Pay
In line with similar jobs
$149K–$248K against $154K–$226K, the middle half of what similar US postings state.
From 3,103 postings in the last year. Stated ranges, not salaries paid.
Associate Director, Lead Data Architect - Databricks
US - VA, McLean
Live, first seen by us 53 days ago- Pay
$149,000–248,000/year — pay source
Experience supporting public-sector data modernization. The annual salary range for this position is $149,000.00-$248,000.00. Compensation decisions depend on a wide range of factors, including but not limited to skill sets, experience and training, security clearances, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. What We Offer: Guidehouse offers a comprehensive, total rewards package that includes competitive compensation and a flexible benefits package that reflects our commitment to creating a diverse and supportive workplace.
Read the full posting- Work setting
- Not stated
- Employment
Full-time — employment source
Employment type in the employer’s posting: Full time
From the employer’s posting
Before you apply
- Employer’s visa record
- 39 H-1B petitions approved in fiscal 2024 and 2025For the employer as a whole. This posting doesn’t say whether the role is sponsored. US Citizenship and Immigration Services.
What you’ll work on
Full postingDefine the secure Databricks lakehouse architecture and Unity Catalog structure
Define canonical HR data models, domain boundaries, and data-product standards
Develop migration architecture and source-to-target design standards
Review models, mappings, pipelines, and data products for architecture conformance
Mentor architects and engineers and provide technical quality assurance
From the employer’s posting
Define the secure Databricks lakehouse architecture, environments, workspaces, storage patterns, identity and access considerations, and Unity Catalog structure.
Define canonical HR data models, domain boundaries, curated layers, semantic approaches, and reusable data-product standards.
Develop the migration architecture, source-to-target design standards, metadata and lineage approach, and data-contract framework.
Review detailed models, mappings, pipelines, interfaces, and data products for conformance with the target architecture.
Mentor architects and engineers and provide technical quality assurance across Prepare, Stabilize, and Operationalize.
What you’ll bring
All qualificationsCore experience
- Bachelor’s degree in computer science, data engineering, information systems, engineering, or a related field.
- Experience architecting Databricks lakehouse solutions and Unity Catalog security and governance structures.
- Strong knowledge of dimensional, relational, canonical, and data-product modeling patterns.
- Experience with ingestion, API, integration, orchestration, metadata, lineage, data contracts, quality, and DataOps patterns.
- Experience designing migration architectures and guiding source-to-target mapping and conversion decisions.
Preferred experience
- Ability to lead technical teams and communicate architecture decisions to executive and non-technical audiences.
- Experience with HR, workforce, ERP, or financial data models.
- Experience with Azure, AWS, or cloud networking and security patterns.
- Experience supporting public-sector data modernization.
Qualification wording
Bachelor’s degree in computer science, data engineering, information systems, engineering, or a related field.
Experience architecting Databricks lakehouse solutions and Unity Catalog security and governance structures.
Strong knowledge of dimensional, relational, canonical, and data-product modeling patterns.
Experience with ingestion, API, integration, orchestration, metadata, lineage, data contracts, quality, and DataOps patterns.
Experience designing migration architectures and guiding source-to-target mapping and conversion decisions.
Ability to lead technical teams and communicate architecture decisions to executive and non-technical audiences.
Experience with HR, workforce, ERP, or financial data models.
Experience with Azure, AWS, or cloud networking and security patterns.
Experience supporting public-sector data modernization.
Education & alternatives
- Must be able to OBTAIN and MAINTAIN a Federal or DHS "PUBLIC TRUST"; candidates must obtain approved adjudication of their PUBLIC TRUST prior to onboarding with Guidehouse. Candidates with an ACTIVE PUBLIC TRUST or SUITABILITY are preferred - Bachelor’s degree in computer science, data engineering, information systems, engineering, or a related field. - EIGHT (8) or more years of experience in enterprise data architecture, data engineering, cloud platforms, or analytics modernization.
About Guidehouse
Guidehouse is an Equal Opportunity Employer–Protected Veterans, Individuals with Disabilities or any other basis protected by law, ordinance, or regulation.
In the employer’s words · Read in context
Posting record
Report an error- Status in our records
- Live
- First seen by us
- Sep 22, 202653 days ago
- Recorded sightings
- 118
- Last seen by us
- Nov 14, 2026
These dates show when we found the posting. Check the employer’s website to confirm it is still accepting applications.
How this job compares
Time since we first saw it
Day 53
Similar jobs usually come down between day 8 and day 57.
At Guidehouse, jobs usually come down by about day 30.
From 9,519 similar postings that came down, and 162 of Guidehouse’s. Coming down is not always a hire.
Guidehouse is hiring
108 open jobs
Open jobs by the week we first saw them, last 12 weeks.
- Takes jobs down at a usual pace
- 6% of open jobs were reposted
See how this role fits your experience
Add your resume and we’ll mark which of these tools you already use, and point out anything in the posting that could rule you out.
- AWS
- Azure
- Databricks
Where the posting names them
- Experience with HR, workforce, ERP, or financial data models. - Experience with Azure, AWS, or cloud networking and security patterns. - Experience supporting public-sector data modernization.
- Serve as deputy to the Data Workstream Lead and lead day-to-day technical architecture decisions. - Define the secure Databricks lakehouse architecture, environments, workspaces, storage patterns, identity and access considerations, and Unity Catalog structure. - Define canonical HR data models, domain boundaries, curated layers, semantic approaches, and reusable data-product standards.
- EIGHT (8) or more years of experience in enterprise data architecture, data engineering, cloud platforms, or analytics modernization. - Experience architecting Databricks lakehouse solutions and Unity Catalog security and governance structures. - Strong knowledge of dimensional, relational, canonical, and data-product modeling patterns.
What Would Be Nice To Have: - Databricks Data Engineer Professional, Databricks Architect, or equivalent certification. - Ability to lead technical teams and communicate architecture decisions to executive and non-technical audiences.
Your next step
Complete your application on guidehouse.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com. The employer’s form will show what is required.
Applying through Workday
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Already applied? Track this application
Demand for Data Leadership roles
New Data Leadership postings at the employers we follow are about the same over the last 6 weeks compared with the 6 before.
Each bar is one week of new postings. The darkest bars are the last 6 weeks.
Counted from the hiring pages we’ve followed for at least five weeks, so employers we add don’t look like growth. Updated weekly.
About the role
We file this job under Data Leadership, by the work the posting describes.
Data leaders run data teams or design how a company's data fits together. Managers hire, set priorities and answer for whether the data work pays off; architects choose the systems and the shape of the data.
Expect years of hands-on data work, experience leading people or projects, and the ability to explain tradeoffs to executives.
Unlike a senior engineer or analyst, most of a data leader's week goes to people, planning and decisions rather than building.
US government figures for computer and information systems managers
- Median yearly pay, May 2025
- $175,140
- Expected change, 2025 to 2035
- 15.8% more jobsagainst 3.5% for all jobs
The government has no code for data leaders, so these figures are for the closest group, computer and information systems managers, which includes data processing and data operations managers.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025) and Employment Projections (2025 to 2035). Occupation code 11-3021.
Job description
Job Family:
Data Science Consulting
Travel Required:
Clearance Required:
What You Will Do:
Serve as deputy to the Data Workstream Lead and lead day-to-day technical architecture decisions.
Define the secure Databricks lakehouse architecture, environments, workspaces, storage patterns, identity and access considerations, and Unity Catalog structure.
Define canonical HR data models, domain boundaries, curated layers, semantic approaches, and reusable data-product standards.
Establish DataOps, ingestion, transformation, orchestration, integration, API, and other consumption patterns.
Develop the migration architecture, source-to-target design standards, metadata and lineage approach, and data-contract framework.
Define architecture standards for security, privacy, quality, observability, performance, testing, deployment, and supportability.
Review detailed models, mappings, pipelines, interfaces, and data products for conformance with the target architecture.
Facilitate architecture decisions and communicate tradeoffs to technical teams, business stakeholders, and leadership.
Mentor architects and engineers and provide technical quality assurance across Prepare, Stabilize, and Operationalize.
What You Will Need:
Must be able to OBTAIN and MAINTAIN a Federal or DHS "PUBLIC TRUST"; candidates must obtain approved adjudication of their PUBLIC TRUST prior to onboarding with Guidehouse. Candidates with an ACTIVE PUBLIC TRUST or SUITABILITY are preferred
Bachelor’s degree in computer science, data engineering, information systems, engineering, or a related field.
EIGHT (8) or more years of experience in enterprise data architecture, data engineering, cloud platforms, or analytics modernization.
Experience architecting Databricks lakehouse solutions and Unity Catalog security and governance structures.
Strong knowledge of dimensional, relational, canonical, and data-product modeling patterns.
Experience with ingestion, API, integration, orchestration, metadata, lineage, data contracts, quality, and DataOps patterns.
Experience designing migration architectures and guiding source-to-target mapping and conversion decisions.
What Would Be Nice To Have:
Databricks Data Engineer Professional, Databricks Architect, or equivalent certification.
Ability to lead technical teams and communicate architecture decisions to executive and non-technical audiences.
Experience with HR, workforce, ERP, or financial data models.
Experience with Azure, AWS, or cloud networking and security patterns.
Experience supporting public-sector data modernization.
What We Offer:
Guidehouse offers a comprehensive, total rewards package that includes competitive compensation and a flexible benefits package that reflects our commitment to creating a diverse and supportive workplace.
Benefits include:
Medical, Rx, Dental & Vision Insurance
Personal and Family Sick Time & Company Paid Holidays
Position may be eligible for a discretionary variable incentive bonus
Parental Leave and Adoption Assistance
401(k) Retirement Plan
Basic Life & Supplemental Life
Health Savings Account, Dental/Vision & Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
Short-Term & Long-Term Disability
Student Loan PayDown
Tuition Reimbursement, Personal Development & Learning Opportunities
Skills Development & Certifications
Employee Referral Program
Corporate Sponsored Events & Community Outreach
Emergency Back-Up Childcare Program
Mobility Stipend
About Guidehouse
Guidehouse is an Equal Opportunity Employer–Protected Veterans, Individuals with Disabilities or any other basis protected by law, ordinance, or regulation.
Guidehouse will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable law or ordinance including the Fair Chance Ordinance of Los Angeles and San Francisco.
If you have visited our website for information about employment opportunities, or to apply for a position, and you require an accommodation, please contact Guidehouse Recruiting at 1-571-633-1711 or via email at RecruitingAccommodation@guidehouse.com. All information you provide will be kept confidential and will be used only to the extent required to provide needed reasonable accommodation.
All communication regarding recruitment for a Guidehouse position will be sent from Guidehouse email domains including @guidehouse.com or guidehouse@myworkday.com. Correspondence received by an applicant from any other domain should be considered unauthorized and will not be honored by Guidehouse. Note that Guidehouse will never charge a fee or require a money transfer at any stage of the recruitment process and does not collect fees from educational institutions for participation in a recruitment event. Never provide your banking information to a third party purporting to need that information to proceed in the hiring process.
If any person or organization demands money related to a job opportunity with Guidehouse, please report the matter to Guidehouse’s Ethics Hotline. If you want to check the validity of correspondence you have received, please contact recruiting@guidehouse.com. Guidehouse is not responsible for losses incurred (monetary or otherwise) from an applicant’s dealings with unauthorized third parties.
Guidehouse does not accept unsolicited resumes through or from search firms or staffing agencies. All unsolicited resumes will be considered the property of Guidehouse and Guidehouse will not be obligated to pay a placement fee.
Source details
Source notes
Source excerptsSelected passages from the saved posting. Check the full description for conditions and exceptions.
- Pay
Experience supporting public-sector data modernization. The annual salary range for this position is $149,000.00-$248,000.00. Compensation decisions depend on a wide range of factors, including but not limited to skill sets, experience and training, security clearances, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. What We Offer: Guidehouse offers a comprehensive, total rewards package that includes competitive compensation and a flexible benefits package that reflects our commitment to creating a diverse and supportive workplace.
- Location & working pattern
US - VA, McLean
Working pattern and location restrictions need checking in the full posting.
- Work authorization
No clear work-authorization passage found. Eligibility is unconfirmed.