Data Architect; Hybrid

Position: Data Architect (Hybrid)
Location: Ontario Centre (Queensville)

Util-Assist is a leading consulting and services partner to electric, water, and gas utilities across North America. We help utilities navigate digital transformation—empowering them with smart technology, data-driven solutions, and customer-first services. From outage communications to billing support and grid security, we’re reshaping how utilities serve their communities.

At Util-Assist, our people are our power. We foster a flexible, supportive workplace grounded in four core values:  Deliver Excellence, Put People First, Do the Right Thing , and  Be Humble . Recognized as a Great Place to Work®, we offer rewarding, purpose-driven careers where you can grow, innovate, and make a real impact.

We are seeking a skilled  Data Architect  to join our growing  Consulting team! The Data Architect plays a vital role in designing and leading the implementation of modern enterprise data architectures that enable advanced analytics and digital transformation for our utility customers. This role will focus on defining scalable, secure, and high-performing data solutions across both cloud and on-premise environments. The Data Architect will collaborate closely with product owners, data engineers, and delivery teams to translate business needs into robust data architectures supporting key utility domains such as Customer, Metering, Asset, Grid Operations, Energy Supply and Demand, Regulatory, and Finance.

The ideal candidate will ensure data integrity, accessibility, and alignment with organizational and regulatory objectives while driving continuous improvement across the data ecosystem.

What You’ll be Doing:

Design and oversee enterprise data architectures to enable analytics, reporting, and operational insights across utility business domains.

Define and maintain end-to-end data architecture across structured, semi-structured, and unstructured sources, ensuring integration, consistency, and accessibility.

Assess business and technology needs to recommend scalable, secure, and compliant data solutions.

Collaborate with data engineers and business product owners to translate data requirements into architecture designs supporting analytics and regulatory objectives.

Monitor and optimize data pipelines, storage, and compute resources for efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Establish standards for data governance, quality, and lineage in alignment with customers’ policies.

Continuously evaluate and recommend emerging technologies and tools to strengthen data architecture and processing capabilities.

Champion data-driven decision-making and promote adoption of modern data architecture principles across utility customers.

Create technical documentation and provide training on best practices and new technologies.

Perform ad-hoc tasks as needed.

What You’ll Bring :

Strong communication skills with the ability to translate complex data concepts into business-friendly language.

Proficiency in SQL, enterprise data modeling (conceptual, logical, and physical), performance optimization, metadata management, and data lifecycle practices

Proven ability to work within Agile, Dev Ops, and CI/CD environments.

Proficiency with at least one major cloud platform (AWS, Azure, or GCP), with exposure to hybrid cloud strategies.

Understanding of data lifecycle, self-serve analytics, and federated data governance.

Knowledge of Docker, Kubernetes, and cloud-native deployment practices.

Knowledge of data integration and synchronization principles across systems.

Knowledge of utility concepts and systems (e.g., AMI, MDM, CIS) is considered an asset but not required.

What Skills Do You Need:

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Data Science, Information Technology, or a related field.

5+ years in data architecture, engineering, or solution design with proven experience in data platform architecture.

Experience working in a software development environment.

Proven experience designing and delivering modern data architectures across cloud and on-prem environments.

Experience with real-time/streaming data, event-driven systems, and analytics enablement.

Hands-on experience with cloud platforms (e.g., Azure, AWS, GCP), modern data stack…