Principal Data Architect

Title of Position:         Principal Data Architect        

Department:                 Data

Reports to (Title):       Director, Data

Salary Grade:   P5/Zone 3

Position Description

The Principal Data Architect is the senior individual contributor accountable for data architecture across UNOS Data, AI and Analytics. The role owns the end-to-end architecture for the UNOS data intelligence platform: a lakehouse that unifies clinical, operational and financial data, including EMR/EHR data.

The Principal Data Architect will set the technical direction for how data is ingested, modeled, governed, secured and served, and will build the data foundation for an AI-enabled BI platform that supports both analytics and agentic AI. Working closely with data engineering, data science and technology teams, the Principal Data Architect will take a hands-on role in setting architectural standards during the lakehouse build and stewarding the platform as it scales.

Key Responsibilities

DATA ARCHITECTURE

• Own the enterprise data reference architecture, from ingestion to consumption, across a multi-cloud and on-premises estate.
• Create conceptual and logical data models and guide their physical implementation for all data types.
• Define enterprise data standards and naming conventions, enforced through automated pipeline checks.
• Design integration patterns (batch, streaming, CDC, event-driven, API, file) and document end-to-end data flows.
• Design master and reference data (patient, provider, organization, location and code sets) with clear stewardship.
• Establish systems of record for each authoritative dataset and how others consume it.
• Turn business, clinical and regulatory requirements into scalable architecture.

LAKEHOUSE BUILD & EMR/EHR INTEGRATION

• Own the target design for the UNOS data intelligence lakehouse, using medallion architecture on open formats (Delta Lake, Apache Iceberg).
• Lead EMR/EHR source discovery and integration using HL7 v2, FHIR R4 and vendor extracts.
• Build and oversee production pipelines and pipeline frameworks on Azure and Databricks that capture changes, adapt to schema updates and are fully monitored.
• Standardize clinical data using common models (OMOP CDM, FHIR) and terminologies (SNOMED CT, LOINC, ICD-10, CPT, RxNorm).
• Build governance, lineage and data quality rules into the platform using Unity Catalog and Azure access controls.
• Protect PHI and sensitive data through classification, masking, retention, audit trails and least-privilege access.

AI-ENABLED BI PLATFORM FOR AGENTIC & ANALYTICS WORK

• Design one trusted semantic and metrics layer for both BI and AI.
• Prepare data architecture for AI, including model features, RAG, document intelligence, generative AI and agents.
• Define data contracts and governed access for AI agents.
• Set standards for testing, monitoring and responsible use of AI models and agents in production.
• Partner with AI and analytics teams to deliver secure, cost-effective, scalable solutions people use.

Core Ongoing Duties

• Maintain the data architecture roadmap as needs evolve.
• Review and approve designs, data models and pipeline changes, and guide teams through delivery.
• Design for performance, availability, resilience and cost efficiency, build in observability and operational readiness, and guide optimization of systemic issues.
• Define the data quality framework and resolve design-related quality issues.
• Support security and privacy teams in access reviews, incidents and new regulations.
• Partner with infrastructure and cloud platform teams to keep the platform aligned with enterprise standards and controls.
• Evaluate tools and vendors, run proofs of concepts and advise on build-vs-buy.
• Build reference implementations and hand validated patterns for delivery teams.
• Keep architecture diagrams, decision records, and specifications current.
• Coach architects and senior engineers on data modeling and data architecture.
• Contribute to Enterprise Architecture governance.
• Track trends such as TEFCA, CMS interoperability rules and generative AI in healthcare.
• Perform other duties and support additional administrative priorities as assigned, consistent with the general scope and level of the position. 

Minimum Requirements

• 12+ years in technology, including 8+ years in data architecture, data engineering or related technical roles.
• 3+ years working with healthcare data in a regulated environment, including EMR/EHR integration and HIPAA compliance.
• Proven ownership of enterprise data architectures and reusable data product patterns.
• Experience designing a cloud lakehouse on Azure and Databricks using medallion architecture.

Critical Skills 

• Expert SQL, Python and PySpark.
• Strong data modeling across dimensional, normalized, data mesh and data vault approaches.
• Hands-on experience with Azure data services: ADF, ADLS, Synapse, Azure SQL and Delta Lake, Azure Databricks.
• Experience with Epic Clarity/Caboodle, Oracle Health (Cerner) or MEDITECH data structures (preferred).
• Experience with vector search, feature stores and MLOps for AI and agentic systems (preferred).
• Exposure to Microsoft Foundry and/or Databricks Genie agents (preferred)
• Exposure to Microsoft Fabric, Azure Health Data Services (preferred).
• Experience with governance and master data tools such as Collibra, Informatica or EMPI solutions (preferred).
• Experience with Airflow, Terraform and CI/CD for data pipelines (preferred).

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, Health Informatics or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• Relevant industry certifications in cloud architecture preferred (Azure, Databricks, Snowflake), data management (CDMP, TOGAF) or healthcare interoperability (HL7 FHIR).

Physical Requirements

• General office demands
  • Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
  • Frequent reaching, handling, and fine manipulation for using office equipment, filing, and managing paperwork.
  • Manual dexterity sufficient to operate a keyboard, mouse, and other office tools.
  • Occasional standing, walking, and bending.
  • Ability to lift up to 10-20 pounds occasionally.
  • Vision abilities required include close vision for computer work and reading documents.
  • Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.