Enterprise Data Platform Architect ​/ Engineering Lead

Enterprise Data Platform Architect / Engineering Lead

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is establishing a new Chief Data and AI (CDAI) Office to build enterprise-wide data capabilities that enable agencies to deliver improved digital services, advanced data analytics, and AI solutions. The selected consultant will serve in a technical leadership role responsible for the implementation and continual evolution of the Commonwealth's enterprise data platforms. Working under the direction of the Chief Data and AI Officer, the consultant will design, engineer, and deliver reusable, cloud-based data products and shared services that enable agencies to securely develop and modernize digital services.

The position will establish engineering practices, implementation standards, automation, and shared platform services that support enterprise modernization while allowing agencies to consume standardized enterprise capabilities rather than developing agency-specific solutions. The role requires a balance of technology strategy and hands-on execution, with close collaboration across solution architecture, data delivery teams, cloud engineering, security, governance, and other enterprise technology organizations.

Responsibilities include:

• Define the target architecture for the Commonwealth's enterprise data platform.
• Develop and maintain a multi-year technology roadmap aligned with enterprise modernization initiatives.
• Evaluate emerging technologies while maintaining architectural consistency and enterprise standards.
• Build the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) and progressively mature the enterprise cloud data platform.
• Establish engineering standards, implementation practices, operational guardrails, and reusable platform capabilities.
• Design secure, multi-tenant environments capable of supporting multiple Commonwealth agencies while addressing data co-mingling considerations.
• Partner with CISO and security teams to implement IAM, RBAC, encryption, auditing, and other enterprise security controls.
• Design and build reusable platform services rather than agency-specific implementations.
• Develop standardized onboarding patterns and processes for agencies adopting enterprise data products and services.
• Ensure alignment and consistency across multiple modernization initiatives.
• Develop enterprise data products identified by the Product team and establish infrastructure capable of supporting AI-ready workloads.
• Develop and promote enterprise engineering best practices.
• Collaborate with technology leaders across Commonwealth agencies and enterprise technology organizations.
• Partner with cloud, integration, data, security, and governance teams to implement enterprise data products.
• Promote API-first architecture and product-based approaches to enterprise information sharing.
• Establish automation and Dev Sec Ops  practices that support secure and repeatable platform delivery.
• Champion a shift-left approach to security throughout the platform engineering and development lifecycle.
• Lead through influence and collaborate effectively with teams without relying on direct reporting authority.

Required Skills/Experience/

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Systems Programming, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of relevant education and experience.
• 10+ years of experience building and implementing large-scale cloud data platforms.
• 7+ years of hands-on experience in modern data architecture, platform engineering, and cloud infrastructure.
• Strong experience designing and implementing enterprise security controls for cloud data platforms, including IAM and RBAC.
• Proven experience building and operating Infrastructure as Code (IaC) using Terraform or equivalent technologies.
• Hands-on experience implementing modern Dev Sec Ops  practices and shift-left security methodologies.
• Experience partnering with Cloud Engineering, CISO, and GRC teams to integrate security controls into enterprise data platforms while maintaining clear ownership boundaries.
• Experience with modern Data Platform and Data Services technologies, including Snowflake, Databricks, AWS, Azure, and containerized applications.
• Experience designing and operating enterprise-level data platforms supporting multiple teams, business units, or agencies.
• Experience building reusable enterprise capabilities and standardized platform services.

Preferred Qualifications /

Soft Skills:

• Strong ability to communicate complex technology concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to build enterprise platforms and capabilities from the ground up.
• Strong understanding of reusable architectural patterns and enterprise-wide technology capabilities.
• Experience developing cloud-based data platforms supporting multiple teams across an organization.
• Experience with enterprise data architecture, cloud modernization, and platform engineering.
• Strong understanding of cloud security, IAM, RBAC, encryption, auditing, and governance.
• Experience with API-first…