Under the general direction of the Deputy Director, Data Operations Strategy, the Principal Data Architect serves as the Office of Data & Innovation’s (ODI) primary technical authority for data engineering platforms and services and is responsible for defining and maintaining technical policies, standards, and architectural frameworks that govern ODI’s data engineering work. The Principal Data Architect establishes authoritative architectural standards, engineering patterns, and implementation guidance for ODI’s data engineering work. The position provides technical direction for complex initiatives that enable reliable and scalable data systems across ODI and partner departments. The incumbent exercises broad discretion and independent judgment in evaluating architectural approaches, authorizing engineering solutions, and ensuring that technical implementations meet program requirements and long-term sustainability needs.
The Principal Data Architect provides expert technical guidance, peer review, and architectural oversight across ODI engineering efforts and contributes to the development of shared technical resources, documentation standards, and engineering frameworks. This position plays a critical role in advancing ODI’s mission to improve services and outcomes for Californians by strengthening the State’s capacity to use data effectively, responsibly, and sustainably.
Location: ODI staff reside throughout California. The employee’s workstation will be located in Sacramento, Los Angeles, San Diego, or Oakland. Travel to the Sacramento headquarters may be required as needed. This position provides telework opportunities in accordance with agency telework policies.
Annual salary: $145,572 – $173,436 based on experience and qualifications
Benefits: The state offers many benefits, including pension, health benefits (including after retirement), life insurance, employee assistance program, and much more.
Last day to apply: Final filing date is 4/29/2026.
What you’ll do
You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement.
We have a guide to the career executive assignment application process. It covers
- How to apply
- Interviews
Desirable qualifications
- Experience providing senior technical leadership and architectural authority for data engineering teams in complex organizations.
- Experience developing, authorizing, and enforcing engineering standards, policies, and procedures to promote data engineering best practices.
- Experience directing the technical execution of multiple complex initiatives, including evaluating architectual impact, sequencing work, and resolving competing technical priorities and deadlines.
- Strong knowledge of modern data engineering practices, including cloud based data platforms, automated pipelines, data modeling, testing, documentation, continuous integration / continuous deployment, and infrastructure as code.
- Ability to make and defend, and clearly communicate technical decisions,including tradeoffs between technical feasibility, risk, security, and product or customer requirements to non-technical stakeholders.
- Experience mentoring engineers through technical review, architectural guidance and knowledge sharing practices.
- Experience supporting cross-team projects through a variety of operational models.
- Knowledge of data governance, data quality, privacy, security, and responsible data use practices.
About ODI
We deliver better services to Californians through technology and design. We do so through close partnership with other state departments. Our goal is to create programs and products that are more equitable and effective. We listen to Californians who use a program now or may do so tomorrow and learn about what they need.
We:
- Build tools and products
- Create and enhance digital services
- Conduct research
- Identify data solutions
- Offer training
We are a cross-discipline staff with blended backgrounds in:
- Design
- Engineering
- Product
- Operations
- Data
- Research
- Policy
- Strategy
Learn more about ODI’s vision and mission.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion at ODI
Diversity, equity, and inclusion help us deliver better government services to Californians.
- Fostering diversity inspires better ideas and more innovative thinking.
- Feeling included nurtures a shared sense of community. This drives us to take collective action on challenging problems.
- Prioritizing equity ensures we build solutions for people whose needs are often overlooked.
We acknowledge our history and present of implicit and structural injustice, bias, and discrimination. We see, hear, and accept each other and the lived experiences we bring to our work. We support each other in learning and developing so we can help all Californians thrive.
We understand this work is never done. That’s why we commit to constant improvement.