Data Architect - SQL Database Assessment & Modernization

Data Architect SQL Database Assessment & Modernization

Location Dallas or Austin, TX (4 days office / week)

CTH (3 months max) or FTE

Role Overview

We are looking for an experienced Data Architect to lead SQL Database Assessment and Modernization engagements. The candidate will be responsible for assessing the existing SQL Server landscape, analyzing database architecture, performance, security, scalability, and integration patterns, and defining a future-state architecture aligned with business, analytics, AI, and cloud modernization objectives.

The ideal candidate should have extensive experience in SQL Server, database architecture, data modeling, performance optimization, migration strategies, cloud platforms, and enterprise data governance.

Key Responsibilities

Database Assessment

• Perform comprehensive assessment of SQL Server environments, including:
  • Database architecture
  • Schema design
  • Stored procedures
  • ETL processes
  • Data integration patterns
  • Security and compliance posture
  • High availability and disaster recovery setup
• Analyze database workloads, usage patterns, growth trends, and performance bottlenecks.
• Review database operational processes, maintenance strategies, backup and recovery mechanisms.
• Conduct database inventory and dependency analysis.
• Assess data quality, lineage, governance, and metadata management practices.

Architecture & Modernization Strategy

• Define target-state data architecture and modernization roadmap.
• Recommend modernization approaches:
  • SQL Server upgrade
  • Azure SQL Database
  • Azure SQL Managed Instance
  • Synapse Analytics
  • Snowflake
  • Databricks
  • Cloud-native data platforms
• Define migration strategies including rehost, replatform, refactor, and rebuild approaches.
• Develop phased migration and transformation roadmap.
• Identify quick wins and long-term transformation opportunities.

Data Modeling & Design

• Review conceptual, logical, and physical data models.
• Recommend schema optimization and database design improvements.
• Define enterprise data models supporting analytics and reporting requirements.
• Establish data standards and modeling best practices.

Performance & Optimization

• Analyze:
  • Query performance
  • Indexing strategy
  • Partitioning opportunities
  • Resource utilization
  • Database growth trends
• Recommend performance tuning and optimization initiatives.
• Provide capacity planning and scalability recommendations.

Security & Governance

• Evaluate database security architecture.
• Assess:
  • Access controls
  • Encryption
  • Auditing
  • Compliance requirements
  • Data retention policies
• Recommend governance framework, metadata management, and data stewardship practices.

Stakeholder Management

• Engage with business stakeholders, application architects, DBAs, and engineering teams.
• Lead discovery workshops and technical assessment sessions.
• Present findings and executive-level recommendations.
• Prepare assessment reports and modernization business cases.

Deliverables

• Current State Assessment Report
• Database Inventory & Dependency Matrix
• Data Architecture Assessment Document
• Performance Assessment Report
• Security & Compliance Assessment
• Target State Architecture Blueprint
• Modernization Roadmap
• Migration Strategy & Effort Estimation
• Executive Summary & Recommendations

Required Technical Skills

SQL & Database Technologies

• Microsoft SQL Server (2012/2014/2016/2019/2022)
• T-SQL
• Stored Procedures
• Query Optimization
• Index Tuning
• Partitioning
• Replication
• Always On Availability Groups

Data Architecture

• Enterprise Data Architecture
• Data Modeling (Conceptual, Logical, Physical)
• ERWIN / ER Studio
• Metadata Management
• Data Governance
• Master Data Management

Database Migration

• SQL Server Assessment & Migration
• Database Modernization
• Schema Migration
• Data Migration
• Migration Factory Approach

Soft Skills

• Strong customer-facing communication.
• Executive stakeholder management.
• Solution consulting and advisory experience.
• Ability to create assessment reports and modernization proposals.

• Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Experience leading distributed onsite-offshore teams.