Senior Data Architect

10-May-2024

Harvard University Information Technology

65859BR

Position Description

This is a fully benefited, full-time Harvard University position that has been funded through December 31, 2025. There is the possibility of renewal, contingent on funding, university priorities and satisfactory job performance.

Harvard University Information Technology (HUIT) is a community of Information Technology professionals committed to delivering service and technological solutions in support of teaching, learning, research and administration.  We are recruiting an IT workforce that has both breadth in their ability to collaborate and innovate across disciplines – and depth in specific areas of expertise. HUIT offers opportunities for IT professionals to learn and work in a unique technology landscape and service-focused environment. If you are a technically proficient, nimble, user-focused, and accountable IT professional who also connects with the importance of collaborating well in a team environment, we are looking for you!

The Administrative Data Management and Reporting Ecosystem (ADMIRE) project is designed to create a comprehensive data strategy that enables the institution to leverage administrative data to inform decisions, make predictions, and otherwise understand our operations. The demand for high-quality, normalized, and interconnected data has continued to increase, with the emergence of generative artificial intelligence putting a spotlight on the challenges of data quality and data governance. This project prioritizes the foundational technology and related services that will enable such initiatives to move forward easily in the future. The ADMIRE project will enable us to leverage the full value of our digital assets for an enterprise-wide approach to data governance, create a modern data ecosystem, and incorporate best practices into our data management capabilities.

We are looking for an experienced data architect who will lead the development of our organization’s data solutions. The ideal candidate will bring rich experience in data architecture, ETL processes, data modeling and business intelligence. They will also have an understanding to lead the discussion towards implementing modern data architecture to support data lakes, data science and governance frameworks. Should quickly ramp up with understanding new domains and lead discussions during discovery phase of projects. As a core member of the RAID – Reporting, Analytics, and Integrated Data team, the Senior Data Architect will collaborate, strategize, and give presentations to a wide range of stakeholders, data engineers, and senior management. This is an exciting role with an opportunity to build a data ecosystem for Harvard University.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

• Partner with business stakeholders to understand their data challenges and opportunities. 
• Translate business requirements into technical specifications for data solutions. 
• Design and architect scalable, secure, and high-performance data pipelines, data warehouses, and data lakes. 
• Select and implement appropriate data storage technologies (e.g., relational databases, data warehouses, data lakes) based on project needs. 
• Define and implement data governance policies and procedures to ensure data quality, security, and compliance. 
• Stay up-to-date on the latest data technologies, cloud platforms, and data management best practices. 
• Lead and mentor junior data engineers, data modelers, and architects. 
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure seamless integration of data solutions. 
• Develop and document technical specifications, design artifacts, and solution roadmaps. 
• Evaluate and recommend new data tools and technologies. 
• Will have a deep understanding of distributed systems architecture and principles like scalability, fault tolerance, and high availability. 
• May be responsible for designing and implementing data security measures and access controls. 

Basic Qualifications

• Minimum of five years’ post-secondary education or relevant work experience

Additional Qualifications and Skills

Required:

• Experience in end-to-end architecting data solutions (DataWarehouse, Data Lakes, and data governance) with at least one with an ERP (EBS, PeopleSoft or similar) source system.
• Have a thorough understanding of OLTP and DW design.
• Lead diverse teams through design phase to production.
• Produced logical and physical data models using modeling tools like Erwin, ERStudio or equivalent, and data flow diagrams of ETL logic, and coherent high level system diagrams to influence senior leadership.

The following Additional Qualifications are strongly preferred. If you meet some, but not all, you are still encouraged to apply; we value employees with a willingness to learn.

• Familiarity with modern data warehouses Azure / Snowflake and knowing concepts like ELT (extract load and transform) and master data, data governance concepts.

Certificates and Licenses

• Completion of Harvard IT Academy specified foundational courses (or external equivalent) preferred

Working Conditions

• Work is performed in an office setting

Additional Information

Please provide a cover letter with your application.

Please note:

• Harvard University requires pre-employment reference and background screening. 
• We are unable to provide work authorization and/or visa sponsorship. 
• This position has a 180-day orientation and review period. 

The health of our workforce is a priority for Harvard University. With that in mind, we strongly encourage all employees to be up-to-date on CDC-recommended vaccines.

Accessibility: 
Harvard University welcomes individuals with disabilities to apply for positions and participate in its programs and activities. If you would like to request an accommodation or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact our University Disability Resources Department. 

Work Format Details

HUIT actively supports hybrid work where business needs allow. This position has been designated as a primarily remote position. While this position is primarily remote, travel to campus may be necessary based on business needs and the nature of work. Examples include bi-annual or quarterly Town Halls, critical business meetings or other work events. Additional details will be discussed during the interview process. All remote work must be performed within one of the Harvard Registered Payroll States, which currently includes Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, Washington, and California (CA for exempt positions only). Certain visa types and funding sources may limit work location. Individuals must meet work location sponsorship requirements prior to employment.

About Us

More about HUIT:
Harvard University Information Technology (HUIT) is responsible for the strategy, planning, and delivery of information technology across the University.  Our mission is to assure Harvard’s leadership in IT. We strive to make it easier for faculty, students, and staff to teach, research, learn and work through the effective use of information technology.  HUIT’s core values are User Focused, Collaborative, Innovative and Open.

HUIT’s core values are: 

• User-focused 
• Collaborative 
• Innovative 
• Open 

IT Academy (designed for IT Staff):
HUIT’s IT Academy aims to enable each IT staff person to grow professionally and become a trusted partner to her or his team. The IT Academy is built on the belief that every IT staff member across the University (including technology employees at each school and campus) can grow in her or his area of expertise as well as building strong people and project management skills. Learn more here: https://itacademy.harvard.edu/  

Benefits

We invite you to visit Harvard's Total Rewards website (https://hr.harvard.edu/totalrewards ) to learn more about our outstanding benefits package, which may include:

• Paid Time Off: 3-4 weeks of accrued vacation time per year (3 weeks for support staff and 4 weeks for administrative/professional staff), 12 accrued sick days per year, 12.5 holidays plus a Winter Recess in December/January, 3 personal days per year (prorated based on date of hire), and up to 12 weeks of paid leave for new parents who are primary care givers.
• Health and Welfare: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits, disability and life insurance programs, along with voluntary benefits. Most coverage begins as of your start date.
• Work/Life and Wellness: Child and elder/adult care resources including on campus childcare centers, Employee Assistance Program, and wellness programs related to stress management, nutrition, meditation, and more.
• Retirement: University-funded retirement plan with contributions from 5% to 15% of eligible compensation, based on age and earnings with full vesting after 3 years of service.
• Tuition Assistance Program: Competitive program including $40 per class at the Harvard Extension School and reduced tuition through other participating Harvard graduate schools.
• Tuition Reimbursement: Program that provides 75% to 90% reimbursement up to $5,250 per calendar year for eligible courses taken at other accredited institutions.
• Professional Development: Programs and classes at little or no cost, including through the Harvard Center for Workplace Development and LinkedIn Learning.
• Commuting and Transportation: Various commuter options handled through the Parking Office, including discounted parking, half-priced public transportation passes and pre-tax transit passes, biking benefits, and more.
• Harvard Facilities Access, Discounts and Perks: Access to Harvard athletic and fitness facilities, libraries, campus events, credit union, and more, as well as discounts to various types of services (legal, financial, etc.) and cultural and leisure activities throughout metro-Boston.

Job Function

Information Technology

Department Office Location

USA - MA - Cambridge

Job Code

I1358P IT Data Architect Prof IV

Work Format

Hybrid (partially on-site, partially remote)

Department

Administrative Technology Services

Union

00 - Non Union, Exempt or Temporary

Appointment End Date

31-Dec-2025

Pre-Employment Screening

Identity

Commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging

Harvard University views equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging as the pathway to achieving inclusive excellence and fostering a campus culture where everyone can thrive. We strive to create a community that draws upon the widest possible pool of talent to unify excellence and diversity while fully embracing individuals from varied backgrounds, cultures, races, identities, life experiences, perspectives, beliefs, and values.

EEO Statement

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or any other characteristic protected by law.

LinkedIn Recruiter Tag (for internal use only)

#LI-BT1