What Does a Data Architect Do?
A data architect designs the structure and flow of an organization’s data ecosystem. They define how data is collected, stored, integrated, and accessed across platforms to support business goals, regulatory compliance, and data-driven decision-making. Their role is foundational in building scalable and secure data environments that align with both IT strategy and operational needs.
Data architects work closely with engineers, analysts, and business leaders to create standardized models, choose appropriate storage technologies, and enforce data governance. Whether planning data lake architectures, designing pipelines for analytics, or overseeing system integrations, they ensure data infrastructure is future-proof, interoperable, and optimized for performance and usability.
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Data Architect Core Responsibilities
- Design and maintain scalable data architecture across systems, platforms, and business units
- Define standards for data modeling, metadata management, and schema design
- Oversee data integration from internal and external sources
- Select appropriate storage solutions, including data lakes, warehouses, and cloud platforms
- Collaborate with data engineers, developers, and analysts to align infrastructure with business use cases
- Ensure compliance with data governance, privacy, and security policies
- Support master data management (MDM) and data catalog implementation
- Create architecture documentation, diagrams, and technical specifications
- Evaluate emerging data technologies and recommend adoption strategies
Required Skills and Qualifications
Hard skills
- Proficiency in data modeling techniques (conceptual, logical, and physical)
- Deep knowledge of relational and non-relational database systems
- Experience with ETL/ELT frameworks and data integration tools
- Familiarity with cloud data platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, GCP)
- Understanding of data governance, lineage, and security best practices
Soft skills
- Strategic thinking and systems-level planning
- Excellent collaboration and stakeholder communication
- Ability to lead cross-functional technical projects
- Strong documentation and decision-justification skills
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in computer science, data engineering, or information systems
- Master’s degree preferred for enterprise-level environments
Certifications
None required, but recommended certifications include Google Cloud Professional Data Engineer, AWS Certified Data Analytics – Specialty, and DAMA Certified Data Management Professional (CDMP).
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience leading large-scale data modernization or migration efforts
- Familiarity with data lakehouse architectures or event-driven data pipelines
- Background in regulated industries with complex compliance needs
- Exposure to MDM, data catalogs, or metadata governance tools
National Average Salary
Data architect salaries vary by experience, industry, organization size, and geography. Click below to explore salaries by local market.
The average national salary for a Data Architect is:
$125,635
Sample Job Description Templates for Data Architects
Enterprise Data Architect
Position Overview
An enterprise data architect leads the design and governance of an organization’s data ecosystem at scale. This role ensures consistency, interoperability, and alignment across systems, departments, and platforms while supporting data governance and long-term strategy.
Responsibilities
- Define enterprise-wide data architecture standards and frameworks
- Align data systems with business goals and regulatory requirements
- Lead data governance initiatives including data quality, stewardship, and lineage
- Oversee integration of legacy systems, MDM, and modern cloud platforms
- Collaborate with IT and business leaders on enterprise data strategy
- Manage architecture documentation and system mapping across business units
Requirements
Hard skills
- Deep expertise in data modeling and enterprise architecture frameworks (e.g., TOGAF)
- Familiarity with MDM, data catalogs, and governance platforms
- Experience integrating diverse data environments (on-prem, cloud, hybrid)
Soft skills
- Executive-level communication and strategy alignment
- Strong cross-functional leadership
- Systems thinking and risk management
Education
- Bachelor’s or master’s degree in computer science, information systems, or data strategy
Certifications
- TOGAF Certified
- DAMA CDMP (Certified Data Management Professional)
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience leading data architecture for global or highly regulated enterprises
- Familiarity with data governance frameworks such as DCAM or COBIT
Cloud Data Architect
Position Overview
A cloud data architect designs secure, scalable, and cost-effective data environments on cloud platforms. They support analytics, applications, and integrations by selecting cloud-native services and designing automated, flexible infrastructure.
Responsibilities
- Design cloud-native data architectures on AWS, Azure, or GCP
- Select storage and processing platforms (e.g., S3, BigQuery, Azure Data Lake)
- Implement data security, encryption, and IAM policies
- Build scalable data pipelines using managed services (e.g., Glue, Dataflow, ADF)
- Collaborate with DevOps and engineering teams on infrastructure as code (IAC)
- Optimize data performance and cost through partitioning and lifecycle policies
Requirements
Hard skills
- Proficiency with cloud data services and orchestration tools
- Experience with data pipeline development and cloud automation
- Understanding of networking, encryption, and compliance in the cloud
Soft skills
- Solution-focused collaboration with cloud and data teams
- Documentation and architectural planning
- Adaptability in evolving cloud environments
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in cloud architecture or computer science
Certifications
- AWS Certified Data Analytics – Specialty
- Google Cloud Professional Data Engineer
- Azure Solutions Architect Expert
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with hybrid cloud or multi-cloud data strategies
- Familiarity with serverless data infrastructure
Big Data Architect
Position Overview
A big data architect designs large-scale data processing systems to manage high-volume, high-velocity, or complex datasets. They build distributed architectures for analytics, machine learning, and operational intelligence.
Responsibilities
- Architect data pipelines using Apache Spark, Kafka, Flink, or Hadoop
- Design storage strategies using Parquet, ORC, or Delta Lake formats
- Build infrastructure to support batch and streaming data ingestion
- Integrate big data platforms with analytics, ML, and reporting layers
- Ensure scalability, data lineage, and schema evolution over time
- Collaborate with data engineers, scientists, and security teams
Requirements
Hard skills
- Advanced knowledge of distributed processing systems
- Experience with data lakes and streaming architecture design
- Proficiency in tools like Databricks, EMR, or Google Cloud Dataflow
Soft skills
- Innovation in large-scale system design
- Strong cross-team collaboration
- Documentation and performance planning
Education
- Bachelor’s or master’s degree in data engineering or computer science
Certifications
- Cloudera Data Platform Architect
- Google Cloud or AWS Big Data Certification (recommended)
Preferred Qualifications
- Background in real-time analytics or event-driven architecture
- Familiarity with ML model deployment on big data infrastructure
Data Warehouse Architect
Position Overview
A data warehouse architect builds structured environments that support analytics and reporting. They design schemas, pipelines, and storage solutions optimized for performance, governance, and business intelligence access.
Responsibilities
- Design and maintain star/snowflake schemas for BI systems
- Select and manage platforms like Snowflake, Redshift, BigQuery, or Azure Synapse
- Build ELT pipelines and manage data marts, fact tables, and dimension tables
- Collaborate with analysts and engineers on query performance
- Establish data retention, quality, and access standards
- Support dashboarding and reporting systems through semantic modeling
Requirements
Hard skills
- Proficiency in SQL and data modeling for analytics
- Experience with cloud-based data warehousing platforms
- Knowledge of ETL/ELT tools (e.g., dbt, Informatica, Airflow)
Soft skills
- Strong attention to data accuracy and reporting needs
- Communication with business and analytics teams
- Structured documentation and planning
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in information systems, data engineering, or analytics
Certifications
- Snowflake Architect Certification (recommended)
- Microsoft or Google cloud analytics certifications
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with BI tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI, Looker)
- Familiarity with data governance or audit reporting frameworks
Healthcare Data Architect
Position Overview
A healthcare data architect designs compliant, secure, and interoperable data systems to support patient care, clinical analytics, and regulatory reporting. They ensure sensitive health data is structured, accessible, and aligned with HIPAA and healthcare standards.
Responsibilities
- Design data models and storage for EHR, claims, and clinical outcomes
- Support integration with EMR systems (e.g., Epic, Cerner) and HIEs
- Implement HL7, FHIR, ICD, and CPT data standards across systems
- Build secure data pipelines for analytics and quality reporting
- Collaborate with clinical, IT, and compliance stakeholders
- Ensure privacy and auditability in all data system designs
Requirements
Hard skills
- Proficiency with healthcare data platforms and interoperability standards
- Knowledge of regulatory frameworks (HIPAA, HITECH, CMS)
- Experience with healthcare analytics tools or warehouses
Soft skills
- Ethical mindset and attention to compliance
- Clear communication across technical and clinical teams
- Strong documentation and system mapping skills
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in health informatics, data science, or computer science
Certifications
- Certified Professional in Healthcare Information and Management Systems (CPHIMS)
- CHDA (Certified Health Data Analyst) (recommended)
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience supporting value-based care or population health initiatives
- Familiarity with payer data systems or public health reporting