Data Architect

Location: US - VA, McLean, US - IN, Indianapolis, US - VA, Arlington

Time Type: Full time

Job Description

Job Family:

Travel Required:

Clearance Required:

What You Will Do

As a Data Architect, you will lead the design, implementation, and evolution of enterprise‑scale data architectures supporting advanced analytics, AI/ML, and mission‑critical decision‑making for federal clients. You will serve as a technical authority responsible for ensuring data solutions are scalable, secure, and aligned with federal and DoD architecture, governance, and compliance requirements.

You will work closely with data engineers, AI/ML teams, platform engineers, and government stakeholders to translate mission needs into robust data architectures, leveraging Databricks and Palantir Foundry as core delivery platforms.

Key responsibilities include:

• Lead the end‑to‑end design of data architectures supporting analytics, AI/ML, and operational reporting

• Define logical and physical data models, ingestion patterns, transformation layers, and consumption frameworks

• Architect solutions for large‑scale structured and semi‑structured datasets, including federal financial and operational data

• Design secure, scalable data platforms leveraging Databricks (Spark, Delta Lake) and Palantir Foundry

• Establish architecture standards for data integration, metadata, lineage, and data quality

• Ensure architectures align with federal security, compliance, and data governance requirements

• Partner with AI/ML, MLOps, and analytics teams to enable production‑grade model development and deployment

• Guide implementation teams through complex architectural decisions and trade‑offs

• Support system design reviews, technical documentation, and government architecture forums

• Mentor junior architects and engineers while providing technical leadership across engagements

What You Will Need:

• An ACTIVE and MAINTAINED "SECRET" Federal or DoD security clearance.

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, or a related technical field

• FIVE (5) or more years of experience in data architecture, data engineering, or enterprise analytics roles

• Hands‑on experience with Databricks (Spark, Delta Lake, performance optimization, production architectures)

• Hands‑on experience with Palantir Foundry, including data pipelines, ontology, and analytics enablement

• Strong experience designing enterprise data architectures supporting analytics and AI/ML workloads

• Experience with SQL and distributed data processing frameworks

• Experience integrating multiple data sources and managing complex data pipelines

What Would Be Great to Have

• Strong understanding of data governance, metadata management, and lineage

• Ability to clearly communicate architectural designs to both technical and executive audiences

• Experience supporting the Department of Defense, including exposure to Advana or DoD enterprise data platforms

• Experience working with federal financial, budgetary, accounting, or audit data

• Experience architecting solutions in Azure Government or AWS GovCloud

• Familiarity with MLOps and how data architecture supports model lifecycle management

• Knowledge of data cataloging, semantic layers, and enterprise metadata strategies

• Experience designing data architectures that support Responsible AI and model governance

• Experience leading architecture reviews or serving as an approving authority
• Master’s degree in a related technical discipline

What We Offer:

Guidehouse offers a comprehensive, total rewards package that includes competitive compensation and a flexible benefits package that reflects our commitment to creating a diverse and supportive workplace.

Benefits include:

• Medical, Rx, Dental & Vision Insurance

• Personal and Family Sick Time & Company Paid Holidays

• Position may be eligible for a discretionary variable incentive bonus

• Parental Leave and Adoption Assistance

• 401(k) Retirement Plan

• Basic Life & Supplemental Life

• Health Savings Account, Dental/Vision & Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts

• Short-Term & Long-Term Disability

• Student Loan PayDown

• Tuition Reimbursement, Personal Development & Learning Opportunities

• Skills Development & Certifications

• Employee Referral Program

• Corporate Sponsored Events & Community Outreach

• Emergency Back-Up Childcare Program

• Mobility Stipend

About Guidehouse

Guidehouse is an Equal Opportunity Employer–Protected Veterans, Individuals with Disabilities or any other basis protected by law, ordinance, or regulation.

Guidehouse will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable law or ordinance including the Fair Chance Ordinance of Los Angeles and San Francisco.

If you have visited our website for information about employment opportunities, or to apply for a position, and you require an accommodation, please contact Guidehouse Recruiting at 1-571-633-1711 or via email at [email protected]. All information you provide will be kept confidential and will be used only to the extent required to provide needed reasonable accommodation.

All communication regarding recruitment for a Guidehouse position will be sent from Guidehouse email domains including @guidehouse.com or [email protected].  Correspondence received by an applicant from any other domain should be considered unauthorized and will not be honored by Guidehouse.  Note that Guidehouse will never charge a fee or require a money transfer at any stage of the recruitment process and does not collect fees from educational institutions for participation in a recruitment event. Never provide your banking information to a third party purporting to need that information to proceed in the hiring process.

If any person or organization demands money related to a job opportunity with Guidehouse, please report the matter to Guidehouse’s Ethics Hotline. If you want to check the validity of correspondence you have received, please contact [email protected]. Guidehouse is not responsible for losses incurred (monetary or otherwise) from an applicant’s dealings with unauthorized third parties.

Guidehouse does not accept unsolicited resumes through or from search firms or staffing agencies. All unsolicited resumes will be considered the property of Guidehouse and Guidehouse will not be obligated to pay a placement fee.