Senior Azure Data Architect

Job Title: Senior Azure Data Architect

Location: Washington, DC 20433 (Local candidates preferred)

Duration: 12 Months (Long-Term Contract)

Work Schedule: Hybrid – 4 days onsite per week from Day 1

Position Overview:

We are seeking a highly experienced Data Solutions Architect with deep expertise in Azure cloud technologies. This role will be responsible for designing and implementing scalable, secure, and efficient data solutions to support enterprise-wide analytics and business intelligence initiatives.

Key Responsibilities:

Architect and implement end-to-end data solutions using Azure data services.

Design robust and scalable data models including relational, dimensional, and NoSQL schemas.

Develop and optimize ETL/ELT pipelines using Azure Data Factory or similar tools.

Design and implement data lakes and lakehouses using technologies like Databricks, Azure Data Lake Storage, and open formats such as Delta, Iceberg, and UNIFORM.

Integrate data governance, quality, and security best practices into all data architecture designs.

Support analytics and machine learning initiatives through structured data pipelines and platforms.

Collaborate with cross-functional teams including data engineers, analysts, data scientists, and business stakeholders.

Drive CI/CD integration with Databricks using Azure DevOps and tools like DBT for transformation workflows.

Required Technical Skills:

Data Modeling & Design: Expertise in relational, dimensional, and NoSQL modeling.

ETL/ELT Processes: Experience with Azure Data Factory and/or similar frameworks.

Data Lakes & Warehousing: Strong knowledge of Azure Data Lake, Hadoop, Spark, and modern lakehouse architectures.

Lakehouse & Databricks: Hands-on experience with Databricks, Unity Catalog, Notebooks, DBT, and Azure DevOps integration.

Big Data Technologies: Familiarity with Apache Spark, Hadoop, Kafka, Flink, Hive, etc.

Cloud Platform: Advanced understanding of Azure storage, compute, database, and analytics services.

Programming Languages: Proficiency in Python, SQL, Scala, and/or Java.

Data Governance & Security: Understanding of data governance frameworks and compliance standards.

Integration Tools: Experience with APIs, message queues, and data virtualization (e.g., Tibco DV, Denodo).

BI & Analytics: Knowledge of Power BI, Tableau, and reporting frameworks.

ML Fundamentals: Awareness of machine learning principles and integration with data pipelines.

Infrastructure as Code (IaC): Experience with Terraform or Azure Resource Manager templates.

Preferred Soft Skills:

Excellent Communication: Able to translate complex technical details for both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Leadership & Influence: Ability to lead discussions, propose solutions, and guide teams effectively.

Strategic & Critical Thinking: Capable of long-term planning with sound decision-making skills.

Collaboration: Strong team player with experience working across diverse teams.

Stakeholder Management: Skilled in managing expectations and aligning solutions with business needs.

Presentation Skills: Comfortable presenting architectural designs and strategies to leadership.

Time Management: Capable of managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Adaptability: Open to learning new technologies and adapting to evolving business requirements.

“Mindlance is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate in employment on the basis of – Minority/Gender/Disability/Religion/LGBTQI/Age/Veterans.”