Lead Data Architect

Data Meaning is hiring a Lead Data Architect to lead the architecture assessment, transition planning, and modernization of a client's data platform. The role is remote and US-based, full time, and centers on moving existing SQL-based transformations into a dbt framework inside Snowflake.

This is for someone with a deep data engineering and architecture background who can both design a future-state platform and work directly with client engineering teams during the transition. You would join a global, fully remote consulting team.

What you will do

• Lead the architecture assessment and documentation of the current data platform, which runs on Snowflake, Airflow, and AWS
• Design the future-state architecture following modern ELT and dbt practices
• Set standards for data modeling, pipeline architecture, transformation frameworks, governance, and data quality
• Lead the migration of transformation logic into dbt models
• Define architectural patterns for staging layers, intermediate layers, and data marts
• Implement automated testing frameworks within dbt
• Run discovery sessions and technical workshops with the client's data engineering teams
• Document architecture, pipelines, and operational processes
• Conduct architecture walkthroughs during knowledge transfer phases
• Define standards for CI/CD, monitoring, and data quality validation
• Establish schema management and governance practices
• Optimize Snowflake compute usage and platform performance
• Design scalable orchestration strategies for Airflow pipelines
• Improve platform reliability, monitoring, and operational observability

What they are looking for

• Advanced or fluent English
• 10+ years in data engineering or data architecture
• Strong experience designing and implementing modern data platforms
• Expert-level Snowflake experience
• Strong experience implementing dbt transformation frameworks
• Advanced SQL modeling and performance optimization
• Strong Apache Airflow orchestration experience
• Strong Python programming skills
• Experience designing ELT pipelines, data warehouse architectures, transformation frameworks, and large-scale data pipelines
• Experience in cloud environments, with AWS preferred

Nice to have

• Snowflake certification
• Experience leading data platform migrations or modernization initiatives
• Experience implementing Medallion architecture patterns
• Experience defining data governance frameworks
• Experience working with distributed or global engineering teams

Pay and location

The role is remote and US-based, full time employee. Compensation is $190,000 base plus bonus.

About Data Meaning

Data Meaning is a Business Intelligence and Data Analytics consulting firm working across the US and beyond. The company delivers solutions in Business Intelligence, Data Warehousing, and Project Management, and its consultants are a diverse, global team working remotely. This hire supports upcoming data platform modernization work across the client portfolio.