Lead Data Architect - Data Lakes

This is a 6 month contract-to-hire and needs to meet Client full-time conversion policies. Those dependent on a work permit sponsor now or anytime in the future (ie H1B, OPT, CPT, etc) do not meet Client requirements for this opening.

**MUST BE HYBRID in Richmond, VA

**MUST BE W2; No Corp-to-Corp**

The Lead Data Architect provides strategic and hands-on leadership across divisional data initiatives, guiding delivery teams in building scalable data solutions within a modern cloud-based data ecosystem. This role balances high-level architecture with practical execution, ensuring data solutions align with business needs, performance requirements, and long-term architecture goals.

Key Responsibilities

• As part of a data architecture organization, provide architectural guidance to two or three concurrent data delivery teams (typically 4 5 engineers per team) across data initiatives
• Design and evolve data architecture across a Databricks-first lakehouse in a broader Azure ecosystem, understanding both target state and appropriate trade-offs
• Partner with engineering teams to support their detailed solutions and implementation through design reviews, guidance, and targeted hands-on contribution where needed
• Specify data solutions that meet non-functional requirements (NFRs) such as scalability, performance, and reliability
• Perform technology evaluations in support of the teams, with appropriate recommendations and reasoning
• Assess technical challenges and problems, provide options, and make recommendations
• Guide ingestion and integration strategies, including API-based data exchange
• Lead without direct reporting authority, influencing teams through expertise and collaboration

Required Experience & Qualifications

• ~7 10 years of progressive experience in data engineering, pipeline development, and data architecture roles developing Data Lakes and Data Warehouses
• Background progressing from developer through at least team lead
• Strong experience designing and working with the full lifecycle of data-centric architectures
• Hands-on experience with cloud development in Databricks
• Experience with structured and unstructured data (e.g., JSON, files, media)
• Understanding of both relational and non-relational solutions
• Understanding of APIs and data integration patterns
• Strong communication and stakeholder influence skills (written + verbal)
• Know when to make independent decisions and when to circle back to the broader team with appropriate questions
• Work within a new domain by identifying gaps in knowledge and actively seeking answers

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Guidewire Insurance Suite data
• Azure Solutions Architect certification (nice-to-have)
• Experience working in Property & Casualty insurance data domains
• An understanding of London and international markets would be a plus