Principal Data Architect

Job Description
Applied Systems is looking for a Principal Data Architect to shape the architectural
foundation of our Data and Analytics capabilities as we scale to enable better insights and
lay the groundwork for AI across the enterprise. The ideal candidate brings deep data
architecture expertise with a commitment to embracing AI and enabling the success of
engineering teams across Applied.
At Applied, Principal architects are force-multipliers - technical leaders and practitioners
who are passionate about designing, guiding, and teaching by doing. You will live our
Leadership Principles: owning outcomes, insisting on the highest standards, and inventing
and simplifying solutions for our customers and teams.
You will have an AI-First approach to architecture with a view of AI and automation as
leverage to scale your impact beyond individual throughput. You will define the long-term
vision for AI-enabled data architecture, design and govern agentic workflows
with appropriate guardrails, and surface system-level insights that raise quality and
velocity across the domain.
What You'll Do

• Define large-scale data architecture decisions - batch/streaming platforms,
  warehouses, and lakehouses - and evaluate tradeoffs for quality, scalability, and
  long-term sustainability
• Architect observability, alerting, and incident-response frameworks
  to monitor the health and SLAs of data pipelines across the organization; serve as
  the technical escalation point for complex data architecture problems
• Partner across Applied teams to define standards for data quality, lineage
  tracking, access control, cataloging, and governance; establish SLAs/SLOs for
  critical data assets
• Design data modeling standards across OLAP/warehouse (dimensional
  modeling), OLTP/transactional, streaming/real-time, and AI/vector/feature-store
  use cases
• Define patterns for embedding AI and agent-supported workflows across
  the data engineering lifecycle, and enable teams to adopt them at scale
• Define and enforce data engineering standards, best practices, and design
  patterns across the organization
• Mentor and grow engineers through code reviews, design discussions, and
  technical guidance
• Influence cross-functional roadmaps by translating business requirements
  into sound data architecture strategies

What You'll need to succeed

• 15+ years in software/data engineering or architecture with outstanding
  impact
• Degree in Computer Science, a related field, or equivalent combination of
  education and experience
• Expert knowledge of data architecture principles and best practices
• Hands-on builder experience (actively coding, testing, and validating
  architecture at scale)
• Proven ability to influence without authority
• Pragmatic approach and obsessed with eliminating waste
• Player-coach mindset with a commitment to teaching through action
• Adaptability, resilience, and the ability to thrive in ambiguity with iteration
• Excellent communication skills, able to meet your audience where they are
  and explain complex problems clearly
• Expertise across data and software technologies - GCP BigQuery and dbt a
  plus
• Proven experience architecting large-scale data warehouses or lakehouses
• Solid understanding of data modeling concepts including dimensional
  modeling and streaming architectures; experience with vector stores is a plus
• Strong understanding of data governance; experience implementing data
  catalogs a plus

Talent shows up in a lot of different ways, and we mean that. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds and experience levels, including military members and their spouses and those without a traditional degree or tech background. If this role speaks to you, apply.
Why You'll Like Working on Team Applied
The best work happens when smart people move fast, together. For over 40+ years, Applied has built technology that solves real problems for insurance professionals - and we're still pushing what's possible.
You'll be part of our people-first culture built on trust, inclusion, and growth - where you're supported to deliver, collaborate with teammates who care, and grow with leaders invested in your success.
How We'll Support You
We invest in the whole person, not just the role. Our benefits and resources are built to support your health, your time, and your life outside of work:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage
• Holiday and Vacation Time
• Health & Wellness Days
• A Bonus Day for Your Birthday

Compensation Transparency
The anticipated base salary range for this position in the United States is $160,000 - $260,000. Actual starting compensation will be determined based on a variety of factors, including a candidate's experience, skills, qualifications, and the scope and responsibilities of the role. In addition to base salary, eligible employees may participate in incentive compensation programs, such as annual bonuses or commissions, and receive a comprehensive benefits package.
Your Security Matters:
Our candidates' personal information and online safety are top of mind. Applied communicates with candidates only via a secure @appliedsystems.com email address or through our official careers portal. Recruiters will never request payments or ask for financial account or sensitive personal information like Social Security numbers.
AI Utilization
We leverage AI tools to streamline parts of our recruitment workflow (such as resume parsing and interview scheduling). However, final decisions are always conducted by real humans.
EEO Statement
Applied Systems is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. Diversity and Inclusion is a business imperative and is a part of building our brand and reputation. At Applied, we don't discriminate, and we are committed to recruit, develop, retain, and promote regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, veteran status, and other protected status as required by applicable law.
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