Independence Pet Holdings, Inc.
Data Architect - Principal
Independence Pet Holdings, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60290
. Established in 2021, **Independence Pet Holdings** is a corporate holding company that manages a diverse and broad portfolio of modern pet health brands and services, including insurance, pet education, lost recovery services, and more throughout North America.**Principal Architect – Data, Analytics & Business Intelligence Architecture:** This hands-on Data Architect leads significant transformations across all insurance and non-insurance brands, leveraging data, AI, and business intelligence. This transformation will position us as the world's largest pet insurance and pet-health provider.* **Reports to**: Chief Architect (Head of Architecture)* **Partners with**: Chief Data Officer (CDO) and CDO team* **Location**: Remote/Hybrid – Chicago preferred- ## Role Overview
In close collaboration with the CDO team, this role leads **enterprise data architecture** and strategy for IPH, driving the architecture and governance of the Unified data platform and enabling advanced analytics and AI/ML capabilities across all Pet Insurance and non-insurance brands.
It combines **data platform, architecture, engineering**, **data governance**, and **business intelligence architecture** to ensure a unified, secure, and scalable data ecosystem.
**Key Focus Areas**: - Building **unified Customer Data Platform (CDP)** across multiple zones/domains/lines of business - Enabling **data monetization** through cross-sell and up-sell insights and customer journey analytics - Driving **Gen-AI/Agentic AI** adoption (agents, skills, RAG) with data as foundation - Handling **non-standard data** from various sources (pet metadata, third-party data with formatting issues) - Transforming non-insurance data into **pet insurance actionable insights and vice versa.**
## Key Responsibilities
### 1. Calandra Data Platform Architecture (30%)
* Architect, design, and support / govern the implementation the **Azure-based enterprise data platform** using cloud-native services
* Architect a **medallion lakehouse** (Bronze/Silver/Gold tiers) for structured and unstructured data
* Enable **real-time streaming** and **batch processing** for analytics and operational insights
* Architect **a multi-region, multi-AZ architecture** with multiple instances per zone for high availability
* Ensure unified CDP across multiple zones/domains/lines of businessWith the CDO team, develop future-state **data architecture roadmap** aligned with IPH's digital transformation goals- ## Data Architecture Process Workflow (Expected Participation)
### As Solution Architect:
* Define **high-level design**, scope, and intended outcomes
* Align to business goals, governance standards, and **target architecture (Calandra Toolkit)**
* Hand off requirements to Data Architecture- ### As Data Architect:
* Working hand in hand with the IDEA / CDO team, translate solution into **data models, integrations, security, and governance patterns**
* Validate **scalability, regulatory, compliance**, and long-term roadmap alignment
* Produce clear **technical specs for engineering*** Conduct "Solution Architecture
+ Data Architecture" review - In collaboration with the CDO team* Support implementation, design, and go-live* Performance, security, and governance* Reusability and standards compliance* Ensure required fixes are addressed before proceeding- ###
## Technical Requirements
### Required Platforms & Tools
Category
Technologies
**Data Platforms**
**Databricks**, Azure Synapse, **Microsoft Fabric,** **MS Cosmos DB**
**BI & Analytics**
**Power BI**, Self-Service BI, Semantic Modeling
**CDP**
**Customer Data Platform** architecture, enrichment pipelines
**Cloud**
**Azure** (primary), AWS
**Streaming**
Kafka, Kinesis, Spark Streaming, Real-time pipelines
**Data Governance**
Data Catalog, Lineage, MDM, Quality Frameworks
### Gen-AI & Agentic Requirements (Nice to Have → Becoming Critical)
Capability
Description
**Machine Learning**
Model building, deployment, ML pipelines
**Gen-AI Agents & Skills**
Multi-agent pipelines, agentic workflows
**RAG**
Retrieval Augmented Generation for data insights
**Data Monetization**
E2E framework with data as a base, AI on top to deliver customer value
**90% Agentic Driven**
Vision to drive org toward agentic automation
### Client Technology Stack (Familiarity Expected)
System
Purpose
**MS Dynamics**
Internal client CRM
**New Portal**
External client portal (in-house, React + MS stack)
**DocGen**
Document generation (MS stack)
**EIS Insurance Platform**
Middle layer - Policy/Group Admin
**Earnix**
3rd party Rating/Pricing engine
## Preferred Qualifications
* **Azure Data Engineer** or **Solutions Architect Expert** certification
* Experience with **Databricks**, **Synapse**, and **Microsoft Fabric**
* Strong knowledge of **lakehouse patterns**, **streaming architectures**, and **data governance frameworks**
* **Insurance industry experience** is a plus
* Experience building **end-to-end frameworks** with data as a foundation and AI on top
* Hands-on with **Data, Gen-AI agents, RAG, and agentic workflows*** Comprehensive full medical, dental and vision Insurance* Basic Life Insurance at no cost to the employee* Company paid short-term and long-term disability* 12 weeks of 100% paid Parental Leave* Health Savings Account (HSA)* Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)* Retirement savings plan* Personal Paid Time Off* Paid holidays and company-wide Wellness Day off* Paid time off to volunteer at nonprofit organizations* Pet friendly office environment* Commuter Benefits* Group Pet Insurance* On the job training and skills development* Employee Assistance Program (EAP)**Thanks for visiting our careers page!**ASPCA Pet Health Insurance, Embrace, Felix, Figo, Independence American Insurance Company, Pets Best, Pethealth, PetPartners, PetPlace, and Pumpkin are all operated by **Independence Pet Holdings (IPH)**.At IPH, we welcome and encourage applications from individuals with disabilities. Accommodations are available upon request for candidates participating in all aspects of the selection process. #J-18808-Ljbffr
In close collaboration with the CDO team, this role leads **enterprise data architecture** and strategy for IPH, driving the architecture and governance of the Unified data platform and enabling advanced analytics and AI/ML capabilities across all Pet Insurance and non-insurance brands.
It combines **data platform, architecture, engineering**, **data governance**, and **business intelligence architecture** to ensure a unified, secure, and scalable data ecosystem.
**Key Focus Areas**: - Building **unified Customer Data Platform (CDP)** across multiple zones/domains/lines of business - Enabling **data monetization** through cross-sell and up-sell insights and customer journey analytics - Driving **Gen-AI/Agentic AI** adoption (agents, skills, RAG) with data as foundation - Handling **non-standard data** from various sources (pet metadata, third-party data with formatting issues) - Transforming non-insurance data into **pet insurance actionable insights and vice versa.**
## Key Responsibilities
### 1. Calandra Data Platform Architecture (30%)
* Architect, design, and support / govern the implementation the **Azure-based enterprise data platform** using cloud-native services
* Architect a **medallion lakehouse** (Bronze/Silver/Gold tiers) for structured and unstructured data
* Enable **real-time streaming** and **batch processing** for analytics and operational insights
* Architect **a multi-region, multi-AZ architecture** with multiple instances per zone for high availability
* Ensure unified CDP across multiple zones/domains/lines of businessWith the CDO team, develop future-state **data architecture roadmap** aligned with IPH's digital transformation goals- ## Data Architecture Process Workflow (Expected Participation)
### As Solution Architect:
* Define **high-level design**, scope, and intended outcomes
* Align to business goals, governance standards, and **target architecture (Calandra Toolkit)**
* Hand off requirements to Data Architecture- ### As Data Architect:
* Working hand in hand with the IDEA / CDO team, translate solution into **data models, integrations, security, and governance patterns**
* Validate **scalability, regulatory, compliance**, and long-term roadmap alignment
* Produce clear **technical specs for engineering*** Conduct "Solution Architecture
+ Data Architecture" review - In collaboration with the CDO team* Support implementation, design, and go-live* Performance, security, and governance* Reusability and standards compliance* Ensure required fixes are addressed before proceeding- ###
## Technical Requirements
### Required Platforms & Tools
Category
Technologies
**Data Platforms**
**Databricks**, Azure Synapse, **Microsoft Fabric,** **MS Cosmos DB**
**BI & Analytics**
**Power BI**, Self-Service BI, Semantic Modeling
**CDP**
**Customer Data Platform** architecture, enrichment pipelines
**Cloud**
**Azure** (primary), AWS
**Streaming**
Kafka, Kinesis, Spark Streaming, Real-time pipelines
**Data Governance**
Data Catalog, Lineage, MDM, Quality Frameworks
### Gen-AI & Agentic Requirements (Nice to Have → Becoming Critical)
Capability
Description
**Machine Learning**
Model building, deployment, ML pipelines
**Gen-AI Agents & Skills**
Multi-agent pipelines, agentic workflows
**RAG**
Retrieval Augmented Generation for data insights
**Data Monetization**
E2E framework with data as a base, AI on top to deliver customer value
**90% Agentic Driven**
Vision to drive org toward agentic automation
### Client Technology Stack (Familiarity Expected)
System
Purpose
**MS Dynamics**
Internal client CRM
**New Portal**
External client portal (in-house, React + MS stack)
**DocGen**
Document generation (MS stack)
**EIS Insurance Platform**
Middle layer - Policy/Group Admin
**Earnix**
3rd party Rating/Pricing engine
## Preferred Qualifications
* **Azure Data Engineer** or **Solutions Architect Expert** certification
* Experience with **Databricks**, **Synapse**, and **Microsoft Fabric**
* Strong knowledge of **lakehouse patterns**, **streaming architectures**, and **data governance frameworks**
* **Insurance industry experience** is a plus
* Experience building **end-to-end frameworks** with data as a foundation and AI on top
* Hands-on with **Data, Gen-AI agents, RAG, and agentic workflows*** Comprehensive full medical, dental and vision Insurance* Basic Life Insurance at no cost to the employee* Company paid short-term and long-term disability* 12 weeks of 100% paid Parental Leave* Health Savings Account (HSA)* Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)* Retirement savings plan* Personal Paid Time Off* Paid holidays and company-wide Wellness Day off* Paid time off to volunteer at nonprofit organizations* Pet friendly office environment* Commuter Benefits* Group Pet Insurance* On the job training and skills development* Employee Assistance Program (EAP)**Thanks for visiting our careers page!**ASPCA Pet Health Insurance, Embrace, Felix, Figo, Independence American Insurance Company, Pets Best, Pethealth, PetPartners, PetPlace, and Pumpkin are all operated by **Independence Pet Holdings (IPH)**.At IPH, we welcome and encourage applications from individuals with disabilities. Accommodations are available upon request for candidates participating in all aspects of the selection process. #J-18808-Ljbffr