Mediabistro logo
job logo

Data Architect

Guidehouse, Mc Lean, VA, United States


Job Family:
Data Engineering & Architecture Consulting

Travel Required:
Up to 25%

Clearance Required:
Active Secret

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 RecruitingAccommodation@guidehouse.com. 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 guidehouse@myworkday.com. 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 recruiting@guidehouse.com. 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.