Andela exists to connect brilliance and opportunity. Since 2014, we have been dedicated to breaking down global barriers and accelerating the future of work for both technologists and organizations around the world. For technologists, Andela offers competitive long-term career opportunities with leading organizations, access to a global community of professionals, and educational opportunities with leading technology providers. At Andela, we're deeply passionate about creating long-lasting and transformative growth opportunities for all - and doing it in an E.P.I.C. way! We're excited to continue building our remote-first team with incredible people like you. After applying for this role, you will join our Andela Community of brilliant technologists by passing a technical screening and live interview. As a community member, you'll have access to a multitude of exclusive technologist roles. Join Andela today to access this opportunity and more in our global marketplace! Our roles are typically filled at lightning speed, so if you're considering applying, get your application in quickly! This is a fully remote opportunity for one of our esteemed clients. About the role: We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Data Architect with a focus on Data Engineering to design, build, and maintain scalable data systems that support critical business insights. As a Data Architect, you will be responsible for developing the overall data architecture, ensuring data integrity, optimizing data pipelines, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to support both current and future business needs. Responsibilities Data Architecture Design : Develop and implement an enterprise data architecture strategy, ensuring alignment with the organization's goals and objectives. Data Modeling : Design conceptual, logical, and physical data models to meet the needs of complex, large-scale systems. Data Pipelines & ETL/ELT Processes : Lead the development of scalable and efficient ETL/ELT pipelines, enabling real-time and batch data processing. Data Governance: Establish best practices for data governance, data quality, data lineage, and metadata management. Cloud Data Infrastructure : Architect and optimize cloud-based data storage solutions (e.g., AWS, Azure, GCP), with a focus on cost-efficiency and performance. Collaboration : Work closely with Data Engineers, Data Analysts, and Software Engineers to develop integrated data solutions and ensure smooth data flow across systems. Security & Compliance : Ensure data architectures comply with security standards, industry regulations, and best practices related to data privacy (e.g., GDPR, CCPA). Performance Tuning : Continuously monitor, analyze, and optimize data storage and retrieval performance, ensuring scalability and reliability. Data Integration: Oversee the integration of data from various internal and external data sources into a unified system. Technology Roadmap : Stay up-to-date with emerging technologies, tools, and methodologies, and provide recommendations for their application in data architecture and engineering. Required skills: At least 5 yrs of experience in data architecture and data engineering roles. Strong experience with data warehousing, big data technologies, and distributed systems (e.g., Hadoop, Spark). Proven experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP) and cloud-native data tools (e.g., Redshift, BigQuery, Databricks). Expertise in designing and optimizing large-scale data models, database design, and performance tuning. Proficiency in SQL and at least one programming language (e.g., Python, Scala, Java). Experience with ETL/ELT tools and frameworks (e.g., Apache Airflow, Informatica). Knowledge of data governance frameworks and best practices. Familiarity with data security and compliance standards (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA). Ability to work with cross-functional teams and communicate complex technical concepts effectively. Experience with API-driven architectures and microservices is a plus. Experience with machine learning pipelines and integrating ML models into data architectures is preferred Familiarity with streaming data processing tools (e.g., Kafka, Flink) is preferred Nice-to-have skills: Familiarity with ML and Streaming data processing tools (e.g., Kafka, Flink) are nice to have Type of contract : Contractor. You will be responsible for your taxes. Contract length: 12-months (minimum) Dedication: Full-time (40 hours/week) Location: 100% remote Timezone : You'll need to overlap at least 5 years with US PST (UTC-7). At Andela, we outcompete through diversity. We know that our strengths lie in the multiplicity of talents, perspectives, backgrounds, and orientations of residents in our community and we take pride in that. Andela is committed to a work environment in which all individuals are treated with respect and dignity. Each individual has the right to work in a professional atmosphere that promotes equal employment opportunities and prohibits discriminatory practices. Andela provides equal employment opportunities and workplace to all employees and applicants without regard to factors including but not limited to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, pregnancy (including breastfeeding), genetic information, HIV/AIDS or any other medical status, family or parental status, marital status, amnesty or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. This commitment applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including but not limited to hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training. Our policies expressly prohibit harassment and/or discrimination as stated above. Andela is home for all, come as you are.