Data Architect
Location: Remote
Department: Business Intelligence
Reports To: Power Platform Lead
Employment Type: Full-Time
Full Job Description
Sparta Services is a fast-growing IT Consulting and Solution company. Based in Kirkland, WA serving clients globally.
We’re seeking a hands-on Data Architect who is passionate about building modern, scalable analytics solutions on the Microsoft stack. You’ll lead the design of data platforms that power business insights—owning the endtoend architecture across ingestion, transformation, modeling, governance, and visualization. You will be the Power BI authority for enterprise-grade semantic models and report development, while also bringing mid-level Power Platform experience (Power Apps, Power Automate, Dataverse) to accelerate business processes and citizen development safely. You’ll collaborate with internal teams and clients to drive brand awareness, engagement, and growth.
What You’ll Do
Architecture & Strategy
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Define and maintain data architecture standards leveraging Azure and Microsoft Fabric (e.g., OneLake, Data Engineering, Data Warehouse, Data Factory pipelines), Azure Data Lake Storage, Azure SQL, Azure Synapse Analytics, and Databricks (as applicable).
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Establish canonical data models, data domains, and semantic layers (star schemas, tabular models) to enable trusted self-service analytics.
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Design batch/stream pipelines for high-quality, governed data—balancing DirectQuery, Import, and Direct Lake for Power BI performance and cost.
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Drive data governance practices with Microsoft Purview (lineage, catalog, classifications), RBAC/ABAC, and sensitivity labeling integrated with Microsoft 365 compliance.
Power BI Leadership
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Own enterprise Power BI architecture: data modeling (DAX/Tabular), query optimization (Power Query/M), row-level/security filters, aggregation tables, and composite models.
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Build performance, accessible reports and dashboards; champion UX standards (navigation, themes, accessibility).
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Manage capacity planning (Premium/Fabric), workspace governance, deployment pipelines, and tenant settings.
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Create reusable semantic models and certified datasets to standardize metrics and reduce duplication.
Data Engineering & Integration
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Implement ingestion and transformation patterns using Data Factory/Fabric pipelines, Synapse, and/or Databricks (Delta Lake).
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Optimize storage layers (bronze/silver/gold) with partitioning, caching, and data quality rules (profiling, schema enforcement).
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Integrate data from line-of-business systems: Dynamics 365, Dataverse, SharePoint, M365, SQL Server, REST/Graph APIs, and third-party sources.
Power Platform (Mid-Level)
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Build and support model-driven or canvas apps with Dataverse; automate workflows with Power Automate (approval flows, data sync, notifications).
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Partner with business teams on citizen development guardrails, ALM (solutions), environment strategy, and connectors.
Security, Governance & Operations
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Implement data security frameworks: Azure AD, service principals, managed identities, RLS/OLS, conditional access, and audit trails.
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Establish DevOps practices (CI/CD for datasets, reports, and pipelines), version control, and infrastructure-as-code where appropriate (Bicep/Terraform).
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Monitor reliability and cost (Fabric capacities, storage, egress), and set SLOs/SLIs for data platform health.
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Document architecture, data dictionaries, and operating procedures; lead knowledge transfer.
Client Engagement & Advisory
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Act as a trusted data and analytics architect for clients, participating in and contributing to architecture discussions, technical discovery sessions, and solution design reviews.
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Translate business requirements into scalable data and analytics architectures, aligning technical decisions with client goals and objectives.
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Present data platform designs, Power BI/Fabric architectures, and governance approaches to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
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Support project delivery by providing architectural guidance, reviewing implementations, and ensuring solutions meet agreed design and quality standards.
What You’ll Bring
Required Qualifications
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7+ years in data architecture, BI engineering, or analytics engineering with a focus on the Microsoft ecosystem.
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Expert-level Power BI: DAX, Power Query/M, tabular modeling, RLS, performance tuning, deployment pipelines, certified datasets.
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Strong experience with Azure data services: Data Lake Storage, Azure SQL, Synapse, Data Factory/Fabric pipelines, and/or Databricks.
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Solid understanding of dimensional modeling (Kimball), data vault, and semantic layer best practices.
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Experience operationalizing data governance with Microsoft Purview and M365 compliance labels.
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Proficiency in SQL (query optimization, indexing strategies) and familiarity with Python or Spark for data engineering tasks.
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Mid-level Power Platform experience: building Power Apps, Power Automate flows, and working with Dataverse, plus environment/solution ALM basics.
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Proven track record designing scalable, secure, and cost-aware data architectures in cloud environments.
Preferred Qualifications
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Experience with Microsoft Fabric workloads (Data Engineering, Data Warehouse, OneLake, Direct Lake).
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Background integrating Dynamics 365 (Sales/Service), Dataverse tables, and SharePoint lists/libraries for analytics.
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Knowledge of streaming/real-time patterns (Event Hub, Kafka) and CDC (Change Data Capture).
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Familiarity with ML-enriched analytics (Fabric ML or Synapse ML) and embedding Power BI in apps/portals.
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Experience with DevOps for data (Azure DevOps/GitHub Actions), and IaC (Bicep/Terraform).
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Strong data visualization design sensibilities and accessibility standards.
Core Competencies
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Architectural Thinking: Ability to design target state, roadmaps, and reference patterns; weigh trade-offs across performance, security, and cost.
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Execution & Ownership: Bias to action with disciplined delivery, documentation, and continuous improvement.
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Collaboration: Comfortable coaching analysts, engineers, and business users; strong stakeholder management.
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Governance Mindset: Balances self-service enablement with enterprise guardrails and data quality.
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Communication: Can translate technical concepts into clear business value narratives.
What We Offer:
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Competitive salary.
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Opportunities for professional growth and development.
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A supportive and collaborative work environment.
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Access to the latest AI tools and enterprise-grade infrastructure.
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Competitive compensation, flexible work options, and a culture of innovation.