Research Data Architect

Hybrid 4 days on-site, 1 day work from home in St. Louis, MO

Our client seeks a Research Data Architect to design and modernize data architecture supporting prominent research platforms, including FRED. The role will define scalable data platforms, data models, and governance to support growth, analytics, and secure global access to economic data. The architect will collaborate with application and platform teams to optimize current systems while planning future-state architecture, AI integration, and migration roadmaps in an AWS environment.

Due to client requirements, applicants must be willing and able to work on a w2 basis. For our w2 consultants, we offer a great benefits package that includes Medical, Dental, and Vision benefits, 401k with company matching, and life insurance.

Rate: $100.00 to $125.00/hr. w2

JN -072026-108079

• Define and evolve target data architecture for economic data systems.
• Design scalable storage for billions of time-series observations and historical revisions.
• Develop and standardize metadata schemas for discoverability, lineage, and governance.
• Implement scalable data processing frameworks for growing datasets.
• Improve indexing and metadata strategies to enhance search and discovery.
• Enable advanced analytical capabilities for researchers and developers.
• Partner with architects to optimize data access patterns for APIs and applications.
• Optimize current-state architecture including SQL tuning, indexing, and performance.
• Design future-state architecture, migration strategies, and tool recommendations.
• Support the addition of new datasets and integration of AI capabilities.

• 7+ years in data architecture, data engineering, or database design with enterprise cloud data implementations in regulated environments.
• Experience designing secure, scalable, and high-availability public-facing platforms.
• Cloud data architecture on AWS, including ingestion, processing, storage, and exposure of data.
• Expertise in data modeling, lifecycle management, integration patterns, partitioning, caching, data access patterns, and security strategies including classification, access control, encryption, retention, and auditability.
• Knowledge of DataOps practices, modern data stack tools, governance, SQL, data privacy regulations, data warehousing, big data, and AI/ML data requirements.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills with the ability to translate technical topics for varied audiences.
• Proven delivery of complex projects in cross-functional environments with consensus building.
• Preferred: time-series data platforms, distributed query engines, large-scale processing, data catalog and metadata platforms, research or economic datasets, and public data access experience.

Recruitment Transparency Notice

Eliassen Group values transparency in our recruitment practices. Please be advised that Eliassen Group utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) tools as part of its initial application screening  and hiring process. You may receive email and SMS notifications from the Eliassen Virtual Recruiting Team ( View email address on us.fitly.work , View phone number on us.fitly.work) inviting you to complete a brief voice screening as part of your application process. These tools assist our hiring teams in different ways, including but not limited to, assistance in reviewing application materials to help identify candidates whose qualifications most closely match the requirements of the position. All AI-assisted evaluations and responses are reviewed by human recruiters before any hiring decisions are made. The use of AI in our process is intended to support fairness, efficiency, and consistency, and Eliassen Group takes measures to prevent bias or discrimination in connection with its hiring practices. By proceeding, you acknowledge, agree, and consent to Eliassen Group’s use of these tools, including AI tools, as part of the application and hiring process.

Skills, experience, and other compensable factors will be considered when determining pay rate. The pay range provided in this posting reflects a W2 hourly rate; other employment options may be available that may result in pay outside of the provided range.

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About Eliassen Group:

Eliassen Group is a strategic consulting firm that helps organizations reach further and achieve more through our technology, business advisory, and life sciences solutions. For nearly 40 years, we have combined exceptional people, deep domain expertise, and intelligent capabilities to expand our clients’ capacity and accelerate meaningful outcomes. We are driven by a purpose to positively impact the lives of our employees, clients, consultants, and the communities we serve.

Eliassen is committed to building a diverse and inclusive team from a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We are an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer and all employment decisions are based on merit, performance, and business needs. Eliassen does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender identity or expression, sexual preference or orientation, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), marital status, creed, religion, physical or mental disability, genetic information, military or veteran status, age, ancestry, national origin, citizenship status, prohibited criminal record inquiries of applicants and employees, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local laws.

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