Principal Data Architect

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in Colorado.

📋 Description

• Take ownership of Aetna Technology's data reference architectures, encompassing ingestion, storage, transformation, semantic, and consumption layers.

• Develop the data mesh operating model featuring domain-owned data products, clear contracts, and enabling platform capabilities.

• Establish and safeguard singular systems of record and authoritative dataset ownership.

• Design and uphold golden paths for data pipelines and data products.

• Integrate data governance, lineage, and quality as automated checkpoints within pipelines.

• Implement controls for regulated and sensitive data, including classifications for PHI, access management, masking, and data retention.

• Create zero-trust access patterns for data utilizing identity management, least privilege principles, and blast-radius reduction strategies.

• Provide the data architecture framework supporting Aetna Technology's AI capabilities, including feature readiness, data retrieval, and data contracts.

• Establish semantic and metrics layers to facilitate scalable analytics and dashboards.

• Collaborate with AI, analytics, data platform, and internal platform teams to build secure, cost-effective infrastructure.

• Draft data standards that are enforced through automated checkpoints and golden-path defaults.

• Contribute to architecture governance, reference architecture development, technology radar insights, and design evaluations.

• Assess emerging data platforms and tools, recommending directions for adoption.

• Convert data architecture trade-offs into decision-focused narratives for senior technology leaders and fellow architects.

• Mentor Solution Architects and senior engineers during design evaluations and system-level reasoning, despite lacking direct reporting lines.

• Collaborate technically with key data platform vendors and internal platform teams.

⛳️ Requirements

• Over 12 years of experience in technology, with extensive, hands-on data architecture expertise at the scale of Aetna Technology.

• Expert-level knowledge of data platform architecture in multivendor and multicloud environments, including Snowflake, GCP/BigQuery, and AWS.

• Proficient in modeling, pipelines, and consumption layers.

• Proven track record of ownership over enterprise data architectures and golden-path patterns for data products.

• Strong understanding of data governance, lineage, quality, and controls for regulated data, including PHI or its equivalent.

• Familiarity with data mesh concepts, domain ownership, and systems-of-record design.

• Demonstrated ability to drive technical outcomes through influence and design authority as an individual contributor.

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.

• Relevant experience in healthcare, health insurance, or similarly regulated industries.

• Practical background in data infrastructure related to AI/ML initiatives, including feature stores, data retrieval, and data contracts.

• Understanding of FinOps and cost-conscious data architecture.

• Experience with infrastructure-as-code and automated policy or guardrail enforcement.

🏝️ Benefits

• CVS Health bonus, commission, or short-term incentive program.

• Equity award program.

• Medical coverage.

• Dental coverage.

• Vision coverage.

• Paid time off.

• Retirement savings options.

• Wellness programs.

• Additional resources supporting physical, emotional, and financial well-being.