Sr Data Architect

Senior Data Architect

Data Architecture & Enterprise Solutions

Duration: 12+Months

Dallas-Fort Worth, TX - Hybrid (Mandatory Thursday Onsite) -

This position requires a hybrid work arrangement with mandatory onsite presence every Thursday for team collaboration and stakeholder meetings. Candidates MUST be located in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. No relocation assistance available.

Role Type - Full-time Contract Position

Job Description - We're seeking a hands-on Senior Data Architect who can roll up their sleeves and deliver technical solutions not just provide high-level strategy. This is NOT a leadership or management role; it's an expert technical position requiring deep, practical experience in data modeling, architecture design, and implementation.

CRITICAL REQUIREMENT: You must be able to discuss your hands-on technical work in detail during interviews. Candidates who provide only high-level answers or cannot articulate specific technical decisions they've made will not be considered. Your resume should reflect actual implementation work, not just oversight or governance roles.

• In this role, you'll design and manage data architectural solutions across multiple environments including Data Warehouse, ODS, Data Replication, and ETL initiatives. You'll work directly with Business teams, DBAs, ETL developers, and Data Management teams to solve complex data challenges. This position requires someone who can both architect solutions AND understand the technical details of implementation deeply enough to guide and mentor others effectively.
• Your day-to-day will involve hands-on data modeling, designing architectural solutions, establishing data governance frameworks, and implementing Master Data Management strategies. You'll need to demonstrate strong technical expertise in OLTP, Data Warehouse design, dimensional modeling, and data movement best practices. This is a technically intensive role where you'll be expected to provide detailed technical guidance, review data models, and ensure architectural standards are implemented correctly.
• The ideal candidate has spent years in the trenches doing actual data architecture work designing schemas, building data models, implementing ETL solutions, and making technical decisions about data structures. You should be passionate about data architecture best practices, comfortable mentoring others on technical implementation details, and energized by solving complex data challenges through hands-on technical work.
• You'll report to Data Architecture leadership and work closely with cross-functional technical teams including DBAs, ETL developers, Business Intelligence teams, and Enterprise Architects at our Dallas-Fort Worth facilities.

About Our Client - Our client is one of the largest regulated electric transmission and distribution utilities in the United States, serving over 10 million consumers across North Central Texas. With more than a century of operational excellence, they deliver electricity to homes and businesses through a robust infrastructure spanning 140,000+ miles of transmission and distribution lines. As a critical component of Texas' energy infrastructure, they are committed to reliability, innovation, and safety while investing heavily in grid modernization and smart technology solutions. Their mission centers on powering quality of life through safe, reliable energy delivery and cutting-edge infrastructure development.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Design and implement data architectural solutions for Data Warehouse, ODS, Data Replication, and ETL initiatives using hands-on technical expertise.
• Create detailed data models (conceptual, logical, and physical) with strong emphasis on normalization, dimensional modeling, and performance optimization.
• Establish, document, and enforce policies, procedures, and guidelines for all aspects of Data Governance.
• Ensure data decisions are consistent across the organization and architectural best practices are followed in implementation.
• Maintain and update Data Standardization definitions, Data Dictionary, and Data Lineage documentation ensuring accessibility for all stakeholders.
• Collaborate directly with ETL, Replication, and DBA teams to determine and implement best practices for data transformations, movement, and derivations.
• Work hands-on with support teams to establish consistent, proactive support methodologies for data movements and transformations.
• Mentor Data Architects and Data Analysts through detailed technical guidance on database design and data management best practices.
• Provide hands-on assistance in overall architectural solutions including technical design, data modeling, and implementation strategies.
• Partner with business teams and Enterprise Architecture to ensure optimal architectural solutions from a data perspective.
• Create and execute strategic roadmap for Master Data Management (MDM) implementation with specific technical milestones.
• Take ownership of implementing MDM tools including technical configuration, integration, and deployment.
• Establish comprehensive policies, procedures, and guidelines for all aspects of Master Data Management.
• Document architectural rules and design of the MDM process ensuring technical specifications are detailed and actionable.

Required Experience/Skills

• 5+ years of hands-on Data Architecture experience across OLTP, Data Warehouse, and Big Data environments with demonstrable technical implementations.
• 5+ years of Solution Architecture experience with proven ability to design and implement complex data solutions from conception to deployment.
• 5+ years of Master Data Management (MDM) experience including hands-on implementation of MDM tools and processes.
• 5+ years of Data Governance experience with working knowledge of best practices and hands-on implementation expertise.
• Extensive hands-on knowledge of all aspects of data movement and processing including Middleware, ETL, APIs, and OLAP technologies.
• Strong data modeling expertise with ability to create and review detailed conceptual, logical, and physical data models.
• Deep understanding of dimensional modeling (star/snowflake schemas), normalization techniques, and data warehouse design patterns.
• Proven ability to discuss technical decisions, trade-offs, and implementations in detail during technical interviews.
• Expert knowledge of database design principles, indexing strategies, partitioning, and performance tuning.
• Experience with data lineage tracking, metadata management, and data cataloging best practices.
• Strong technical communication skills with ability to articulate complex architectural concepts to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Self-motivated with proven ability to work independently on complex technical challenges.
• Demonstrated mentoring capability with ability to provide detailed technical guidance to junior architects and analysts.
• Works effectively in collaborative team environments while maintaining technical accountability.
• MUST be currently located in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex with ability to be onsite every Thursday.

Nice-to-Haves

• Experience with utility, energy, or critical infrastructure data architectures.
• Familiarity with Oracle, SQL Server, and modern data platforms (Hadoop, MongoDB, cloud data warehouses).
• Knowledge of data vault modeling methodologies and implementation.
• Experience with Erwin Data Modeler, PowerDesigner, or similar enterprise data modeling tools.
• Background in implementing data quality frameworks and data profiling solutions.
• Certification in data architecture (CDMP, TOGAF) or enterprise architecture frameworks.
• Experience with cloud-based data architectures (Azure, AWS, Google Cloud Platform).
• Knowledge of real-time data integration patterns and streaming architectures.
• Familiarity with DataOps practices and CI/CD for data pipelines.

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Data Management, Engineering, or related technical field required. Master's degree preferred. Equivalent hands-on technical experience will be considered.