Sr. Data Architect
Whataburger isn’t just a fast-food burger chain—it is where bold leadership starts and where potential doesn’t just grow, it heats up. Since 1950, we’ve invested in people who lead with integrity, Serve with Heart, and bring their best flavor to the team. We believe in working together, speaking up, having a little fun, and Winning as One—because great burgers (and great teams) start with the right ingredients.
About the role
As a Sr. Data Architect, you will shape and scale the data foundation that fuels smarter decisions, powerful analytics, and next-generation AI capabilities across Whataburger. Your work directly supports our purpose and values:
- Make a Difference by designing enterprise data architectures that turn complex data into trusted insights that power business outcomes.
- Serve with Heart by championing data quality, governance, and clarity—ensuring teams can rely on data to do their best work.
- Win as One by partnering closely with engineering, analytics, and business leaders to align data strategy with real operational needs.
- Move Forward Boldly by modernizing platforms, enabling AI and advanced analytics, and leading data innovation at scale.
Responsibilities
- Define and evolve enterprise data architecture standards and best practices
- Design scalable data models and analytics structures across domains
- Architect data integration patterns (ETL/ELT, APIs, streaming, orchestration)
- Establish and support data governance, lineage, cataloging, and quality frameworks
- Design and maintain Master Data Management (MDM) architectures
- Enable AI and advanced analytics through strong data foundations
- Provide architectural leadership and guidance to data and engineering teams
- Partner cross-functionally to align data solutions with business strategy
- Evaluate, modernize, and optimize enterprise data platforms and technologies
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience
- 7+ years in data architecture, senior data engineering, or related roles
- Hands-on experience with data integration patterns and tools
- Demonstrated experience building enterprise-scale data solutions
- Proven ability to lead through influence and collaborate across teams
- Excellent communication and technical documentation skills
Skills
Desired experience includes:
- Experience with Informatica IDMC and MDM solutions
- Strong background in data governance tools (catalog, lineage, quality)
- Experience designing a semantic or analytics abstraction layer
- Deep expertise in data modeling
- Strong experience with modern cloud data platforms
- Familiarity with BI and analytics platforms (Power BI, Tableau, MicroStrategy)
- Hands-on DevOps experience for data (CI/CD, infrastructure-as-code)
- Exposure to Gen-AI, AI engineering frameworks, or AI coding assistants
- Relevant certifications (Snowflake, Azure Data Engineer, Informatica, CDMP, Data Governance)
Benefits
- Competitive weekly pay
- Bonus program that scales up to 2.5X payout potential based on company results
- 5 weeks PTO plus Flex Weeks
- Paid corporate holidays
- Paid parental leave
- 401(k) match $1/$1 up to 4%
- Competitive medical, dental, and vision benefits
- Short-term and long-term disability benefits
- Whataburger Family Foundation—scholarship program (dependents eligible) and hardship grant assistance
- Discounted meals for you and a guest
- Wireless service discounts
- Computer and software discounts
- Fitness/gym discounts
- Awards and recognition for all you do
- Retirement celebration program
Schedule
This role is based at the San Antonio Home Office, working on-site Monday through Thursday with remote flexibility on Fridays. Full-time availability is required, with occasional extended hours based on business needs, along with occasional travel to properties, project sites, and external meetings. Candidates must reside within commuting distance of the San Antonio Home Office.