Data Architect SME - FDA

Req ID: RQ220474

Type of Requisition: Regular

Clearance Level Must Be Able to Obtain: None

Public Trust/Other Required: MBI (T2)

Job Family: Data Science and Data Engineering

Skills:

• Data Architecture Development
• Databricks Platform
• Enterprise Data

Experience:

15+ years of related experience

Job Description:

GDIT is seeking a seasoned Databricks Architect with deep experience designing, optimizing, and governing modern data platforms, paired with the capability to lead day-to-day execution of a complex, high-visibility enterprise data-migration program for a major federal health agency.

This position plays two critical roles:

Primary Responsibilities:

(1) Databricks Architecture & AI/ML Enablement (Platform-Focused)

This work is distinct from the migration program and supports broader enterprise and client AI initiatives.

Databricks Platform Architecture & Governance

• Serve as the principal Databricks Architect , defining platform strategy, optimization patterns, and architectural governance for enterprise-scale analytics and AI workloads.

• Architect and optimize environments leveraging Delta Lake, Unity Catalog, Databricks SQL, MLflow , and related services.

• Establish best practices for data modeling, data quality, lineage, observability, cataloging, security, and compute optimization within the Databricks ecosystem.

AI-Driven Initiatives (Internal & Federal Agency Support)

• Partner with internal GDIT AI teams to design and operationalize AI/ML-ready data architectures , including feature pipelines and model-training datasets.

• Support federal health agencies (FDA, HRSA, etc.) with Databricks-based solutions that enable:

• Predictive analytics

• Real-time insights

• ML-augmented data workflows

• Governance-aligned delivery of AI-driven capabilities

• Advice on Databricks roadmap adoption, new capabilities, and platform evolution for enterprise AI use cases.

Cross-Program and Enterprise Consulting

• Provide architecture review, advisory guidance, and best-practice alignment across multiple GDIT programs leveraging Databricks.

• Lead technical assessments and proof-of-concept efforts for advanced analytics, automation, and ML/AI integrations.

(2) Enterprise Data Migration Leadership (Delivery-Focused)

This is a separate set of responsibilities and represents the day-to-day operational focus.

Program & Technical Execution Leadership

• Lead the daily execution of a large-scale, complex data-migration and synchronization initiative supporting federal health systems modernization.

• Oversee extraction, transformation, mapping, profiling, validation, reconciliation, and synchronization of data across legacy and modern systems.

• Manage migration phases including high-volume batch loads, CDC-driven integration workflows, performance optimization, and defect triage.

Team Leadership & Technical Oversight

• Lead, mentor, and guide multidisciplinary teams of data engineers and analysts involved in migration workstreams.

• Ensure alignment between architecture, implementation, testing, and operational support activities.

Hands-On Engineering & Troubleshooting

• Contribute directly to engineering tasks including:

• Writing and optimizing SQL for validation, reconciliation, and transformation

• Debugging complex pipeline issues, performance bottlenecks, and data anomalies

• Reviewing migration logic, data quality rules, and architectural alternatives

• Support architecture decisions that ensure accuracy, reliability, and scalability of migration workflows.

Delivery Management & Stakeholder Communication

• Manage migration deliverables, timelines, risks, dependencies, and vendor interactions.

• Provide clear, actionable updates to federal stakeholders, leadership teams, and cross-functional partners.

• Translate technical issues into business-relevant insights for non-technical audiences.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree plus 15+ years of experience in data engineering, architecture, or platform modernization.

• 5+ years of Databricks experience with deep architectural and engineering proficiency.

• Demonstrated, hands-on leadership in complex enterprise data-migration programs within the last 3 years.

• Experience working with the FDA, HRSA, and/or CMS required.

• Expertise in SQL, PySpark/Spark, Delta Lake, and cloud-based data engineering.

• Proven ability to lead high-performing technical teams.

• Strong understanding of data-migration patterns, CDC, reconciliation, and integration techniques.

• Experience with Agile, hybrid, or traditional delivery methodologies.

• Ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with Unity Catalog, Databricks governance models, MLflow, DLT.

• Understanding of ETL/ELT frameworks, cloud platforms, and data governance.

• Executive-level communication skills and comfort operating in ambiguous, fast-moving environments.

The likely salary range for this position is $170,144 - $230,000. This is not, however, a guarantee of compensation or salary. Rather, salary will be set based on experience, geographic location and possibly contractual requirements and could fall outside of this range.

Our benefits package for all US-based employees includes a variety of medical plan options, some with Health Savings Accounts, dental plan options, a vision plan, and a 401(k) plan offering the ability to contribute both pre and post-tax dollars up to the IRS annual limits and receive a company match. To encourage work/life balance, GDIT offers employees full flex work weeks where possible and a variety of paid time off plans, including vacation, sick and personal time, holidays, paid parental, military, bereavement and jury duty leave. GDIT typically provides new employees with 15 days of paid leave per calendar year to be used for vacations, personal business, and illness and an additional 10 paid holidays per year. Paid leave and paid holidays are prorated based on the employee’s date of hire. The GDIT Paid Family Leave program provides a total of up to 160 hours of paid leave in a rolling 12 month period for eligible employees. To ensure our employees are able to protect their income, other offerings such as short and long-term disability benefits, life, accidental death and dismemberment, personal accident, critical illness and business travel and accident insurance are provided or available. We regularly review our Total Rewards package to ensure our offerings are competitive and reflect what our employees have told us they value most.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Individuals with Disabilities / Protected Veterans