Principal Data Solution Architect

Principal Data Solution Architect Up to £115,000 + Bonus + benefits Hybrid | London, UK We're working with a large, international technology business whose data platform sits at the core of how they deliver real-time digital experiences to a high-volume global customer base. They're mid-transformation, investing significantly in the distributed data infrastructure that underpins their products and this hire is central to that build. The organisation is mid-transformation. The Principal Data Solution Architect joining now will design and deliver distributed data platforms from architecture through to production, working directly with application and engineering teams to make sure what gets built will be used. Responsibilities as a Principal Data Solution Architect:

• Design and deliver distributed data platforms at scale, covering real-time streaming infrastructure, distributed compute, object storage, and SQL/NoSQL data stores
• Architect real-time streaming solutions using Kafka and Pulsar, ensuring low-latency data delivery to downstream applications
• Design data structures for distributed systems including Cassandra, optimising for read/write patterns, scalability, and performance
• Deliver cloud-native solutions on AWS, leveraging Databricks, S3, and distributed compute frameworks
• Work closely with application and engineering teams to understand data access patterns and translate them into scalable platform solutions
• Produce ADRs, data models, and technical designs that support delivery of business goals
• Create pragmatic technology roadmaps balancing near-term delivery with longer-term target state architecture
• Mentor engineers and architects on distributed data platform patterns
• Design with security, cost optimisation, performance, and regulatory compliance in mind throughout Requirements:
• Extensive experience designing and implementing distributed data platforms at scale
• Proven track record architecting real-time, low-latency streaming platforms and event-driven architectures
• Strong hands-on experience with Apache Spark and Databricks, including performance tuning at scale
• Experience with Cassandra or similar distributed databases, including partitioning, consistency models, and optimisation
• Solid experience with OLTP databases such as PostgreSQL or MySQL
• Cloud-native delivery experience on AWS, GCP, or Azure
• Experience delivering platforms in high-volume B2C environments at real scale
• Track record delivering compliant data solutions in regulated environments such as PCI, SOX, or HIPAA
• Experience productionising ML/AI capabilities including feature stores, training pipelines, and model serving Benefits:
• Bonus scheme
• Uncapped holiday allowance
• Enhanced pension + private healthcare
• Life assurance and income protection
• £1,000 annual self-development learning fund
• Sharesave scheme
• Enhanced parental leave This is a rare opportunity to own the architecture of a data platform operating at global scale. If you're a Principal Data Solution Architect who wants to build things rather than just advise on them, we'd like to hear from you. Apply below or get in touch directly. Please note: due to the volume of applications we receive, we may not be able to respond to every applicant individually. If you haven't heard from us within two weeks, please assume your application has not been successful on this occasion.