and alerts to ensure scalable performance under enterprise workloads.
• Architect RESTful/GraphQL APIs for secure data access and integration patterns.
• Guide Lakehouse-aligned data models and ETL/ELT designs with Unity Catalog integration.
• Partner with engineering, data science, and risk to align platform design with business goals.
• Mentor teams on Databricks, Unity Catalog, and cost/scale best practices.

Skills

Databricks expertise

Distributed data architecture

Cloud data governance

Communication

Leadership & mentorship

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in CS/Engineering

Tools

Databricks

Delta Lake

Apache Spark

Unity Catalog

Terraform/IaC

Kafka

MLflow

Job description

About Infinitive

Infinitive is a data & AI consultancy that enables global brands to deliver results through insights, innovation, and efficiency. We possess deep industry and technology expertise to drive and sustain adoption of new capabilities. We match our people and personalities to our clients' culture while bringing the right mix of talent and skills to enable high return on investment.

Infinitive has been named “Best Small Firms to Work For” by Consulting Magazine eight times, and has also been named a Washington Post Top Workplace, Washington Business Journal Best Places to Work, and Virginia Business Best Places to Work.

Role Overview

This architect will define and shape a unified platform service that enables scalable, governed, and cost-efficient data access across the bank. The ideal candidate will influence enterprise design standards and technical adoption by making Databricks Unity Catalog the effortless, observable, and default foundation for data integration, governance, and analytics across all business domains.

Key Responsibilities

Platform Vision & Architecture

• Define and champion the end-to-end architecture for the bank’s Databricks-based data platform, ensuring scalability, security, cost efficiency, and ease of adoption.


• Design a self-service platform layer that leverages Databricks Unity Catalog to deliver seamless data discovery, access, and observability across all environments.


• Establish architectural patterns and reference implementations that encourage enterprise-wide reuse and standardization.

Unity Catalog Strategy & Enablement

• Lead the design and implementation of Databricks Unity Catalog as the central governance plane—defining catalog hierarchies, fine-grained access controls, and cross-environment lineage.


• Evaluate and implement metadata, RBAC/ABAC, and data masking capabilities to meet regulatory and compliance requirements (e.g., GLBA, GDPR, HIPAA).


• Define the template architecture that allows Unity Catalog to operate as a scalable and cost-effective shared service across lines of business.

Scalability, Cost, and Observability

• Engineer platform capabilities that provide deep visibility into compute, storage, and catalog operations through integrated observability, monitoring, and FinOps practices.


• Develop resource optimization strategies to balance performance and cost while maintaining compliance and SLAs.


• Establish metrics, dashboards, and alerts to ensure the platform scales predictably under enterprise workloads.

API and Integration Design

• Architect streamlined RESTful/GraphQL APIs for secure, governed data access and metadata integration.


• Ensure interoperability with enterprise systems, APIs, and external data consumers using modern, consistent, and documented integration patterns.

Data Modeling & Pipeline Strategy

• Guide teams in building Lakehouse-aligned data models that maximize reuse and governance.


• Oversee design of ETL/ELT architectures (Spark, PySpark, SQL) that integrate seamlessly with Unity Catalog for lineage and access tracking.

Collaboration & Influence

• Partner with engineering, data science, and risk teams to align platform design with business outcomes and regulatory expectations.


• Influence architecture steering committees and platform engineering groups to adopt the Databricks foundation as a managed, enterprise-wide service.


• Promote a culture of easy adoption through clear design patterns, documentation, and working sessions.

Technical Leadership & Mentorship

• Mentor engineers and architects on Databricks, Unity Catalog, and best practices for cost, scale, and observability.


• Contribute to internal architecture communities and upskill teams across multiple domains.

Required Skills & Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field.


• Experience: 8+ years in data architecture or platform engineering, including experience designing enterprise-scale, distributed data environments.


• Databricks Expertise: Deep hands-on knowledge of Databricks, Delta Lake, Apache Spark, and Lakehouse principles.


• Unity Catalog Mastery: Demonstrated success architecting and operationalizing Databricks Unity Catalog for enterprise governance, metadata management, and access control.


• Programming & Data: Advanced proficiency in Python (PySpark) and SQL; experience with cloud data platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP).


• API Engineering: Strong background in API architecture (REST, GraphQL, OpenAPI) and applying best-in-class security and observability.


• Governance Knowledge: Expert-level understanding of data governance frameworks, data quality management, and regulatory compliance.


• Soft Skills: Outstanding communication and influence skills, with ability to advocate for design principles across executive, technical, and risk audiences.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience deploying Databricks and cloud infrastructure using Terraform or IaC frameworks.


• Familiarity with MLflow and model governance integration.


• Relevant certifications (Databricks Certified Data Engineer, AWS/Azure/GCP Architect).


• Experience with real-time data streaming technologies (Kafka, Structured Streaming).

Infinitive is required by law in some jurisdictions to include a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role. The determination of this range includes various factors not limited to skill set, level, experience, relevant training, and licensure and certifications. Compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range for this role in the U.S. is $170,000.00 - $215,000.00.

Infinitive is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.