Data Platform Architect

Responsibilities

• Own and operate the Databricks platform, ensuring overall platform health and reliability
• Design and enforce data platform governance using Unity Catalog and hub-and-spoke architecture
• Define and implement cluster policies, compute configurations, and data access controls
• Manage identity and access lifecycle including SSO/SCIM integrations
• Lead Fin Ops practices including tagging, cost monitoring, and compute optimization
• Act as primary liaison with Databricks (support, QBRs, roadmap alignment)
• Define and execute platform roadmap and evaluate new features
• Establish best practices and enable engineering teams
• Partner with engineering teams to ensure scalability and production readiness
• Ensure separation of duties across platform, engineering, and security

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Computer Science or related field
• 4+ years of experience in data engineering, platform engineering, or cloud infrastructure
• 3+ years of experience with Databricks and Apache Spark
• Strong Terraform experience (modules, state management, CI/CD pipelines)
• Deep understanding of Unity Catalog, including privilege inheritance, securable objects, and governance models
• Experience with AWS or similar cloud platforms
• Strong understanding of data governance and access control
• Experience with Fin Ops and cost optimization
• Familiarity with identity management (SSO/SCIM)
• Strong SQL and distributed processing experience
• Ability to design scalable and secure data architectures
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills

• Experience with hub-and-spoke or data mesh architectures
• Experience with AI/ML platforms and model serving
• Fin Ops tooling experience
• Cloud or Databricks certifications
• Telecom or high‑scale data systems experience

Open PTO, company‑paid holidays, Flex Fridays, and flexible work arrangements. State‑of‑the‑art fitness center, generous health, dental, and vision options, retirement plans, learning and development programs, career path frameworks, tuition reimbursement, company options, and bonus potential.

First Orion is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Activities, duties, and responsibilities may change at any time with or without notice, based on the changing needs of our business. This position is not eligible for employment‑based immigration visa/status sponsorship.

Employees are required to demonstrate proper work authorization as required by I-9 compliance. First Orion is interested in every qualified candidate who is eligible to work in the United States. First Orion’s immigration sponsorship policy is applied in a nondiscriminatory fashion regardless of race, gender, ethnic origin, or any other classification protected by law.