Principal Data Architect

Lincoln Investment recognized as one of Philadelphia's Top Workplaces for over ten years, is an independent broker dealer and registered investment advisor that offers brokerage, investment advisory and other financial services. Lincoln has over 1,000 financial advisors nationwide and we serve over 350,000 clients representing over $36 billion in assets. We are a majority family-owned financial services firm that regards our employees as integral players in our continuous growth. Lincoln Investment's success is built upon our dedication to helping people retire well and promoting a work environment that fosters success. Our financial strength and profitability are natural results of "helping people, having fun, and enjoying success." Lincoln Investment offers a competitive compensation and benefits package. Our Home Office is conveniently located in Fort Washington, PA, just outside of Philadelphia.

The Principal Data Architect is responsible for leading the design, governance, and strategic direction of the enterprise data ecosystem across cloud and on-premises platforms. This role will define the architectural vision, standards, and patterns for data ingestion, modeling, integration, and analytics to enable scalability, performance, and security. The Principal Data Architect will work closely with business and technology leaders to ensure that data solutions align with organizational strategy, support analytics and AI initiatives, and enable a unified, trusted data foundation.

Job Responsibilities:

• Define and maintain the enterprise data architecture strategy, aligning technology capabilities with business needs and modernization goals.
• Design scalable, platform-agnostic data solutions across cloud providers (Azure, AWS, GCP) and on-prem systems, focusing on interoperability and performance.
• Lead architecture and governance for data platforms including Snowflake, Databricks, Azure Synapse, Fabric, and other data warehousing and analytics solutions.
• Establish and enforce standards for data modeling, metadata management, data lineage, and data quality.
• Collaborate with engineering, analytics, and integration teams to design robust data pipelines using technologies such as Azure Data Factory, DBT, Airflow, and MuleSoft.
• Provide architectural oversight for data integration, master data management (MDM), streaming, and API-driven data exchange.
• Guide and mentor data engineers, analysts, and developers on best practices in data design, optimization, and security.
• Partner with cybersecurity and compliance teams to define data protection, encryption, and access control standards.
• Evaluate emerging data technologies and recommend strategic investments to advance the organization's data capabilities.
• Act as a trusted advisor to leadership and business units on enterprise data initiatives, modernization efforts, and solution design.

Knowledge & Abilities:

• Deep expertise in enterprise data architecture, modeling (conceptual, logical, physical), and integration design.
• Proficiency with SQL and performance tuning across relational and analytical data platforms.
• Strong understanding of cloud data services-particularly Azure (Data Factory, Synapse, Fabric, Blob Storage, Purview)-and working knowledge of AWS or GCP equivalents.
• Experience implementing data governance, cataloging, and metadata management frameworks.
• Familiarity with API-based data integration, and event-driven architectures.
• Knowledge of data security practices including encryption, key management, and regulatory compliance (GDPR, SOC 2).
• Proven leadership in large-scale data modernization or migration initiatives.
• Excellent problem-solving, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to translate complex technical concepts into business-oriented solutions and roadmaps.

Education: Bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, Information Systems, Data Science, or a related field (or equivalent experience).

Experience:

• 10+ years of experience in data architecture, data engineering, or enterprise information systems, with demonstrated expertise across multiple cloud and on-prem environments.
• Proven experience designing and implementing scalable data solutions using a mix of technologies such as Snowflake, Databricks, Azure Synapse, or equivalent.
• Experience leading enterprise data strategy, governance, or modernization programs.

Desired Qualifications:

• Azure Solutions Architect Expert or Azure Data Engineer Associate certification.
• Experience with Databricks, Fabric, and Snowflake performance optimization.
• Familiarity with AI/ML data enablement and analytics architectures.
• Exposure to financial services, wealth management, or other regulated industry environments.

Lincoln Investment is an equal opportunity employer. Lincoln Investment prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type and affords equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Lincoln Investment conforms to the spirit as well as to the letter of all applicable laws and regulations.

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