Senior Data Architect

Sr. Data Architect

Vienna, VA

Aviation – Tech Team / Full-time / Hybrid

SteerBridge is a modern technology company delivering innovative, mission‑focused solutions to the U.S. Government and private sector. Leveraging deep expertise in federal acquisition, digital transformation, and emerging technologies, we deliver agile, commercial‑grade capabilities that accelerate operational effectiveness and drive measurable mission success.

At the core of SteerBridge is our people—especially the veterans whose leadership, problem‑solving mindset, and commitment to excellence elevate every project we support. We don’t simply hire exceptional talent; we cultivate it , creating meaningful career pathways for veterans, military spouses, and professionals who share our passion for advancing technology and strengthening the missions we serve.

Position Overview

SteerBridge is seeking a Senior Data Architect to lead the design and evolution of enterprise data architecture supporting mission-critical aviation modernization initiatives. This role is responsible for defining scalable, cloud-native data architectures that enable aircraft maintenance, logistics, operational analytics, predictive insights, and AI-driven decision-making. Working closely with Data Engineers, Software Engineers, Data Scientists, and technical leadership, the Senior Data Architect will establish architectural standards, guide technical strategy, and ensure enterprise data platforms are secure, scalable, and positioned to support future mission requirements. This position plays a critical role in advancing SteerBridge's data modernization efforts while serving as a technical leader across multiple initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design and implementation of enterprise data architecture supporting aviation modernization programs.
• Define conceptual, logical, and physical data models that support scalable enterprise analytics and operational systems.
• Architect cloud-native data platforms, data lakes, data warehouses, and modern data lakehouse solutions.
• Establish enterprise data architecture standards, governance frameworks, and best practices for data quality, security, and lifecycle management.
• Design scalable integration strategies supporting structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data sources.
• Collaborate with Data Engineering teams to define implementation approaches for data ingestion, transformation, storage, and analytics.
• Partner with Data Scientists and software development teams to architect platforms supporting AI, machine learning, and advanced analytics initiatives.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and recommend architectural improvements that enhance performance, scalability, security, and operational efficiency.
• Lead modernization efforts involving legacy data environments and cloud migration initiatives.
• Provide technical leadership, architectural guidance, and mentorship to engineering teams throughout the development lifecycle.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to translate business and mission requirements into scalable enterprise data solutions.

Required Qualifications

• U.S. Citizenship required.
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Data Science, Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Active security clearance or the ability to obtain and maintain one.
• 8+ years of experience designing enterprise data solutions, including experience serving in a Data Architect or similar architecture-focused role.
• Demonstrated experience designing conceptual, logical, and physical enterprise data models.
• Experience architecting cloud-native data platforms within AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud environments.
• Strong understanding of modern data architectures, including data lakes, data warehouses, and lakehouse platforms.
• Experience designing scalable enterprise data integration solutions supporting multiple data sources and analytical workloads.
• Knowledge of data governance, metadata management, data quality, security, and compliance best practices.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to collaborate effectively across technical and business stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience architecting enterprise data platforms utilizing technologies such as Databricks, Apache Spark, Kafka, Airflow, Snowflake, Redshift, BigQuery, or similar modern data technologies.
• Experience working with Python and SQL to support architecture, solution design, and technical collaboration.
• Familiarity with AI/ML platforms and designing data architectures that enable machine learning and advanced analytics.
• Experience supporting DevSecOps, CI/CD pipelines, Infrastructure as Code (IaC), and cloud-native development practices.
• Experience supporting Department of Defense, aviation, aerospace, logistics, or other mission-critical federal programs.
• Experience modernizing legacy enterprise data environments and leading cloud migration initiatives.
• Experience mentoring technical teams and providing architectural leadership across cross-functional organizations.

SteerBridge is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where all qualified applicants and employees are treated with respect and dignity—regardless of race, color, gender, age, religion, national origin, ancestry, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by law.

We also provide reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities in accordance with applicable laws. If you require assistance during the application process, we encourage you to reach out so we can support your needs.