Principal Data Architect

Job Description:

Position Overview

The primary responsibility of the Principal Data Architect is to lead the design and development of our data architecture for a casino management system being built from the ground up. The Principal Data Architect is a strategic thinker with a deep technical background to lay the foundation for robust data management, analytics, and future AI/ML initiatives. The Principal Data Architect will work closely with cross-functional teams to create a scalable and secure data ecosystem that supports operational efficiency and enhances decision-making. 

All duties are to be performed in accordance with departmental and Las Vegas Sands Corp.’s policies, practices, and procedures. All Las Vegas Sands Corp. Team Members are expected to conduct and carry themselves in a professional manner at all times. Team Members are required to observe the Company’s standards, work requirements and rules of conduct.   

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Define and implement a comprehensive data architecture strategy that aligns with business objectives and regulatory requirements, ensuring data integrity, availability, and security. 

• Design and establish data management frameworks, including data ingestion, storage, processing, and retrieval processes that support operational and analytical needs. 

• Develop logical and physical data models that accurately represent business processes and data flows within the casino management system. 

• Lead the design and implementation of Extract, Transform, Load (ETL) processes to integrate data from various sources, ensuring high data quality and consistency. 

• Lay the groundwork for future AI and machine learning initiatives by establishing data pipelines and storage solutions that facilitate data preparation and modeling. 

• Collaborate with business intelligence teams to create a strategy for analytics, including real-time reporting and historical analysis, to support data-driven decision-making. 

• Evaluate and select appropriate database technologies (e.g., SQL, NoSQL) that meet the needs of the casino management system and support scalability and performance. 

• Establish data governance policies and best practices to ensure compliance with regulatory standards and industry best practices regarding data security and privacy. 

• Monitor and optimize data storage and retrieval performance, implementing best practices to enhance data access and processing speeds. 

• Work closely with stakeholders across the organization, including product managers, developers, and data scientists, to ensure the data architecture supports their needs and promotes a collaborative data culture. 

• Perform job duties in a safe manner.

• Attend work as scheduled on a consistent and regular basis.

• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• At least 21 years of age.

• Proof of authorization to work in the United States.

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Information Technology, or a related field. 

• Must be able to obtain and maintain any certification or license, as required by law or policy. 

• 10+ years of experience in data architecture and management, with at least 5 years in a principal or lead architect role, preferably in the gaming or casino industry. 

• Extensive experience in designing data architectures that support transactional and analytical processing. 

• Proficiency with a range of database systems (e.g., PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Cassandra, Snowflake) and experience in data warehousing concepts. 

• Expertise in ETL tools and frameworks (e.g., Apache NiFi, Talend, Informatica) for data integration and processing. 

• Strong skills in data modeling techniques (e.g., dimensional modeling, normalization, star and snowflake schemas). 

• Familiarity with big data technologies (e.g., Apache Hadoop, Apache Spark, Kafka) for handling large-scale data processing. 

• Demonstrated experience with cloud data solutions (e.g., AWS Redshift, Google BigQuery, Azure Data Lake) and familiarity with cloud architecture patterns. 

• Understanding of AI and machine learning frameworks (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch, Scikit-learn) for future integration of predictive analytics. 

• Working knowledge of data governance frameworks and tools (e.g., Collibra, Alation) to manage data quality, privacy, and compliance. 

• Demonstrated experience with BI tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI, Looker) for data visualization and reporting. 

• Proficiency in programming languages relevant to data processing (e.g., SQL, Python, R) and scripting for automation. 

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a focus on delivering high-quality data solutions. 

• Proven ability to lead and mentor technical teams in data architecture best practices. 

• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate effectively and interact appropriately with management, other Team Members and outside contacts of different backgrounds and levels of experience.

Physical Requirements

Must be able to:

• Physically access assigned workspace areas with or without reasonable accommodation.

• Work indoors and be exposed to various environmental factors such as, but not limited to, CRT, noise, and dust.

• Utilize laptop and standard keyboard to perform essential functions of the job.