Senior Data Solutions Architect

Thank you for considering IT Concepts dba Kentro, where innovation drives opportunity and collaboration leads to success. Our dynamic community of experts is fully committed to advancing our customers' missions, fostering professional growth, and making a positive impact on our communities.                                                 

By joining our supportive community, you will find that Kentro is dedicated to your personal and professional development. Together, we can drive meaningful change, spark innovation, and achieve extraordinary milestones. 

Sitting within our Solution Services division, Kentro is seeking a Senior Data Solutions Architect who can bridge technical execution with strategic enterprise solutioning. This role requires a professional capable of integrating data strategies into broader IT ecosystems The ideal candidate is capable of owning reference architectures, data models, platform standards, and implementation guidance for Lakehouse and warehouse solutions; partnering with engineering teams to deliver. This role demands a blend of architectural depth, pre-sales acumen, and a strong understanding of Federal Government Frameworks (NIST, FedRAMP). 

Responsibilities:

Data Strategy & Architecture Design: 

• Lead the architecture and design of enterprise-scale data lakes, integration ecosystems, and modern data warehouses using Databricks, Microsoft Fabric, Azure (Data Lake Storage/Synapse), and AWS (S3/Redshift/Glue). 

• Develop cohesive end-to-end architecture blueprints that translate business strategy into actionable, scalable, and secure data roadmaps. 

• Design and implement hybrid and multi-cloud data solutions, ensuring seamless interoperability between AWS and Azure environments to suit client needs. 

• Select and implement analytics services and big data frameworks to enable AI/ML and business intelligence workloads. 

Growth (Pre-Sales):

• Partner with sales and capture teams to develop solution strategies, craft compelling RFP/RFI responses, and shape competitive bid approaches for federal and commercial pursuits. 

• Support pre-sales activities by demonstrating how architectural innovation and modernization deliver measurable business value to prospective clients. 

• Develop Proofs of Concept (POCs) and feasibility studies to validate architecture decisions during the proposal phase. 

Governance, Security, & Federal Compliance: 

• Design and document controls aligned with security and compliance controls aligned with NIST SP 800-171 (CUI handling) and FedRAMP (NIST SP 800-53) requirements. 

• Define and enforce data modeling, metadata, lineage, and governance standards using tools such as Azure Purview or Unity Catalog. 

• Produce and maintain documentation (System Security Plans, data flow diagrams) required for Authority to Operate (ATO) and compliance audits. 

• Ensure all solution designs strictly adhere to federal acquisition regulations and security standards. 

Technical Leadership & Implementation:

• Design and manage complex data ecosystems and orchestration layers, ensuring seamless data flow and lifecycle management across APIs, event streaming (Kafka, Event Hubs Kinesis), and secure data exchange across disparate systems, organizations, and classification levels. 

• Mentor development teams and engineers on architectural standards, data modeling practices, and modern cloud-native design patterns. 

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (data scientists, BI analysts, security officers) to ensure data solutions meet mission requirements. 

Location: This position can be performed remotely within the United States and will support Eastern Time working hours.

Requirements

• Education: Bachelor’s degree (BA/BS) in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or a related field. 

• Experience: 8+ years of progressive experience in data architecture, data engineering, or enterprise data management 

Technical Expertise:  

• Databricks Authority: Strong, hands-on experience designing and managing Databricks environments (Lakehouse architecture, Unity Catalog, Delta Live Tables). 

• Multi-Cloud Proficiency: Strong understanding and demonstrated experience with both AWS (Glue, Redshift, Athena, S3) and Azure (Synapse, Data Factory, Data Lake Storage). 

• Programming & Visualization: Proficiency in SQL, Python, UML, big data frameworks (Spark), and visualization platforms (Tableau, PowerBI). 

• Federal Frameworks: Deep understanding of Federal Government Frameworks, specifically NIST SP 800-171, NIST SP 800-53, CMMC, and FedRAMP compliance. 

• Demonstrated ability to design and implement hybrid and multi-cloud data solutions 

Professional Skills:

• Pre-Sales: Experience supporting proposal development, technical writing for RFPs, and pre-sales solutioning and basis of estimate labor estimations. 

• Communication: Exceptional written and oral presentation skills; ability to articulate technical concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. 

Preferred Qualifications 

• Certifications: Databricks Certified Data Engineer/Architect, Azure Solutions Architect Expert, or AWS Certified Data Analytics. 

• Experience with "Tool Agnostic" approaches in a federal consulting environment. 

• Background supporting AI/ML pipelines (Azure Machine Learning, Databricks ML). 

• Experience implementing or documenting security controls aligned to NIST SP 800-171 and NIST SP 800-53 (FedRAMP), including contributions to ATO artifacts (SSP inputs, control narratives, evidence collection); direct familiarity with CMMC Level 2 requirements is a plus. 

• Experience and desire to act as the primary technical point of contact for the Kentro-Databricks partnership, ensuring our team is connected for opportunities, tracking the technical roadmap for Databricks, and Kentro utilizes the latest features and best practices to drive value. 

Clearance Requirement:

• Ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust (or higher) clearance
• Must be a U.S. citizen residing in the United States. 

Benefits

The Company

We believe in generating success collaboratively, enabling long-term mission success, and building trust for the next challenge. With you as our partner, let’s solve challenges, think innovatively, and maximize impact. As a valued member of our team, you have the unique opportunity to work in a diverse range of technology and business career paths, all while supporting our nation and delivering innovative technology solutions. We are a close community of experts that pride ourselves on creating an environment defined by teamwork, dedication, and excellence.

We hold three ISO certifications (27001:2013, 20000-1:2011, 9001:2015), two CMMI ML 3 ratings (DEV and SVC) and CMMC Level 2 Certification.

Industry Recognition

Growth | Inc 5000’s Fastest Growing Private Companies, DC Metro List Fastest Growing; Washington Business Journal: Fastest Growing Companies, Top Performing Small Technology Companies in Greater D.C.

Culture | Northern Virginia Technology Council Tech 100 Honoree; Virginia Best Place to Work; Washington Business Journal: Best Places to Work, Corporate Diversity Index Winner – Mid-Size Companies, Companies Owned by People of Color; Department of Labor’s HireVets for our work helping veterans transition; SECAF Award of Excellence finalist; Victory Military Friendly Brand; Virginia Values Veterans (V3); Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Corporate Breath Award

Benefits

We offer competitive benefits package including paid time off, healthcare benefits, supplemental benefits, 401k including an employer match, discount perks, rewards, and more.  We invest in our employees – Every employee is eligible for education reimbursement for certifications, degrees, or professional development.  Reimbursement amounts may fluctuate due to IRS limitations. We want you to grow as an expert and a leader and offer flexibility for you to take a course, complete a certification, or other professional growth and networking. We are committed to supporting your curiosity and sustaining a culture that prioritizes commitment to continuous professional development.

We work hard; we play hard. Kentro is committed to incorporating fun into every day. We dedicate funds for activities – virtual and in-person – e.g., we host happy hours, holiday events, fitness & wellness events, and annual celebrations. In alignment with our commitment to our communities, we also host and attend charity galas/events. We believe in appreciating your commitment and building a positive workspace for you to be creative, innovative, and happy.

Commitment Equal Opportunity Employment & VEVRAA

Kentro is an equal opportunity employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability, status as a protected veteran or any other status protected by applicable federal, state or local law.

Kentro is strongly committed to compliance with VEVRAA and other applicable federal, state, and local laws governing equal employment opportunity. We have developed comprehensive policies and procedures to ensure our hiring practices align with these requirements.

As part of our VEVRAA compliance efforts, Kentro has established an equal opportunity plan outlining our commitment to recruiting, hiring, and advancing protected veterans. This plan is regularly reviewed and updated to ensure its effectiveness.

We encourage protected veterans to self-identify during the application process. This information is strictly confidential and will only be used for reporting and compliance purposes as required by law. Providing this information is voluntary and will not impact your employment eligibility.

Our commitment to equal employment opportunity extends beyond legal compliance. We are dedicated to fostering an inclusive workplace where all employees, including protected veterans, are treated with dignity, respect, and fairness.

How to Apply

To apply to Kentro Positions- Please click on the: “Apply for this Job” button at the bottom of this Job Description or the button at the top: “Application.”  Please upload your resume and complete all the application steps. You must submit the application for Kentro to consider you for a position.  If you need alternative application methods, please email careers@kentro.us and request assistance.  

Accommodations

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable Accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. If you need to discuss reasonable accommodations, please email careers@kentro.us.