Senior Data Architect

Senior Data Architect

The Senior Data Architect will design and implement scalable data solutions using the latest and advanced technology and toolsets. This role offers the right candidate the rare opportunity to leverage their extensive background to design and architect scalable, secure, and modern cloud-native data solutions. The role will also be responsible for working closely with business partners and IT leadership to understand the organization's business requirements and work with the broader IT team to enable/build new capabilities in our data platform that will support the current needs and scale to accommodate future growth.

Responsibilities

Lead the design and architecture of end-to-end data solutions, translating business strategy and requirements into scalable, secure, high-performing architectures.

Define target-state data architectures and blueprints, including data flows, integration patterns, storage strategies, data processing, and consumption layers.

Establish and govern standard architecture patterns for data ingestion, transformation (ETL/ELT), integration, interoperability, and data sharing across platforms and domains.

Architect scalable and resilient data pipelines and workflows, optimizing for performance, cost, reliability, and operational efficiency.

Design cloud-native data architectures that leverage modern data platforms for elasticity, resilience, modularity, and scalability.

Enable AI/ML capabilities through data architectures that support experimentation, feature engineering, model development, deployment, and production consumption.

Incorporate data governance, security, privacy, and compliance by design, including access controls, data classification, masking, lineage, and regulatory requirements.

Design for interoperability and seamless data exchange across applications, data domains, platforms, and external systems.

Lead the evaluation and selection of data technologies and platforms in partnership with IT, Enterprise Architecture, and business stakeholders, ensuring alignment with enterprise capabilities and strategy.

Collaborate with Enterprise Architecture, Infrastructure, Application Development, Data Engineering, and business teams to define technology roadmaps, capabilities, and solution strategies.

Provide architectural oversight and governance for data solutions and cloud-native data platforms, ensuring adherence to enterprise standards and addressing risks, gaps, dependencies, and architectural trade-offs.

Drive innovation through feasibility assessments, POCs, and pilots, evaluating emerging technologies and validating new architectural approaches.

Provide architectural oversight for vendor and third-party data solutions, ensuring alignment with enterprise architecture, security, integration, and data standards.

Participate in architecture governance forums, contributing to design reviews, architecture decisions, approvals, and continuous improvement of enterprise data architecture.

Mentor and guide data architects and engineers, promoting architecture best practices, design excellence, and continued capability development.

Qualifications

4+ years of experience in modern cloud data architecture or related fields, with a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a related discipline.

Deep understanding of modern data and analytics platforms and technologies, including Snowflake, Matillion, Microsoft Fabric, Power BI, Tableau, and other industry-leading solutions.

Proven experience designing and delivering enterprise data solutions, including data warehousing, data lakes, lakehouse architectures, data management, integration, and analytics platforms.

Extensive experience architecting end-to-end, scalable data platforms using modern cloud technologies, preferably Microsoft Azure, with experience in cloud-native, hybrid, or multi-cloud architectures.

Strong ability to translate business requirements into scalable data architectures and solutions, with excellent communication skills to articulate complex technical concepts to technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Strong understanding of data architecture patterns and technology capabilities across ingestion, storage, processing, analytics, APIs, and microservices, with the ability to evaluate and select appropriate technologies.

Experience collaborating with vendors and third-party partners to deliver solutions aligned with enterprise architecture, security, and data standards.

Strong foundation in data governance, data quality, security, privacy, and regulatory compliance within enterprise data environments.

Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to influence decisions, facilitate collaboration, and drive alignment across cross-functional teams.

Experience architecting data platforms that enable advanced analytics, AI/ML, MCP, and Generative AI use cases, while maintaining appropriate governance, security, scalability, and performance.

Base Pay Information The national base pay range at the end is a good-faith estimate of what Delta Dental may pay for new hires. Actual pay may vary based on Delta Dental's assessment of the candidate's knowledge, skills, abilities (KSAs), related experience, education, certifications and ability to meet required minimum job qualifications. Other factors impacting pay include prevailing wages in the work location and internal equity. Pay Grade 22. $92,500 - $200,400

Additional Information

Behind the smile! We are dedicated to safeguarding the health and financial stability of our employees and their loved ones. This commitment extends beyond the workplace to foster personal growth and holistic wellbeing. Our life-changing rewards package includes:

Competitive base and incentive pay

401(k) with robust matching and non-matching contributions

Rich medical & pharmacy benefits

100% employer-paid dental and vision benefits

Holistic wellbeing program with deep financial incentives

Generous paid time off plus 12 paid holidays and your birthday off

Culture of growth and learning: career development; tuition reimbursement; recognition program

Family support: adoption assistance, fertility treatment, child, elder & pet care assistance

Social responsibility and volunteer opportunities

Employee discount program

Fair Chance Ordinances and Criminal Background Considerations This position requires that the applicant undergo a background check. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with any applicable federal, state or local laws, including, but not limited to, the California Fair Chance Act, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, the City of Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, and/or New York Corrections Law Article 23-A. Important Work Authorization Information Please note, Delta Dental will not sponsor applicants for work visas for this position. #LI-Hybrid

About the Team

At Delta Dental, we're behind millions of smiles and counting. For over 68 years, we've served our communities by increasing access to affordable, quality care – but that commitment to care extends beyond the people we serve, to the dedicated employees who make those smiles genuine. We've come this far by building fair programs that offer opportunities for advancement, create meaningful connections and improve the lives of our employees and their families. Because we know that when we take exceptional care of each other, we can make a positive impact for all. We champion an inspirational workplace through our commitment to trust, service, excellence and innovation. Joining us means working for a company that offers stability and balance, opportunities for leadership at all levels, and a work environment focused on teamwork and camaraderie. Discover the smiling faces behind Delta Dental and experience our values and culture in action by connecting with us on social media. Follow Delta Dental Ins. on Facebook and Instagram, #LifeatDDins on Facebook and Instagram, Delta Dental Ins. on Twitter and Delta Dental Ins. on LinkedIn. If you've got an appetite for innovation and want to be a part of a team that's transforming the future of health care, join us! Since 1955, we have offered comprehensive, high-quality oral health care benefits to millions of enrollees and built the strongest network of dental providers in the country. The Delta Dental of California network includes affiliates Delta Dental Insurance Company; Delta Dental of Pennsylvania; Delta Dental of New York, Inc.; Delta Dental of the District of Columbia; Delta Dental of Delaware, Inc.; and Delta Dental of West Virginia, providing dental benefits to more than 31 million people across 15 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The company and its affiliates are part of Delta Dental Plans Association (DDPA), a not-for-profit national association based in Oak Brook, Illinois. Through our national network of Delta Dental companies, we offer dental coverage in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories. We offer vision coverage through DeltaVision in 15 states and the District of Columbia. Collectively, we deliver benefits to more Americans than any other dental insurance company. Delta Dental Ins. is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing a professional work environment free from discrimination and harassment. Individuals seeking employment at Delta Dental are considered without regard to race, ethnicity, color, age, sex, religion, national origin, ancestry, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, actual or perceived physical or mental disability, registered domestic partner status, caregiver status, marital status, veteran or military status, citizenship status, or any other legally protected category. Delta Dental is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment. Accordingly, we have adopted and maintain an Equal