Database Architect

Role Summary

This role is responsible for designing and evolving the organization’s cloud data architecture as applications are migrated and re-architected from on-premises systems to Azure. The Data Architect will define scalable and secure data solutions leveraging Azure-managed database services (PostgreSQL Flexible Server, Azure SQL) and drive best practices in data modeling, integration, automation, and interoperability (including FHIR where applicable).

Key Responsibilities

• Data Architecture & Modeling
• Define reference architectures and reusable patterns that enable consistent adoption across multiple application teams
• Design and maintain conceptual, logical, and physical data models for modernized applications
• Define standards for data structures, naming conventions, and data lifecycle management
• Ensure alignment between application architecture and data design (transactional + domain-driven patterns)
• Cloud Data Platform Architecture
• Design and guide implementation of solutions using: Azure PostgreSQL Flexible Server, Azure SQL / SQL Server, supporting Azure data services (ADF, Event Hubs, etc.)
• Establish architecture patterns for high availability, scalability, and disaster recovery
• Provide guidance on database selection across relational and NoSQL options
• Drive best practices in database migration strategies, including low/zero-downtime migration patterns
• Design integration patterns for batch and real-time data movement
• Support implementation of FHIR-based data structures and interoperability patterns
• Ensure consistency and quality across distributed data systems
• Governance, Security & Compliance
• Establish standards for data security and access controls (AAD, RBAC), data classification and protection, audit and compliance requirements (including healthcare considerations if FHIR is used)
• Ensure architecture aligns with enterprise governance models
• Collaboration & Leadership
• Partner with application teams, DBAs, engineers, and business stakeholders to translate requirements into scalable data solutions
• Act as a consultative architect, influencing design decisions without creating delivery bottlenecks
• Produce and maintain architecture documentation, standards, and reference patterns

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
• 4+ years of experience in data architecture, database design, or data engineering

Critical Skills

• Strong knowledge (4+ years) of cloud-native database platforms (Azure preferred)
• Hands-on experience (4+ years) with: Azure PostgreSQL (Flexible Server strongly preferred), Azure SQL / SQL Server
• Experience (4+ years) with database migration strategies, including: Data synchronization, low/zero-downtime migration patterns
• Proficiency (4+ years) in: Terraform or equivalent Infrastructure-as-Code tools, CI/CD pipeline integration for database deployments
• Solid understanding of: Data modeling (relational and NoSQL), distributed data patterns (sharding, CQRS, event-driven architectures)

Preferred Skills

• Experience with Azure ecosystem services (ADF, Synapse, Data Lake, Cosmos DB)
• Familiarity with FHIR and healthcare data interoperability standards
• Experience with: Liquibase or similar schema/versioning tools, ArgoCD or GitOps deployment models
• Exposure to domain-driven design and microservices-based data architecture

Pay Range

$103,500 - $172,500