Principal Architect
About the role
As a Principal Architect in Forward-Deployed Engineering, you will define and drive the enterprise architecture strategy that enables large-scale data, AI, and digital transformation outcomes. You will collaborate with executive stakeholders, architects, engineering teams, and business leaders to establish a scalable, governed, and outcome-driven Enterprise Data Foundation that delivers measurable business value. This highly influential leadership role translates executive vision into enterprise architecture, modernization roadmaps, AI-enabled platforms, and operational excellence initiatives. The successful candidate will serve as the primary technical authority across the enterprise and help shape the future of data and AI capabilities at scale.
Responsibilities
- Define and evolve the enterprise architecture strategy and target-state Data Foundation roadmap, ensuring alignment to business objectives and transformation priorities.
- Lead architecture decisions across enterprise data platforms, governance frameworks, AI-enabled solutions, and modern data ecosystems.
- Partner with executive stakeholders to translate architecture investments into tangible business outcomes, operational efficiencies, and strategic value.
- Establish architecture governance standards, review processes, and enterprise-wide best practices that drive consistency, scalability, and long-term sustainability.
- Mentor architects and engineering leaders while advancing a forward-deployed engineering culture focused on ownership, delivery excellence, and measurable outcomes.
Requirements
- 15+ years of experience in enterprise data, analytics, AI, cloud, or technology architecture roles.
- 5+ years of experience serving as a Principal Architect, Enterprise Architect, Distinguished Architect, or comparable enterprise leadership position.
- Proven track record designing and implementing enterprise-scale data foundations, modernization programs, or AI-enabled platforms within large organizations.
- Experience driving enterprise architecture strategy, governance, standards, and technology roadmaps.
- Deep expertise in modern cloud data platforms, data governance, metadata management, and enterprise architecture principles.
- Experience leading large-scale modernization initiatives involving legacy platform transformation, cloud migration, and business-critical technology programs.
- Demonstrated ability to influence executive stakeholders and communicate complex technology strategies to both technical and non-technical audiences.
- Strong leadership skills with experience mentoring architects, engineering teams, and technical leaders.
Skills
These will help you stand out:
- Experience within Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG), Retail, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, or similar enterprise industries.
- Expertise with Databricks Lakehouse architecture, Unity Catalog, Delta Live Tables, Mosaic AI, and related data platform technologies.
- Experience designing and governing enterprise AI, agentic AI, and multi-agent orchestration platforms.
- Strong understanding of FinOps, cloud cost optimization, enterprise data governance, lineage, and data quality frameworks.
- Experience evaluating build-versus-buy decisions and managing strategic technology partnerships.
- Ability to translate architecture decisions into business value, ROI, operational efficiency, and risk mitigation outcomes.
Schedule
This is an onsite position requiring work in a Cognizant or client office in Plano, TX. The working arrangements for this role are accurate as of the date of posting and may change based on project, business, or client requirements.
Pay
The annual salary for this position is between $145,000 and $170,000, depending on experience and other qualifications. This position is also eligible for Cognizant’s discretionary annual incentive program, based on performance and subject to the terms of Cognizant’s applicable plans.
Benefits
- Medical/Dental/Vision/Life Insurance
- Paid holidays plus Paid Time Off
- 401(k) plan and contributions
- Long-term/Short-term Disability
- Paid Parental Leave
- Employee Stock Purchase Plan