Data Architect

MetaPhase Consulting • Washington, DC

7d • Hybrid

About The Position

MetaPhase is seeking an experienced Data Architect with eight or more (8+) years of experience to support a high-impact federal transportation security program. This role will help design, implement, and govern secure, scalable data solutions that move mission-critical operational data between fielded security technology, enterprise applications, analytics platforms, and cloud or on-premise environments. The ideal candidate brings deep experience architecting complex data ecosystems, implementing event-driven data movement using Apache Kafka, applying Open Architecture principles, and managing data across operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) environments. This position requires someone who can work across federal stakeholders, solution architects, engineers, cybersecurity teams, OEM partners, and agile delivery teams to transform operational data into reliable, governed, actionable mission insight.

Requirements

• Minimum of eight or more (8+) years of experience in data architecture, data engineering, database engineering, enterprise architecture, systems integration, or related technical roles.
• Demonstrated experience managing data across both on-premise and cloud environments.
• Hands-on experience implementing Apache Kafka or comparable event streaming technologies in enterprise environments.
• Experience designing event-driven, publish/subscribe, or data-fabric architectures.
• Experience applying Open Architecture principles, including modular architecture, standards-based interfaces, and reusable integration patterns.
• Experience transferring, managing, and securing data across OT and IT environments, including edge devices, sensors, operational systems, or industrial/mission technology endpoints.
• Strong experience with relational databases such as Oracle and SQL Server, including schema design, data modeling, query optimization, and migration planning.
• Experience with data integration patterns, APIs, message schemas, batch and near-real-time data processing, and secure system-to-system data exchange.
• Experience developing data models, interface control documentation, data flow diagrams, metadata, data lineage, and data governance artifacts.

Nice To Haves

• Prior experience supporting DHS, TSA, transportation security, airport operations, law enforcement, defense, or national security missions.
• Experience with Transportation Security Equipment, IoT, edge computing, connected devices, or operational monitoring systems.
• Experience with data mesh, data fabric, microservices, containerization, Kubernetes, or cloud-native architecture.
• Experience with BI and analytics platforms such as Power BI, Cognos, Tableau, or similar tools.
• Experience supporting RMF, ATO, FedRAMP, NIST 800-53, FISMA, zero trust, or federal cybersecurity requirements.
• Experience with Azure, AWS, or GCP in federal or regulated environments.
• Experience with Infrastructure as Code, automated deployment, or platform modernization.
• Certifications such as Azure Data Engineer, AWS Data Analytics, Confluent Kafka, CDMP, TOGAF, or equivalent.

Responsibilities

• Leading the design and implementation of enterprise data architecture for a mission-critical federal system, including conceptual, logical, and physical data models.
• Architecting secure data movement between fielded operational systems, enterprise applications, reporting platforms, databases, and cloud or on-premise environments.
• Designing and implementing Apache Kafka-based event streaming, publish/subscribe data patterns, schemas, topics, producers, consumers, and integration patterns.
• Applying Open Architecture principles, including modular design, standards-based interfaces, reusable services, open-source frameworks, and interoperable data exchange.
• Supporting data management across both on-premise data centers and government-approved cloud environments, including hybrid cloud migration and failover considerations.
• Designing data pipelines that support ingestion, validation, transformation, aggregation, correlation, archival, reporting, and analytics.
• Supporting modernization from legacy database environments to SQL Server or other approved target platforms.
• Defining and maintaining data artifacts such as Data Management Plans, Data Flow Diagrams, data dictionaries, interface specifications, data models, and traceability documentation.
• Partnering with cybersecurity, enterprise architecture, infrastructure, and application teams to ensure data solutions meet federal security, governance, and compliance requirements.
• Working with OEMs, system integrators, and federal stakeholders to support data exchange between OT endpoints and IT enterprise systems.
• Supporting Agile, DevSecOps, SELC, release management, testing, and documentation activities across the delivery lifecycle.
• Monitoring and improving data quality, completeness, accuracy, availability, and performance across mission-critical systems.
• Translating complex technical concepts into clear recommendations for technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Benefits

• MetaPhase Consulting is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, disability or veteran status, or any other factors protected by federal, state, or local law.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior