Technology Director - Fungible Data Platforms & Database ModernizationJob DescriptionAbout this role:Wells Fargo is seeking a
Technology Director, Fungible Data Platforms & Database Modernization within Database Technology. This is a deeply technical M4 leadership role responsible for defining and executing the enterprise strategy for database portability, migration engineering, platform abstraction, and AI-assisted modernization across the strategic database estate.
Fungible Data Platforms is a cornerstone of the Database Technology strategy. The capability is essential to reducing platform dependency, accelerating modernization, and increasing the organization's ability to optimize database placement based on cost, resiliency, performance, risk, and strategic technology direction. As applications become more tightly coupled to individual database platforms, migrations become increasingly complex, expensive, and time-consuming-limiting the enterprise's ability to respond quickly to changing business and technology needs.
The successful candidate will bring technical depth and enterprise influence comparable to a
Distinguished Engineer, combined with the organizational leadership and execution accountability expected of a Technology Director. This leader will serve as the enterprise technical authority for database portability, migration architecture, AI-enabled code conversion, and cross-platform modernization.
Working across Database Engineering, Automation, Architecture, Cybersecurity, and application development organizations, this leader will establish the engineering frameworks, standards, and reusable capabilities required to reduce migration timelines from months to days. The role will provide critical technical leadership for SQL Server lifecycle remediation, New Generation Data Center migrations, strategic platform adoption, database standardization, and broader application modernization programs.
In this role, you will:Define the Fungible Data Platform Technical Strategy- Establish the enterprise technical strategy and target-state architecture for database portability and cross-platform workload mobility
- Define engineering principles, architecture standards, and reusable patterns that reduce application dependency on specific database platforms
- Develop a multi-year technical roadmap for platform abstraction, automated migration, code conversion, and workload portability
- Establish decision frameworks for selecting target database platforms based on workload requirements, cost, resiliency, security, performance, and strategic alignment
- Serve as the principal technical authority for complex database modernization and portability decisions
Lead AI-Assisted Database Transformation- Drive the engineering of AI-assisted capabilities for Structured Query Language code conversion, schema transformation, stored procedure remediation, compatibility analysis, and migration validation
- Establish technical standards for the responsible use of generative AI and machine learning within database migration and modernization workflows
- Lead development of automated capabilities that analyze application and database dependencies, identify transformation requirements, and recommend target-state patterns
- Implement quality controls, testing mechanisms, and human oversight to improve the reliability and auditability of AI-generated database transformations
- Apply AI and advanced analytics to continuously improve migration accuracy, speed, repeatability, and engineering productivity
Engineer Enterprise Migration Frameworks- Design reusable migration frameworks that support assessment, discovery, dependency mapping, schema conversion, data movement, testing, reconciliation, cutover, and post-migration validation
- Establish automation patterns that reduce manual engineering effort and enable migration capabilities to scale across the enterprise
- Define reference architectures and engineering standards for migrations between relational, distributed Structured Query Language, NoSQL, cloud-native, and other strategic database platforms
- Create repeatable migration factories and self-service capabilities that application teams can use with appropriate controls and engineering oversight
- Establish rollback, resiliency, data-integrity, and operational-readiness standards for enterprise database migrations
Reduce Platform Dependency and Vendor Lock-In- Define platform abstraction patterns that separate application business logic from proprietary database functionality
- Establish standards for portable data access, schema design, query construction, transaction management, and database integration
- Identify high-impact platform dependencies and create engineering strategies to remediate or contain them
- Influence application architecture early in the development lifecycle to prevent unnecessary platform-specific coupling
- Enable the enterprise to make future database placement decisions without incurring disproportionate application redevelopment or migration costs
Accelerate Strategic Modernization Programs- Provide technical leadership for SQL Server lifecycle remediation, database platform consolidation, New Generation Data Center migrations, and strategic database adoption
- Partner with application teams to resolve complex compatibility, performance, data integrity, and operational challenges
- Establish modernization pathways that balance immediate lifecycle requirements with the long-term Fungible Data Platforms strategy
- Ensure migration solutions meet enterprise expectations for security, resiliency, recoverability, observability, performance, and regulatory compliance
- Drive technical resolution of the most complex and business-critical database transformation initiatives
Establish Engineering Standards and Technical Governance- Create enterprise standards for database portability, migration architecture, code conversion, testing, data reconciliation, and production cutover
- Lead technical design reviews for complex migration and modernization initiatives
- Establish technical acceptance criteria and quality gates that determine production readiness
- Govern exceptions to portability and modernization standards and ensure that approved deviations include documented risk treatment plans
- Define measures for migration speed, conversion accuracy, automation coverage, platform dependency reduction, quality, and realized cost optimization
Lead Technical Innovation and Proofs of Concept- Evaluate emerging database technologies, migration products, abstraction frameworks, and AI-assisted engineering capabilities
- Direct prototypes and proofs of concept to validate new modernization approaches before enterprise adoption
- Translate experimentation into production-grade engineering patterns, reusable services, and supported enterprise capabilities
- Maintain awareness of industry developments in distributed databases, cloud-native data services, AI-assisted software engineering, and automated transformation
- Advise senior executives on technology opportunities, constraints, architectural tradeoffs, and investment priorities
Build and Lead a High-Performing Engineering Organization- Lead engineering managers, principal engineers, architects, and senior technical specialists responsible for fungible platform capabilities
- Establish a strong engineering culture centered on technical excellence, automation, reusable design, measurable outcomes, and continuous improvement
- Attract, develop, and retain highly specialized database, automation, artificial intelligence, and migration engineering talent
- Create opportunities for senior engineers to influence enterprise architecture and solve complex cross-platform challenges
- Establish communities of practice to increase database modernization expertise across the United States, India, and other global locations
Influence Enterprise Stakeholders and Drive Cross-Organizational Alignment- Partner with Database Engineering, Infrastructure Engineering, Enterprise Architecture, Cybersecurity, application development, and Chief Information Officer organizations
- Engage application leaders early to incorporate portability and modernization requirements into technology roadmaps
- Communicate complex architecture decisions, engineering tradeoffs, risks, and investment needs to senior executives
- Build enterprise alignment around strategic database standards while recognizing legitimate workload-specific requirements
- Represent Database Technology in architecture governance forums, modernization programs, and senior technical communities
Leadership & Scope- Leads the Fungible Data Platforms pillar within the enterprise Database Technology strategy
- Operates with the technical credibility and enterprise influence expected of a Distinguished Engineer while carrying M4-level organizational, talent, investment, and delivery accountability
- Leads a highly specialized organization of engineering managers, architects, principal engineers, automation engineers, and database modernization specialists
- Provides technical direction across multiple database products, engineering teams, application portfolios, and modernization programs
- Influences enterprise architecture and engineering decisions beyond the leader's direct reporting organization
- Owns the technical roadmap and execution required to materially reduce database migration timelines, engineering effort, platform dependency, and modernization cost
- Represents Database Technology in senior executive, architecture, engineering, risk, and investment governance forums
Required Qualifications- 8+ years of Technology Strategic Leadership experience, or equivalent demonstrated through one or a combination of work experience, training, military experience, or education
- 4+ years of management or leadership experience
- 10+ years of experience in database engineering, data architecture, distributed systems, platform engineering, or enterprise application modernization
- 8+ years of experience designing or leading complex database migration, modernization, or platform transformation initiatives
- Demonstrated ability to operate at a Distinguished Engineer level by defining technical strategy, solving highly complex engineering problems, and influencing technology direction across a large enterprise
- Deep technical expertise in database internals, data architecture, query processing, transaction management, schema design, performance engineering, resiliency, and data movement
- Experience with multiple relational, distributed Structured Query Language, NoSQL, and cloud-native database technologies
- Experience designing automation frameworks, migration tooling, code-conversion capabilities, or large-scale engineering platforms
- Experience leading highly technical engineering teams in large, complex, and regulated environments
- Experience communicating complex technical strategies and architectural tradeoffs to both engineering and executive audiences
Desired Qualifications- Demonstrated expertise across platforms such as Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle Database, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, YugabyteDB, or comparable strategic database technologies
- Experience designing database abstraction layers, portable data-access patterns, compatibility frameworks, or cross-platform engineering standards
- Experience applying generative AI, machine learning, static code analysis, or semantic analysis to software and database transformation
- Working knowledge of programming and scripting languages such as Python, Java, C#, Go, PowerShell, or equivalent languages used in enterprise automation
- Experience with Structured Query Language dialect conversion, stored procedure transformation, schema conversion, and automated regression testing
- Experience with container platforms, cloud-native architecture, infrastructure as code, continuous integration and continuous delivery, and automated software delivery practices
- Strong knowledge of database security, encryption, identity and access management, data protection, regulatory controls, and secure development practices
- Experience building enterprise platforms or engineering capabilities that are consumed by multiple application and infrastructure organizations
- Demonstrated ability to convert proofs of concept into secure, resilient, supported, and scalable production capabilities
- Experience developing technical talent and creating career pathways for principal engineers, architects, and other senior technologists
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science, or a related technical discipline; advanced degree preferred
- Relevant cloud, architecture, database, artificial intelligence, or security certifications
- Exceptional technical judgment, executive communication, organizational leadership, and cross-functional influencing skills
Job Expectations- This position requires the ability to work in an in-office hybrid environment.
- This position is not available for Visa sponsorship.
- This position does not have a relocation allowance.
Strategic ImpactThis role will establish the technical foundation required to make enterprise database workloads more portable, modernizable, and responsive to changing technology priorities. By combining Distinguished Engineer-level technical authority with M4-level organizational leadership, this position will reduce platform dependency, accelerate migrations from months to days, increase automation, support lifecycle and data center remediation, and enable the enterprise to make database placement decisions based on cost, resiliency, performance, risk, and strategic value rather than application lock-in.
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC (300 S Brevard St.)
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ (2222 W Rose Garden Ln.)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA (194 S Wood Ave. (Metro Park))
Posting End Date:18 Aug 2026
*Job posting may come down early due to volume of applicants. 
