Data Architect

A premier Energy company in the Houston, Texas area is seeking a Senior Data Architect to design and lead the evolution of a modern data platform supporting trading and analytics use cases. This role sits at the intersection of data engineering, platform architecture, and business problem-solving, with a strong emphasis on Databricks, Azure, and secure, scalable data platforms. This is a individual contributor and they will operate at a high level of abstraction, defining solutions and architectural direction while partnering with execution teams to deliver., In this role, the Data Architect will define and design scalable data platform architectures that support trading and analytics use cases. The individual will evaluate platform-level solutions, looking beyond software-only implementations to ensure the overall architecture aligns with performance, scalability, and enterprise standards. The role will be responsible for optimizing Databricks workloads to improve both performance and cost efficiency while establishing strong data security, governance, and access control models. The Data Architect will partner closely with platform providers and internal infrastructure teams to align architectural decisions across the organization. They will translate high-level business problems into scalable, well-structured technical designs and guide execution teams by breaking complex challenges into clear, deliverable components that can be implemented effectively. This position is required to sit onsite 3 days a week in Houston (either downtown or off i10 and Dairy Ashford). Depending on years of experience and technical ability, this position pays between $80-$100/hr.

Senior-level Data Engineering experience with architecture responsibility (10-15 years exp)

Strong Databricks expertise, including:

• Data streaming and processing (DLT, Structured Streaming)
• Performance and cost optimization

Deep experience with Microsoft Azure

Strong Python programming (production-grade)

Advanced SQL and data modeling experience

Hands-on experience with:

• Data platform design (end-to-end)
• Security and governance: (Low-level data security; Role-based access control (RBAC))

Experience with Unity Catalog / data cataloging standards

Strong understanding of Spark / PySpark engine behavior

Ability to engage with platform teams (Microsoft, Databricks, or equivalent)

Nice to Have Skills & Experience

• Exposure to AI/ML use cases within data platforms
• Experience interfacing directly with traders or trading systems
• Kafka or other event-streaming technologies
• Background in financial services, trading, or capital markets Professional certifications

Benefit packages for this role will start on the 1st day of employment and include medical, dental, and vision insurance, as well as HSA, FSA, and DCFSA account options, and 401k retirement account access with employer matching. Employees in this role are also entitled to paid sick leave and/or other paid time off as provided by applicable law.