Senior Azure Data Architect

About the Role We are seeking an experienced Azure Data Architect to lead the design, development, and optimization of enterprise‑scale cloud data platforms. This role is responsible for defining end‑to‑end data architecture across ingestion, Lakehouse or warehouse design, transformation, semantic modeling, governance, security, and analytics enablement. The ideal candidate will have deep expertise with Azure Data services and modern AI‑enabled data solutions. This role requires working closely with various stakeholders to ensure seamless integration and data flow across different platforms. Responsibilities Design, lead and implement enterprise‑grade data solutions within Azure/Microsoft Fabric, design and solution medallion architecture. Lead end‑to‑end data architecture across ingestion, storage, transformation, modeling, semantic layer development, and reporting. Build and optimize data pipelines for structured, semi‑structured, API‑based, and enterprise application data sources. Develop governed semantic models, reusable datasets, and reporting solutions that support enterprise‑wide business intelligence adoption. Define and implement data governance, data quality, security, compliance, and auditability standards. Drive performance tuning, reliability, and cost optimization initiatives across cloud data infrastructure and compute environments. Partner with business stakeholders, product owners, and technical teams to gather requirements, translate them into scalable architecture, and support user acceptance testing. Lead CI/CD and deployment practices for pipelines, database objects, and analytics assets across development, test, and production environments. Mentor data engineers and establish best practices for architecture, engineering, documentation, and operational support. Evaluate and implement AI‑enabled data capabilities and data agents that generate business value. Skills / Requirements Bachelor's degree from an accredited university or college in Technology, Computer Science, Engineering or a related field (or a high school diploma / GED with at least 9 years of relevant experience) 5+ years of experience in data engineering, data warehousing, analytics, or data architecture roles. Strong hands‑on experience with Azure data services (Azure Data Factory, Synapse, Databricks, Azure SQL, Cosmos DB, etc.) Proven experience designing enterprise data models, ETL/ELT frameworks, and scalable cloud analytics solutions. Experience integrating enterprise source systems such as SAP, HR platforms, service platforms, or custom applications into cloud data environments. Strong knowledge of data governance, security, compliance, and audit logging practices. Experience with CI/CD, release management, and deployment automation for data and analytics platforms. Ability to lead technical discussions with both business and engineering stakeholders. Strong problem‑solving, architecture design, and mentoring skills. Desired Characteristics 10+ years of experience in data engineering, data warehousing, analytics, or data architecture roles. Experience with Microsoft Fabric, Lakehouse architecture, semantic models, and modern analytics platform design. Exposure to AI and GenAI solutions such as agentic workflows, RAG, MCP servers, or LLM‑integrated analytics experiences. Experience with Power Apps, Power Automate, or broader Power Platform capabilities. Familiarity with Agile delivery models and cross‑functional enterprise programs. Location: Houston, TX #J-18808-Ljbffr 3010 HYDRIL USA DISTRIBUTION