Data Architect

Job Title: Data Architect

Location: Chicago, Illinois, United States – Onsite

Contract

Job Description:

We are seeking a highly experienced Data Architect (Manager Level) with deep expertise in cloud-based data engineering and modern Lakehouse architectures. The ideal candidate will have strong hands-on experience with Databricks, AWS big data stack, and PySpark, along with a proven track record of designing and implementing enterprise-scale data platforms.

Key Responsibilities:

Design and implement enterprise-grade data platforms using Databricks Lakehouse architecture.
Build and manage multi-zone data lakehouse environments (Bronze, Silver, Gold layers).
Optimize Apache Spark workloads for performance and scalability.
Develop and maintain data pipelines using PySpark, SQL, and Python.
Implement Delta Lake features including ACID transactions, schema enforcement, and time travel.
Design Customer 360 / MDM data models for unified business insights.
Ensure data quality, governance, and observability across platforms.
Apply zero-trust security principles and ensure compliance with enterprise standards.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams including data scientists, analysts, and business stakeholders.
Provide architectural guidance and mentor junior engineers.

Required Skills:

Strong experience in Databricks & Databricks Lakehouse architecture
Expertise in PySpark, Python, and SQL
Deep knowledge of AWS Big Data ecosystem
Hands-on experience with:
Spark optimization techniques
Delta Lake internals
Data modeling (Customer 360 / MDM)
Data quality frameworks & observability tools
Experience with enterprise data governance & security frameworks

Preferred Skills:

Exposure to Azure Data Services (ADF, ADLS, Synapse, HDInsight)
Experience in financial services domain
Strong leadership and stakeholder management skills

Key Highlights:

Opportunity to work with a leading financial institution 
Architect-level role with high visibility and impact
Cutting-edge Lakehouse and cloud data platform implementation