Databricks Architect
Position Description
Design and Lead Enterprise-Scale Databricks Lakehouse Solutions
Are you an experienced data architect who enjoys designing modern, scalable data platforms and solving complex data challenges? Do you combine deep Databricks expertise with hands-on engineering skills and the ability to provide technical leadership to clients and delivery teams?
CGI is seeking a Databricks Architect to design, build, and govern enterprise-scale data and Lakehouse solutions using Databricks and cloud-native technologies. In this role, you will lead end-to-end solution architecture - from data ingestion, integration, and modeling through performance optimization, governance, security, reliability, and cost management.
You will play a key role in designing cloud-based data platforms that integrate information from multiple source systems and enable advanced analytics, AI/ML, and self-service data capabilities at scale. This position combines hands-on technical delivery, architecture leadership, client engagement, and strategic influence.
As a Databricks Architect, you will work closely with clients, data engineers, application teams, cloud architects, analytics teams, and business stakeholders to translate complex requirements into scalable and sustainable solutions. You will also mentor engineering teams, establish architectural standards and best practices, and help clients maximize the value of their Databricks investments.
This is an excellent opportunity for someone who thrives in a fast-paced technology environment and is passionate about using modern data platforms to solve complex business challenges.
Location: The preferred locations are San Francisco Bay Area; Sacramento, CA; Seattle, WA; and requires a hybrid onsite work arrangement. Remote candidates with the right experience will be considered (must be willing to work PST hours!).
Your future duties and responsibilities
How you'll make an impact
- Provide technical and architectural leadership for Databricks, modern data platforms, Lakehouse architectures, and cloud-native data solutions.
- Design and implement scalable enterprise data architectures using Databricks, including Delta Lake, Delta Lake UniForm/Iceberg interoperability, Lakeflow Declarative Pipelines (formerly Delta Live Tables), and Unity Catalog.
- Lead the end-to-end architecture and development of Data Lakehouse solutions, including ingestion, transformation, data modeling, orchestration, storage, analytics, and consumption layers.
- Design and optimize scalable data pipelines integrating structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data from multiple enterprise source systems.
- Establish architecture standards and best practices for data governance, security, access controls, metadata management, data quality, reliability, and observability.
- Optimize Spark workloads, Databricks compute, storage, and platform configurations to improve performance, scalability, reliability, and cost efficiency.
- Provide hands-on technical leadership, including coding, solution prototyping, design reviews, troubleshooting, and resolution of critical technical issues.
- Partner with clients and business stakeholders to understand business challenges and translate requirements into scalable data and analytics solutions.
- Lead and mentor data engineers and technical team members while promoting engineering excellence, collaboration, continuous learning, and innovation.
- Support analytics, AI/ML, and emerging Generative AI use cases by establishing scalable and governed enterprise data foundations.
- Collaborate with cloud, security, infrastructure, application, and analytics teams to ensure solutions align with enterprise architecture and technology standards.
- Contribute to CGI's growth by supporting solution development, proposals, statements of work (SOWs), technical presentations, and strategies to expand our presence within existing client accounts.
Required qualifications to be successful in this role
What you'll bring
- 10+ years of experience in data engineering, data architecture, or related disciplines, including 5+ years of hands-on experience designing and delivering end-to-end Databricks solutions in cloud environments.
- Deep expertise with the Databricks platform and Lakehouse architecture, including Apache Spark, Databricks SQL, Delta Lake, Unity Catalog, notebooks, compute, jobs, workflows, and workspace management.
- Strong hands-on development experience with Python and/or Scala, Spark, SQL, and distributed data processing.
- Demonstrated experience designing and implementing enterprise-scale ETL/ELT and data integration pipelines using Databricks and Spark.
- Hands-on experience integrating Databricks with at least one major cloud platform: Microsoft Azure, AWS, or Google Cloud Platform (GCP).
- Strong understanding of logical and physical data modeling for enterprise analytics, reporting, and data products.
- Experience implementing enterprise data governance and security, including Unity Catalog, role-based access control, lineage, metadata management, and applicable compliance requirements.
- Demonstrated ability to optimize Spark workloads, compute configurations, storage, and data pipelines for performance and cost efficiency.
- Experience designing highly available, reliable, scalable, and maintainable enterprise data platforms.
- Ability and willingness to remain hands-on with architecture, development, coding, troubleshooting, and technical problem-solving.
- Proven track record of successfully delivering multiple complex, enterprise-scale Databricks implementations from architecture and design through implementation, optimization, and production support.
- Strong communication and consulting skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
- Demonstrated ability to provide technical leadership and mentor engineering teams.
Desired Qualifications / Non-Essential Skills
- Databricks Certified Data Engineer Professional or other relevant Databricks certification.
- Experience designing and implementing data pipelines using Azure Data Factory (ADF) or comparable cloud-native orchestration technologies.
- Experience with DevOps and DataOps practices, including CI/CD, automated testing, source control, infrastructure automation, and Agile delivery methodologies.
- Experience with metadata management, enterprise data cataloging, data lineage, and data quality frameworks.
- Experience designing or supporting data mesh and domain-oriented data architectures.
- Exposure to Databricks Lakebridge or other migration and modernization tooling.
- Experience with cross-tenant, multi-workspace, multi-region, or enterprise-scale
Databricks governance strategies.
- Experience supporting data platforms used for advanced analytics, machine learning, Generative AI, or AI/ML workloads.
- Previous consulting experience and exposure to proposal development, solution estimation, or SOW development are preferred.
### Education Requirement
Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Data Science, Computer Engineering, Information Systems, or a related technical field is preferred. An equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience will be considered in lieu of a degree. A Master’s degree in a related discipline is a plus.
Other Information:
CGI is required by law in some jurisdictions to include a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role. The determination of this range includes various factors not limited to skill set, level, experience, relevant training, and licensure and certifications. To support the ability to reward for merit based performance, CGI typically does not hire individuals at or near the top of the range for their role. Compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range for this role in the U.S. is $114,800.00 $267,800.00.
CGI's benefits are offered to eligible professionals on their first day of employment to include:
. Competitive compensation
. Comprehensive insurance options
. Matching contributions through the 401(k) plan and the share purchase plan
. Paid time off for vacation, holidays, and sick time
. Paid parental leave
.Learning opportunities and tuition assistance
. Wellness and Well being programs
Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
Together, as owners, let’s turn meaningful insights into action.
Life at CGI is rooted in ownership, teamwork, respect and belonging. Here, you’ll reach your full potential because…
You are invited to be an owner from day 1 as we work together to bring our Dream to life. That’s why we call ourselves CGI Partners rather than employees. We benefit from our collective success and actively shape our company’s strategy and direction.
Your work creates value. You’ll develop innovative solutions and build relationships with teammates and clients while accessing global capabilities to scale your ideas, embrace new opportunities, and benefit from expansive industry and technology expertise.
You’ll shape your career by joining a company built to grow and last. You’ll be supported by leaders who care about your health and well-being and provide you with opportunities to deepen your skills and broaden your horizons.
Come join our team - one of the largest IT and business consulting services firms in the world.
Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, ethnicity, ancestry, color, sex, religion, creed, age, national origin, citizenship status, disability, pregnancy, medical condition, military and veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation or perceived sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, and gender expression, familial status or responsibilities, reproductive health decisions, political affiliation, genetic information, height, weight, or any other legally protected status or characteristics to the extent required by applicable federal, state, and/or local laws where we do business.
CGI provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. If you need an accommodation to apply for a job in the U.S., please email the CGI U.S. Employment Compliance mailbox at US_Employment_Compliance@cgi.com. You will need to reference the Position ID of the position in which you are interested. Your message will be routed to the appropriate recruiter who will assist you. Please note, this email address is only to be used for those individuals who need an accommodation to apply for a job. Emails for any other reason or those that do not include a Position ID will not be returned.
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All CGI offers of employment in the U.S. are contingent upon the ability to successfully complete a background investigation. Background investigation components can vary dependent upon specific assignment and/or level of US government security clearance held. Dependent upon role and/or federal government security clearance requirements, and in accordance with applicable laws, some background investigations may include a credit check. CGI will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrests and conviction records in accordance with all local regulations and ordinances.
CGI will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with CGI’s legal duty to furnish information.
