Principal Data Architect

Role Overview

• Report to our Engineering Manager
• Define and own the long-term data architecture strategy for Unqork's core platform, covering data modeling, query design, storage topology, and access patterns across a complex data environment that includes MongoDB as well as integration with Relational and Columnar database models
• Ensure the data layer meets the security, performance, scalability, and resilience requirements of enterprise-grade, mission-critical applications.
• Evaluate and recommend the right database technologies, indexing strategies, caching layers, ETL and search infrastructure for each class of workload — including when to use MongoDB Atlas Search, Caching (e.g., Redis), Querying (e.g., Kafka) and Streaming components
• Own the end-to-end solutions around data transfers using solutions like ETL for customers.
• Own the data architecture for Unqork's AI-driven development layer — defining persistence, versioning, and query standards for AI-generated configurations.
• Lead the design of declarative data models and schemas that enable non-technical users to build complex logic while maintaining strict data integrity.
• Define the architectural boundary between database-layer computation (aggregation pipelines, indexing) and application-layer computation (Node.js post-processing, in-memory caching), and establish standards for which work belongs where.
• Create and maintain comprehensive documentation including data architecture blueprints, indexing governance policies, query standards, and migration playbooks.
• Own capacity planning and cost modeling for data infrastructure resources as Unqork scales.
• Mentor and grow a team of data engineers and database engineers responsible for the health and performance of Unqork's data platform.
• Establish data modeling best practices and enforce standardization across all environments — including schema conventions, index lifecycle management, and pagination contract design.
• Oversee the design and operation of Unqork's database infrastructure — defining thresholds, coverage policies, write amplification limits, and manual override processes.
• Drive data operational excellence by implementing and refining query performance monitoring, slow query alerting, explain plan review processes, and incident response playbooks for database degradation events.
• Define and enforce data access governance — including RBAC data model standards, cache TTL policies, and the rules under which eventual consistency is acceptable vs. when strong consistency is required.
• Comply with security regulations while working on data designs and patterns for Unqork platform.
• Partner with Product to translate product requirements into data model decisions, and identify where relaxing a product constraint unlocks a disproportionate architectural improvement.

Requirements

• 10+ years of progressive experience in data architecture, database engineering, or a related field, with at least 3 years in a principal or architect-level role.
• Extensive experience designing and managing enterprise-grade, multi-tenant data infrastructure for SaaS platforms.
• Expert-level proficiency with MongoDB — including aggregation pipeline design, index strategy (B-tree, text, vector), replica sets, sharding, and query execution plan analysis (IXSCAN vs. COLLSCAN).
• Deep, hands-on expertise with our core data technology stack:
• MongoDB / MongoDB Atlas (aggregation pipelines, Atlas Search, Atlas Vector Search, sharding)
• Relational/SQL Databases (Operational and Business Intelligence schema and query partners)
• Redis (caching strategy, TTL design, cache invalidation, pub/sub)
• Node.js (application/database boundary, worker threads, event loop awareness)
• RBAC and access control data patterns (denormalization, write-time materialization, owner list caching)
• AI/ML data infrastructure (semantic search, LLM-friendly schema design, columnar database design)
• Proven ability to write architectural decision records that hold up over time — capturing not just the recommendation but the alternatives considered and the conditions under which the decision should be revisited.
• Proven ability to lead technical teams, manage complex data migration projects, and influence cross-functional stakeholders including Product and Engineering leadership.
• Strong understanding of data security principles, multi-tenant isolation patterns, and enterprise compliance requirements (SOC 2, ISO 27001).

Tech Stack

• ETL
• JavaScript
• Kafka
• MongoDB
• Node.js
• Redis
• SQL

Benefits

• 💻 Work from home with a remote-first community
• 🏝 Unlimited PTO (and the encouragement to use it)
• 📝 Student loan payback program
• 🏥 100% employer-covered medical, dental, and vision options available to you and your dependents
• 💸 Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• 🏠 Monthly stipend toward your WFH setup, vacation, development and more
• 💰 Employer-sponsored 401(k) with contribution match
• 🏋🏻‍♀️ Subsidized ClassPass Membership
• 🍼 Generous Paid Parental Leave