Principal Data / AI Architect in United States at Jobgether

This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Principal Data / AI Architect based in United States.

This is a senior, hands-on architecture role focused on defining and evolving the data and AI foundations that power modern, intelligent, and scalable digital products.
You will shape enterprise-wide data models, AI system design, and integration strategies across core platforms and analytics ecosystems.
The role sits at the intersection of engineering, product, and strategy, translating business objectives into robust technical architectures.
You will act as a key technical authority, guiding decisions on data platforms, AI systems, and system interoperability.
The environment is fast-moving and product-driven, requiring both deep technical judgment and pragmatic execution.
You will collaborate closely with senior leadership while remaining deeply involved in architectural design and prototyping.
This role is ideal for someone who thrives on solving complex system challenges with clarity, structure, and long-term scalability in mind.

• Own the end-to-end data and AI architecture across transactional systems, analytics platforms, and AI-driven product layers, ensuring consistency, scalability, and long-term integrity
• Define and evolve canonical data models across key business domains including users, partners, financial products, and outcomes
• Design and govern production-grade AI systems including LLM-based applications, RAG pipelines, embeddings, vector databases, and orchestration workflows
• Lead architectural decision-making across engineering teams, establishing standards, governance processes, and review mechanisms
• Evaluate and guide integration strategies across employer systems, partner ecosystems, and external data sources to maximize business value
• Drive rapid prototyping and technical discovery efforts to validate architectural assumptions and inform strategic investment decisions
• Partner with executive leadership to translate business strategy into scalable technical direction and platform evolution

Requirements:

• 10+ years of experience in software engineering, data architecture, or systems architecture with strong hands-on expertise
• Deep knowledge of data modeling, distributed systems, event-driven architectures, and modern data platforms
• Proven experience building and scaling data platforms such as data lakes, warehouses, and real-time streaming pipelines
• Strong experience designing and operating AI/ML systems in production, including LLM-based architectures and AI orchestration patterns
• Experience in regulated industries such as fintech, financial services, or healthcare with strong understanding of security, privacy, and compliance constraints
• Proficiency with modern cloud platforms such as AWS and modern data ecosystems such as Databricks or equivalent
• Strong ability to connect technical architecture decisions to business outcomes such as cost, scalability, risk, and customer impact
• Excellent communication skills with experience influencing engineering, product, and executive stakeholders
• Experience in senior architecture roles within high-growth or transformation-stage organizations
• Familiarity with AI governance, model risk management, or explainability frameworks is highly valued
• Background in financial systems, payments, lending, or financial data platforms is a strong advantage

Benefits:

• Competitive compensation package aligned with senior architecture leadership roles
• Flexible work arrangements with remote or hybrid options depending on team setup
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance coverage
• Opportunities to work on high-impact, mission-driven products shaping financial well-being
• Strong focus on work-life balance and employee well-being
• High autonomy in technical decision-making and architecture direction
• Opportunity to work closely with executive leadership in a high-growth environment
• Access to modern data and AI tooling and investment in engineering excellence