Data Architect​/Data Engineers

Data Architect / Data Engineer (Contract) - Cincinnati, OH

Overview
Vaco is seeking senior Data Architects and Data Engineers to lead the design and implementation of a modern cloud-based data platform, with exposure to Microsoft Fabric. This role is highly consultative and hands‑on, focused on enterprise data architecture, pipeline development, analytics enablement, and knowledge transfer. The engagement is fully remote and contract-based.

Location: Hybrid
Contract Rate: $80–$100/hour
Engagement Type: Contract / Consulting

Lead Data Architecture and Data Engineering

• Design end‑to‑end enterprise data architectures, including lakehouse, warehouse, streaming, and AI/ML integration patterns.
• Define reference architectures, metadata management strategies, and governance frameworks.
• Produce high‑level and logical architecture diagrams aligned to agreed‑upon use cases.

Advisory & Consulting

• Partner with client stakeholders to assess current‑state data environments and identify modernization opportunities.
• Design future‑state architectures aligned to business outcomes.
• Deliver architecture roadmaps and implementation blueprints.

Platform & Environment Setup

• Deploy and configure a Microsoft Fabric environment.
• Set up work spaces, capacities, security models, and supporting infrastructure.
• Define CI/CD patterns for promoting data and analytics assets.

Data Engineering

• Design and implement metadata‑driven batch ingestion frameworks.
• Develop up to 10 production‑grade data pipelines.
• Implement monitoring, observability, and remediation processes.
• Design dimensional data models optimized for analytics and reporting.

Modern Cloud Data Platforms

• Architect solutions using Azure data services (Microsoft Fabric, Synapse, Data Factory).
• Experience with AWS (Redshift, Glue), GCP (Big Query), or Databricks‑based lakehouse architectures.
• Integrate modern tools for ingestion and transformation (ADF, Fivetran, dbt).
• Support orchestration frameworks such as Airflow or Fabric Pipelines.

Analytics & Reporting Enablement

• Configure presentation‑layer work spaces.
• Develop semantic data models.
• Deliver at least one Power BI report or dashboard to validate the solution.
• Document reporting and analytics processes.

Data Ops & MLOps Enablement

• Design CI/CD, testing, and observability frameworks across data pipelines.
• Promote data quality, lineage, and reproducibility through modern Dev Ops practices.
• Support AI‑ready data architectures where applicable.

Enablement, Collaboration & Leadership

• Lead technical workshops for client data teams covering architecture, data movement, and analytics.
• Work closely with engineering teams, business stakeholders, and cross‑functional consultants.
• Provide mentorship to junior architects, engineers, and analysts.

• 10+ years of experience in data architecture, data engineering, or analytics consulting.
• Deep expertise with at least one major cloud platform (Azure, AWS, or GCP).
• Strong understanding of lakehouse architectures, ETL/ELT design, and distributed data storage.
• Hands‑on experience with Microsoft Fabric, Databricks, or Snowflake.
• Proficiency in SQL, Python, and enterprise data modeling (Kimball, Data Vault, or 3NF).
• Familiarity with data governance, security models, and compliance frameworks (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA).
• Experience with BI and analytics tools (Power BI, Tableau, Looker).
• Strong communication skills with proven client‑facing consulting experience.

• Cloud certifications (Azure, AWS, or GCP data services).
• Experience designing AI‑ready data architectures (feature stores, vector databases, model serving).
• Understanding of data mesh and domain‑driven design concepts.
• Prior experience in consulting or professional services environments.