Senior Azure Data Architect

About the Role

This is a senior, client-facing onshore role requiring deep technical expertise, strong leadership presence, and the ability to independently drive architecture decisions across large, complex programs while managing distributed (onshore/offshore) engineering teams. A very strong expertise in working on Life Sciences Clinical R&D specifically Veeva CTMS is an important aspect for this role.

• Own and drive the enterprise data architecture roadmap across Azure, aligning with business strategy and long-term scalability goals.
• Architect complex, high-volume data platforms spanning batch, real-time, and streaming pipelines using Azure Synapse Analytics, Azure Data Factory, Azure Databricks, Event Hubs/Stream Analytics, and Data Lake Storage Gen
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• Lead enterprise data modeling efforts (conceptual, logical, physical) across multiple domains — supporting analytics, BI, and AI/ML use cases.
• Define and enforce data governance, lineage, cataloging, and quality frameworks (Azure Purview or equivalent).
• Own the security and compliance architecture — encryption, RBAC, Private Endpoints, Key Vault, data masking, and regulatory alignment (GDPR, HIPAA, GxP).
• Serve as the primary technical authority in client architecture reviews, steering committees, and executive presentations.
• Lead and mentor a team of data architects and senior data engineers, both onshore and offshore.
• Drive modernization/migration initiatives — legacy on-prem warehouses to Azure, or multi-cloud to Azure consolidation.
• Establish and govern CI/CD, IaC (Terraform/Bicep), and Dev Ops practices for data platform delivery.
• Own cost optimization and Fin Ops practices across Azure data services.
• Conduct architecture governance reviews, risk assessments, and design authority sign-offs (HLD/LLD).
• Partner with enterprise architects, security teams, and business leadership to ensure alignment with overall IT strategy.
• Evaluate and pilot emerging Azure data/AI capabilities (e.g., Microsoft Fabric, AI Foundry integration) and recommend adoption.

We believe hybrid work is the way forward as we strive to provide flexibility wherever possible. Based on this role's business requirements, this is a hybrid position requiring 3 days per week in a client or Cognizant office in Wilmington, DE. Regardless of your working arrangement, we are here to support a healthy work-life balance through our various wellbeing programs.

The working arrangements for this role are accurate as of the date of posting. This may change based on the project you’re engaged in, as well as business and client requirements. Rest assured, we will always be clear about role expectations.

• 10+ years in data engineering/architecture, with hands-on experience in Azure data services at an architect level.
• Deep, demonstrable expertise across:
  • Azure Data Factory / Synapse Pipelines
  • Azure Synapse Analytics (dedicated & serverless SQL pools)
  • Azure Databricks (PySpark, Delta Lake, Unity Catalog)
  • Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2
  • Azure SQL Database / Managed Instance / Cosmos DB
  • Microsoft Fabric (working knowledge strongly preferred)
• At least one implementation of a Life Sciences Clinical R&D project, either EDC, CTMS or eTMF implementation is required. Veeva CTMS implementation is preferred.
• Proven experience architecting Lakehouse, Medallion architecture, and modern data mesh patterns.
• Strong command of data modeling (3NF, Star/Snowflake, Data Vault 2.0).
• Advanced proficiency in SQL, Python/PySpark, and Spark performance tuning.
• Deep knowledge of Azure security & networking (Managed Identity, Private Link, VNet integration, Azure Firewall).
• Hands-on experience with Infrastructure as Code (Terraform or Bicep) and Azure Dev Ops CI/CD.
• Stro…