Sr Principal Data Architect

$223,000 - $306,500/Yr

PaloAlto Networks - Santa Clara, CA

Full-time - Senior

Santa Clara, CA

About the position

The Senior Principal Data Architect at Palo Alto Networks is a strategic role focused on leading the design and implementation of data architecture, governance, and quality frameworks. This position is crucial for developing a robust data infrastructure that supports analytics and decision-making, ensuring data consistency and reliability across the organization. The architect will oversee the establishment of the Enterprise Data Model (EDM) and Single Sources of Truth (SSOTs) for critical data assets, promoting data integrity and compliance with regulations.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, and optimization of scalable data architectures, including data warehouses and data lakes.
• Design and implement Single Sources of Truth (SSOTs) for critical datasets, ensuring consistent and reliable data across the organization.
• Develop and enforce data governance policies and frameworks to ensure responsible and compliant data usage.
• Establish and manage data quality standards, processes, and metrics to ensure data accuracy, consistency, and completeness.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to the data engineering and architecture teams.
• Drive data quality/governance/architecture discussions across IT and business teams.
• Design and support the implementation of scalable data systems capable of handling large datasets efficiently.
• Work closely with the Infosec team to incorporate data privacy and security best practices into data architectures and SSOTs.
• Stay updated on industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices in data architecture.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Data Science, or a related field; Master's or Ph.D preferred.
• 10+ years in data architecture, data engineering, or related roles, with experience in SSOT, data governance, and data quality management.
• Proficiency in data warehousing (e.g., BigQuery, Snowflake, or Redshift), data lakes, ETL/ELT frameworks, and cloud platforms (AWS, Google Cloud Platform, or Azure).
• Strong knowledge of SQL and at least one programming language (e.g., Python, Java).
• Proven experience establishing SSOT frameworks and data governance strategies.
• Expertise in data modeling, including OLAP, OLTP, star schemas, normalized forms, and semi/unstructured data.
• Strong track record of mentoring, influencing, and managing technical teams.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience with machine learning data pipelines and supporting AI/ML infrastructure.
• Familiarity with data governance frameworks (e.g., DAMA DMBOK, DCAM).
• Knowledge of industry regulations and data privacy laws (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA).

Benefits

• FLEXBenefits wellbeing spending account with over 1,000 eligible items.
• Mental and financial health resources.
• Personalized learning opportunities.