Principal Data Architect - Data & AI Platforms

Experience: 10+ Years

Location: WFH / Remote (India)

Open Positions: Multiple

Qualification: B.Tech / M.Tech / MCA orequivalent

Work Timings: 1:30 PM IST – 10:30 PM IST

Functional Area: Data Engineering
Position Summary

NextGen Invent isseeking a highly experienced Principal Data Architect to lead the design,modernization, and governance of enterprise-scale Data & AI platforms. Theideal candidate will possess deep expertise across Data Architecture, DataEngineering, Cloud Platforms, Analytics, Data Governance, AI/ML Enablement, andEnterprise Data Modernization.

This role requires ahands-on architect capable of defining enterprise data strategies while drivingtechnical execution across modern cloud-native data ecosystems. The candidatewill serve as a trusted advisor to business and technology leadership and leadlarge-scale transformation initiatives involving Snowflake, Databricks, AWS,and Azure.
Key Responsibilities
Enterprise Data Architecture

- Define enterprise data architecture strategy, standards, and best practices.

- Design scalable Data Lake, Lakehouse, Data Warehouse, and Real-Time Analytics solutions.

- Create architecture blueprints, reference architectures, and modernization roadmaps.

- Lead migration from legacy Hadoop/Data Warehouse platforms to modern cloud-based architectures.

Data Platform Leadership

- Architect enterprise data platforms leveraging Snowflake, Databricks, AWS, and Azure.

- Design Medallion Architecture (Bronze/Silver/Gold) and Lakehouse solutions.

- Build frameworks for ingestion, transformation, governance, and analytics.

- Establish platform scalability, reliability, observability, and cost optimization strategies.

Modern Data Engineering

- Design large-scale batch and streaming data platforms.

- Architect solutions utilizing Spark, Kafka, Delta Lake, Delta Live Tables, Snowpipe, Streams & Tasks.

- Guide implementation of real-time and event-driven data pipelines.

- Drive performance optimization and operational excellence.

Cloud Architecture

- Architect multi-cloud solutions using AWS and Azure.

- Define cloud-native data integration patterns.

- Drive cloud cost governance and infrastructure optimization.

- Establish secure, scalable, and highly available platform architectures.

AI & Advanced Analytics Enablement

- Design AI-ready data architectures supporting ML, GenAI, and advanced analytics.

- Build foundations for RAG, Vector Search, Feature Stores, and MLOps.

- Collaborate with data science and AI teams to operationalize ML solutions.

- Enable enterprise self-service analytics and reporting.

Governance, Security & Compliance

- Define governance frameworks covering Data Quality, Lineage, Security, and Metadata Management.

- Implement RBAC, Data Masking, Column-Level Security, and Privacy Controls.

- Ensure compliance with HIPAA, GDPR, SOX, and enterprise security standards.

Leadership & Stakeholder Management

- Lead architecture governance across multiple delivery programs.

- Mentor architects, engineering leads, and data engineers.

- Partner with executive stakeholders to define strategic roadmaps.

- Drive large-scale transformation initiatives and platform adoption.

Required Experience

- 10+ years in Data Architecture and Data Platform Engineering.

- Proven experience designing enterprise-scale cloud data platforms.

- Strong background in Data Engineering, Big Data, Cloud Architecture, and Analytics.

- Experience leading enterprise data modernization and migration programs.

- Experience managing globally distributed teams and stakeholder engagement.

- Strong understanding of Agile, SAFe, and Product Ownership practices.

Originally posted on Himalayas