Data Architect / Solution Architect

Engagement Type: Contract (Initial 6-Month Term w/ High Likelihood of Extension) W2 only Work Arrangement: Preferred onsite in Carmel, Indiana, or other location options. Remote candidates will be required onsite for the first week for onboarding, with occasional onsite visits thereafter as needed., Our client partner in Carmel, Indiana is seeking a highly experienced Data Architect to lead the modernization of a critical enterprise data platform. This team owns the Customer Data Exchange, an API Management-based platform responsible for securely sharing regulated data with external stakeholders, including members, research institutions, media organizations, and third-party aggregators. The current platform faces adoption, performance, and scalability challenges as the organization transitions from legacy flat-file delivery methods to a modern, API-first architecture. This role requires a strategic and hands-on architect who can assess the current environment, diagnose root causes, design scalable solutions, and mentor existing team members throughout the transformation effort. This is not a narrow specialist role. The ideal candidate will bring a blend of data engineering expertise, solution architecture experience, API design capabilities, and systems-level thinking while remaining comfortable writing code and validating concepts through prototyping., Platform Assessment & Modernization Evaluate the current state of externally facing APIs and determine the underlying causes of performance issues and low adoption. Define and recommend a scalable API-first architecture that maintains a lightweight API layer while centralizing business logic within the data platform. Provide guidance on infrastructure sizing, scaling strategies, and operational readiness to support future growth. Build lightweight prototypes and proof-of-concepts to validate architectural recommendations before transition to delivery teams. Partner closely with the existing integrations team to ensure alignment across shared infrastructure and enterprise architecture standards. Architecture & Technical Leadership Diagnose architectural, performance, and scalability issues across data products and API solutions. Design and validate solutions that balance customer experience, regulatory requirements, and infrastructure costs. Apply systems-thinking to broader organizational initiatives beyond the immediate Customer Data Exchange platform. Contribute architectural guidance across adjacent programs, including future data and simulation initiatives. Mentorship & Collaboration Serve as a trusted advisor and mentor to two existing Data Solution Architects. Challenge existing assumptions constructively and help elevate architectural practices within the team. Collaborate with engineering, integration, and business stakeholders to drive alignment and execution. Hands-On Technical Work Write and review SQL and Python code as needed. Build temporary data pipelines, proofs-of-concept, and validation frameworks. Utilize source control and modern development practices. Support solution validation through rapid experimentation and prototyping., Customer Data Exchange Modernization and API-First Transformation Business Challenge The organization’s current API platform has seen limited external adoption and performance challenges. The team is transitioning away from legacy flat-file delivery processes toward a scalable, API-first data-sharing model. Technical Environment API Management Platform (Azure API Management-based) Regulated data exchange environment External consumers including members, research institutions, media, and third-party aggregators Shared infrastructure managed in partnership with an integrations team Day-to-Day Activities Assess and troubleshoot existing API architecture. Recommend modernization strategies and future-state architecture. Design scalable data access patterns and integration models. Prototype recommended solutions using Python and SQL. Mentor existing architects and collaborate with technical stakeholders. Balance scalability, regulatory compliance, customer experience, and cost considerations. Contribute architectural guidance across additional enterprise initiatives as needed. Team & Structure Reports directly to the leader currently overseeing the function. Works alongside two existing Data Solution Architects. Partners closely with the organization’s Integrations Architect and related engineering teams. No direct reports., The successful candidate is a self-directed architect who thrives in ambiguous environments, enjoys solving complex platform problems, and can move seamlessly between strategic architecture discussions and hands-on technical execution. They are comfortable mentoring others, challenging assumptions, and helping organizations modernize legacy systems into scalable, customer-focused platforms. Interview Process Ropes Assessment Technical Interview Final Interview with Leadership and Team

Strong background in both Data Engineering and Data/Solution Architecture. Experience designing, building, and supporting production-grade APIs. Hands-on experience with Azure API Management or comparable API management platforms. Strong systems-thinking skills with the ability to evaluate end-to-end architectures rather than isolated components. Advanced proficiency in: SQL Python API Design Data Engineering Practices Experience working with GitHub and modern source control workflows. Ability to work independently within a loosely defined, outcome-driven environment. Strong consulting, communication, and stakeholder management skills. Demonstrated ability to mentor and guide technical team members. Practical, balanced perspective on leveraging AI/ML to improve delivery outcomes. Preferred Qualifications Experience within Utilities, Energy, ISO, or RTO environments. Experience modernizing legacy flat-file or batch-based data delivery systems into API-driven platforms. Previous experience mentoring junior or mid-level architects. Familiarity with regulated data-sharing environments. Top Skill Sets Data Engineering + Solution Architecture Ability to own both foundational data architecture and customer-facing data products. Enterprise API Architecture Proven experience designing and implementing scalable, production-ready APIs. Systems-Level Thinking Ability to analyze and optimize entire ecosystems rather than individual technologies.