Principal Data Architect

We are seeking a Principal Data Architect to lead the strategic design and evolution of a large-scale Labor Management Operations data ecosystem. This role bridges legacy mainframe systems with modern, real-time, event-driven architectures. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in data architecture, distributed systems, and enterprise data governance, along with the ability to define standards for scalable, secure, and high-performance data platforms. Key Responsibilities Lead the end-to-end design of enterprise information architecture for a complex labor management ecosystem. Define and maintain conceptual, logical, and physical data models, including event schemas and API contracts. Architect modernization strategies for legacy mainframe systems, enabling migration to modern cloud and streaming platforms. Design and optimize real-time data pipelines, including Change Data Capture (CDC) and event-driven processing. Ensure data integrity, scalability, performance, and security across distributed data systems. Establish enterprise data standards, policies, and best practices for data modeling, governance, and security. Perform advanced database tuning and optimization for relational and NoSQL systems. Collaborate with engineering teams to guide implementation of scalable data solutions. Mentor teams and provide technical leadership on data architecture and modern data engineering practices. Evaluate emerging data technologies and drive continuous improvement of the data platform. Required Qualifications 10+ years of experience in Data Architecture, Data Engineering, or Information Management. Strong expertise in enterprise data modeling (conceptual, logical, and physical). Experience with relational and NoSQL databases. Hands-on experience with distributed streaming platforms (e.g., Kafka, Schema Registry). Proven experience working with legacy/mainframe systems and modernization initiatives. Strong understanding of data integration, CDC, and real-time data architectures. Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or related field (Master’s preferred). Excellent communication skills with ability to explain complex technical concepts to varied audiences. Preferred Qualifications Experience in large-scale transportation, logistics, or labor management domains. Deep expertise in enterprise data governance and standards development (EIM frameworks). Strong background in high-performance database tuning and optimization. Experience designing API contracts and event-driven architectures at enterprise scale.