[Hiring] Principal Data Architect @Public Partnerships | PPL

Role Description

The Principal Data Architect is the senior technical authority accountable for maintaining a pristine data environment and clean ontologies. This role designs, builds, and stewards the enterprise analytics data architecture that the PPL’s data runs on. This is a hands-on, builder-operator role. You set the standard, build to it, and give PPL the credibility to make it the default.

Key Responsibilities

• Data Ecosystem:
  • Design and own the governed data products the analytics function delivers from certified Gold-layer datasets, a shared semantic and metric layer, and reusable client-ready data models.
  • Eliminate rework by building configurable, standards-based patterns that handle regulatory and program variability without separate codebases.
  • Set the certification standard for data, including lineage, quality checks, and sign-off, so data outputs are defensible before they leave the building.
  • Partner with data leadership to translate recurring client needs into platform capabilities, reducing time from client question to trusted answer.
• Cloud Data Architecture & Platform:
  • Own the target-state architecture for PPL’s analytics platform on Databricks (Unity Catalog, medallion Bronze/Silver/Gold, Delta Lake).
  • Design for nationwide scale and regulatory variability across program and state data domains.
• Master Data Management & Entity Resolution:
  • Architect and build PPL’s enterprise master data layer and steward its master entity indices, linking participant and provider identities across systems.
  • Lead ingestion and integration of third-party datasets that extend PPL’s proprietary data in support of its mission.
• Data Ingestion, Transformation & Engineering:
  • Build and optimize batch and streaming pipelines (Spark, Python, SQL, dbt, Azure Data Factory or equivalent), with CI/CD, automated testing, and version control as standard practice.
  • Optimize performance, partitioning, query efficiency, and storage and compute cost.
• Data Quality, Governance & Compliance:
  • Work with the VP, Analytics and the Data Governance Committee to define and enforce data quality, lineage, and documentation as requirements of every pipeline and dataset.
  • Implement governance, security, access-control, and metadata standards aligned with HIPAA/HITECH, CMS/Medicaid program integrity, SOC 2, and applicable state requirements, in partnership with Compliance.
• Standards, Assurance & Technical Leadership:
  • Serve as the authoritative technical voice on PPL’s analytics data estate.
  • Codify architecture standards and provide independent technical assurance on designs before they reach production, clients, or regulators.
  • Partner with Engineering, Compliance, Finance, analytics, and business leadership on long-term data strategy and modernization.
  • Lead and develop a team of 2 data engineers: assign work, review output, and mentor through demonstrated competence and transparent working practice.
• All other duties as assigned.

What Success Looks Like in 12 Months

• Analysts deliver from certified datasets with a single metric definition across all states, with no manual cross-state reconciliation.
• A production master person index links participants and providers to Medicaid identifiers with measured accuracy.
• State-specific code paths are consolidated into governed, configurable patterns.
• Every dataset used in a deliverable carries documented lineage and passes automated quality checks.
• Time from new client data request to delivered analysis is reduced.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• 10+ years in data architecture, data engineering, or enterprise data platform development, including principal-level ownership of enterprise-scale designs.
• Production experience designing and operating Databricks on Azure.
• Hands-on MDM and entity-resolution implementation.
• Track record of establishing architecture standards and governance in multi-stakeholder environments.

Preferred

• Healthcare, Medicaid, or government-program data experience (claims, encounters, eligibility, EVV, PHI frameworks).
• Experience supporting client-facing analytics or consulting teams.
• Familiarity with Apache Iceberg and open table formats.

Working Conditions

• Remote, United States only. Occasional travel for client/team meetings may be required.

Compensation

• $162,500 - $214,000
• This role is eligible for a base salary within the posted range. Actual compensation will be determined based on a variety of factors, including skills, experience, and geographic location.
• Compensation may vary for positions based in high cost-of-labor markets.

Equal Opportunity Employer

PPL is an Equal Opportunity Employer dedicated to celebrating diversity and intentionally creating a culture of inclusion. We believe that we work best when our employees feel empowered and accepted, and that starts by honoring each of our unique life experiences.