Data Architect

National Radio Astronomy Observatory

Title: Data Architect

Location: 800 Bradbury Dr SE, Albuquerque, NM 87106, USA
• 1011 Lopezville Rd, Socorro, NM 87801, USA

Requisition Number: 109

Job Family: Software Engineer

Pay Type: Salary

Required

Education:

CPP

The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) is an exciting and prestigious research facility that plays a vital role in the study of the universe. The Observatory operates a variety of radio telescopes that span the globe, including the famous Very large Array (VLA) in New Mexico, the GBT in West Virginia, the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in Chile, and the VLBA.

These telescopes are among the most advanced in the world, allowing astronomers to explore the universe in unprecedented detail.

The Next Generation Very Large Array (ngVLA) is a transformative astronomical observatory designed to deliver science‑ready data products to a broad community of users. The Computing and Software System (CSS) is the backbone of this vision, encompassing all the software and hardware required to control the telescope, manage the flow of data, execute processing pipelines, and provide user‑facing services. The CSS is decomposed into several major systems, each with a distinct role in the data lifecycle, from observation planning to final data analysis.

The ngVLA project is seeking a highly skilled and experienced Data Architect to lead the design and development of a comprehensive data management strategy for the vast and diverse datasets generated by the observatory. The Data Architect will define how data will be stored, integrated, secured, and accessed across the computing systems. This role will be critical in ensuring the integrity, accessibility, and long‑term usability of all ngVLA data, from raw telescope observations to high‑level scientific products.

The Data Architect will work closely with various stakeholders, including scientists, engineers, and software developers, to understand their data needs and use cases and translate them into robust overall data architecture. The Data Architect will: select technologies and tools; set data standards, governance rules, and best practices; and create conceptual, logical, and physical data models. In future phases of the project, the Data Architect will work with data engineers, database administrators, and software engineers to implement the data solutions.

This position requires a deep understanding of data architecture principles, data modeling, data governance, and experience with large‑scale distributed data systems.

This position will be located at one of the NRAO facilities in Charlottesville (VA), Socorro (NM), Albuquerque (NM) or Green Bank (WV). Fully remote work may be possible for a highly qualified candidate.

• Interprets and delivers impactful plans for data integration, data quality, and data delivery in support of ngVLA and other NRAO projects and roadmaps.
• Designs the structure and layout of secure data systems, including databases, warehouses, and lakes.
• Participates in the selection and implementation of secure data management systems that meets NRAO's needs by defining data schemas, optimizing data storage, and establishing data access.
• Architect and design processes for the ETL process from various sources into the NRAO's data systems.
• Translates high‑level business requirements into data models and appropriate metadata, test data, and data quality standards.
• Matures and optimizes the existing data architecture, delivering reusable services and cost‑saving opportunities aligned with the policies and standards of the DMS.
• Defines and manages standards, guidelines, and processes to ensure data quality.
• Identify and explore new data sources and analytical methods to support the requirements of ngVLA and other NRAO projects.
• Evaluates and recommends emerging technologies for data management, storage, and analytics.

This position will be located at one of the NRAO facilities in Charlottesville (VA), Socorro (NM), Green Bank (WV) or Albuquerque (NM). The successful candidate will join a team of professionals…