Staff Data Architect

FanDuel

$170K — $210K *
Enterprise Technology
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 7+ years of experience in data architecture, data platforms, and Big Data with a focus on ML engineering.
  • Hands-on architectural expertise in Data Warehousing, Streaming, Big Data, and AI/ML systems.
  • Strong proficiency with Databricks, dbt/Spark, and modern data modeling techniques.
  • Experience with architecting production-grade ML and AI workloads, including deep learning and unified search.
  • Practical experience with AI tooling for development acceleration while maintaining engineering standards.
  • A systems-oriented mindset for managing LLMs and AI agents within clear architectural governance.
  • Strong leadership and communication skills for influencing cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

  • Own the architectural vision for utilizing AI across the data platform to enhance data handling processes.
  • Architect an AI-assisted 'data pipeline factory' to facilitate the creation and maintenance of production data pipelines.
  • Design AI-native tools and services that leverage company data assets for scalable solutions.
  • Define architecture and scope for advanced ML workloads, including vector and unified search functionalities.
  • Establish standards to ensure the interoperability and reproducibility of ML and AI data flows.
  • Drive convergence on shared patterns to prevent fragmentation across AI and ML efforts.
  • Collaborate with teams to transform strategic AI and data initiatives into actionable architectural plans.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive health plans including fertility, family planning, and mental health support.
  • Generous paid time off along with a sick leave policy.
  • 401k plan with up to a 5% employer match.
  • Incentives such as annual bonuses and long-term performance-based opportunities.
  • Unique perks like pet insurance and commuter benefits.
Full Job Description
THE POSITIONOur roster has an opening with your name on it

As a Staff Data Architect within Data Architecture who focuses on AI & ML, you will design how the company gets maximum leverage out of its data through ML and AI. This role spans multiple domains and sits at the intersection of our data platform and the AI/ML capabilities built on top of it. You will own the architectural direction for both using AI to make our pipelines/platform more productive and for building AI native capabiiilities that turn our data assets into differentiated products.

In addition to the specific responsibilities outlined above, employees may be required to perform other such duties as assigned by the Company. This ensures operational flexibility and allows the Company to meet evolving business needs.

THE GAME PLAN
Everyone on our team has a part to play
  • Own the architectural vision for applying AI across the data platform - both to accelerate how data is ingested, modeled, and delivered, and to unlock new capabilities from our data assets.
  • Architect an agentic, AI-assisted "data pipeline factory" - the patterns, guardrails, and standards that let AI and agents build, test, and maintain production data pipelines with strong engineering discipline.
  • Design and evolve AI-native tools and services that take advantage of the company's data assets, ensuring they are built on sound, reusable architectural foundations rather than one-off solutions.
  • Define the architecture and scope for advanced ML and deep learning workloads on the data platform, including vector and unified search across the company's data.
  • Establish reference architectures, contracts, and standards that keep ML and AI data flows interoperable, observable, reproducible, and ML-ready by default.
  • Prevent fragmentation and duplication across AI and ML efforts by representing the data organization's end-to-end view and driving convergence on shared patterns.
  • Partner with data, ML, and engineering teams to translate ambitious AI and data ideas into concrete, buildable architecture, bridging strategy and execution.
  • Evaluate emerging AI, ML, and data technologies and recommend where the company should adopt, standardize, or invest to create durable advantage.
  • Oversee the performance, cost, and reliability of AI and ML data systems, continually improving efficiency as they scale.
  • Communicate the value and direction of this work to stakeholders across and beyond the data organization, building the alignment needed to move it forward.


THE STATS
What we're looking for in our next teammate
  • 7+ years of experience in data architecture, data platforms, and Big Data with demonstrated experience in ML engineering
  • Deeply technical and analytical, with hands-on architectural experience across Data Warehousing, Streaming, Big Data, and AI/ML systems.
  • Strong hands-on proficiency with Databricks as a data lakehouse, plus dbt/Spark and modern data modeling.
  • Demonstrated experience architecting ML and AI workloads, including advanced ML or deep learning, and ideally vector/semantic/unified search, as durable, production-grade systems.
  • Practical experience using AI tooling and agents to accelerate development while maintaining strong engineering fundamentals: version control discipline, review standards, automated testing, validation gates, and reproducibility.
  • A systems-first mindset toward AI, treating LLMs and agents as components within well-defined architectural boundaries and governance
  • Experience leading large-scale data and AI/ML projects in batch and streaming environments.
  • Ability to influence multiple teams, functional areas, and levels of leadership, and to align stakeholders across organizational boundaries.
  • Ability to see around corners, predict needs, and identify patterns before they become problems.
  • Strong data security and compliance awareness.
  • Excellent leadership, communication, presentation, and facilitation skills.
  • Bachelor's degree in computer science or a related field.


PLAYER BENEFITS
We treat our team right

We offer amazing benefits above and beyond the basics. We have an array of health plans to choose from (some as low as $0 per paycheck) that include programs for fertility and family planning, mental health support, and fitness benefits. We offer generous paid time off (PTO & sick leave), annual bonus and long-term incentive opportunities (based on performance), 401k with up to a 5% match, commuter benefits, pet insurance, and more - check out all our benefits here: FanDuel Total Rewards. *Benefits differ across location, role, and level.

The applicable salary range for this position is : $170,000 - $210,000 USD, which is dependent on a variety of factors including relevant experience, location, business needs and market demand. This role may offer the following benefits: medical, vision, and dental insurance; life insurance; disability insurance; a 401(k) matching program; among other employee benefits. This role may also be eligible for short-term or long-term incentive compensation, including, but not limited to, cash bonuses and stock program participation. This role includes paid personal time off and 14 paid company holidays. FanDuel offers paid sick time in accordance with all applicable state and federal laws.

#LI-Hybrid

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