Data Architect

Job Purpose

The Data Architect defines and assures scalable, secure and sustainable data architectures that support business and technology objectives. The role combines expertise in on-premises Data Warehouses, cloud data platforms, data integration and data modeling to guide enterprise data initiatives from solution definition through architecture approval.
Working across Data & Analytics, the role collaborates with business and technology stakeholders, Enterprise Architecture, CyberSecurity, Data Governance, Data Engineering, delivery teams and technology partners. It ensures that solutions align with the Data Strategy, target architecture, principles, standards and approved patterns. The role produces and reviews Solution Design Documents (SDDs) and provides architecture assurance; implementation and delivery remain with the relevant delivery teams.

Key Accountabilities

Define and review end-to-end data architectures across on-premises and cloud environments, covering ingestion, integration, storage, processing, modeling and consumption.
• Produce and assure SDDs, architecture diagrams and key decisions, confirming alignment with the Data Strategy, target architecture, security requirements, guardrails and approved patterns.
• Define architecture patterns for Data Warehouses, Data Lakes and Lakehouses, including ETL/ELT, batch and incremental processing, CDC, APIs and streaming where required.
• Define and review conceptual, logical and dimensional models, canonical entities, Data Products, data contracts, serving layers and semantic models.
• Embed Data Quality, metadata, lineage, security and governance requirements, together with non-functional requirements for performance, scalability, reliability, recoverability and observability.
• Maintain architecture standards, reference architectures and reusable patterns that promote consistency, interoperability and controlled reuse.
• Assess existing DWH platforms, integrations and data models to identify modernization opportunities, migration options, simplification and technical-debt reduction.
• Perform architecture assurance for solutions proposed by delivery teams and partners, documenting gaps, risks, trade-offs, decisions and required remediation.
• Collaborate with business and technology stakeholders to translate requirements into sustainable designs and communicate architecture recommendations clearly to technical and non-technical audiences.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, Data Management or a comparable discipline, or equivalent professional experience.
• At least 8 years of relevant experience in Data Architecture, Solution Architecture, Data Platform Architecture, Data Engineering or comparable roles.
• Proven experience with both enterprise on-premises Data Warehouses and modern cloud data platforms, including modernization, coexistence and migration scenarios.
• Strong knowledge of Data Warehouse, Data Lake and Lakehouse architectures, data integration patterns, ETL/ELT, CDC, batch and incremental processing.
• Experience with Microsoft Azure data services and architecture patterns, and with Databricks Lakehouse and Delta-based architectures.
• Strong data-modeling skills across conceptual, logical and dimensional models, canonical structures, source-to-target mapping and data historization.
• Experience with Data Products, data contracts, curated serving layers and Power BI semantic models for governed analytical consumption.
• Good knowledge of Data Quality, metadata, lineage and governance practices, including experience with an enterprise Data Governance or Data Catalog tool.
• Understanding of AI-ready data architecture, including the quality, metadata, semantic, governance and access foundations required for AI and advanced analytics.
• Strong SQL skills and the ability to analyze complex data structures, relationships, transformation logic and data-quality issues.
• Experience defining security and non-functional architecture requirements, including performance, scalability, reliability and observability.
• Familiarity with DevOps and DataOps practices, including version control, CI/CD and environment management.
• Experience producing and reviewing SDDs, architecture diagrams, technical standards and architecture decisions.
• Strong analytical, communication and stakeholder-management skills, with fluent written and spoken English.

Nice to Have
• Experience with Microsoft Fabric and its core data-platform capabilities.
• Experience applying Data Mesh principles and designing domain-oriented Data Products.
• Experience with streaming and event-driven data architectures.
• Relevant architecture, cloud or data certifications, such as TOGAF, Microsoft Azure, Microsoft Fabric, Databricks or CDMP.

VISA Requirements

Right to work in Italy

What we offer

In compliance with the applicable pay transparency legislation, the following information is provided regarding the initial compensation foreseen for the position.

Contract
• Type of contract: Permanent
• Hybrid working model: 2 days per week remotely
• Applicable Collective Labour Agreement (CCNL): “Addetti agli uffici ed ai terminals delle società di navigazione che esercitano l’armamento privato” – sez. personale di terra
• Gross annual salary (RAL): between €50.000 – €57.000 gross per year, paid over 14 monthly installments
• Meal vouchers: worth €8 per on-site working day
The offer in terms of salary will be determined based on the candidate’s professional experience, technical competencies, and the level of autonomy and responsibility assigned to the role.

Welfare&Wellbeing
We offer a range of Welfare&Wellbeing Initiatives as well as benefits including Productivity award, Health Insurance, Learning opportunities, flexible working hours, Employee Assistance Programme, Discounts & Partnerships within the MSC group.