Principal Data Architect (m/f/d)

Principal data architects at Thoughtworks play a key part in developing modern data architecture approaches to meet business objectives and provide end-to-end data solutions.

They are responsible for enabling clients and Thoughtworks teams to align on outcomes that support the vision painted by data strategists.

They lead the design and architecture of the initiatives which are key to delivery of solutions to budget and timelines. They also guide and mentor delivery teams on architectural decisions to deliver to the solution agreements.

Job responsibilities

• You will collaborate with sales and pre-sales to clarify requirements and design viable solutions and drive pursuits with technical stakeholders.
• You will lead complex data programs, navigating architectural concerns and enabling delivery teams to deliver on accepted standards within time and budget.
• You will provide client-facing technical leadership and guidance on topics related to data architecture, engineering, and analytics to advise clients on bringing their data strategy to life.
• You will interact with client counterparts from the enterprise architecture group and lead the delivery, alignment and sign-off of key architectural decisions, trade-offs and ways of working.
• You will communicate both high- and low-level technical details of data architecture to engineers and business stakeholders.
• You will be able to collaborate, influence and guide at the intersection of analytical and operational architecture.
• You will be responsible for the technical design of data governance, data security and data privacy to fulfill compliance requirements.
• You will seamlessly incorporate data quality frameworks and processes to address and fulfill requirements as set out in strategy and acceptance criteria.
• You will represent Thoughtworks in various online and offline forums, including events and conferences.

Job Qualifications

Technical Skills

• You have experience in defining and implementing different types of data architecture, analyzing trade-offs and can define technology stacks for different types of data architecture.
• You have experience in designing application system architecture based on big data, artificial intelligence and related technologies.
• You have rich experience in building, maintaining and tuning data platforms, as well extensive experience in data warehouse design, data modeling, data monitoring and operations.
• You have experience with common design patterns, application frameworks and foundational/theoretical knowledge (i.e.: distributed systems, data intensive applications, etc.).
• You are passionate about data infrastructure and operations, with expertise working in cloud environments.
• You are proficient in common open-source distributed computing/storage technologies, including but not limited to YARN, Impala, Spark, MapReduce, Kafka and Flink, with practical project architecture experience.
• You have experience in defining, developing and enabling data-driven techniques, advanced analytics, ML/AI and data mining applications in enterprise.
• You have experience in developing real-time and low-latency data streaming solutions and a differentiated view on the complexities and tradeoffs connected with them.
• You have experience in productionizing machine learning models and applying techniques, tools and processes.

Professional Skills

• You must have extensive pre-sales experience and a proven ability to independently drive complex pursuits and create winning commercial proposals.
• You understand the importance of stakeholder management and can easily liaise between clients and other key stakeholders throughout projects, ensuring buy-in and gaining trust along the way.
• You are a native-level German speaker (C1 German) that is comfortable and experienced to drive consensus with mostly technical stakeholders.
• You are resilient in ambiguous situations and can adapt your role to approach challenges from multiple perspectives.
• You have a good understanding of business and communication, collaboration skills, strong learning and summarizing abilities.
• You don’t shy away from risks or conflicts, instead you take them on and skillfully manage them.
• You coach, mentor and motivate others and you aspire to influence teammates to take positive action and accountability for their work.
• You enjoy influencing others and always advocate for technical excellence while being open to change when needed.
• Cultivating strong partnerships comes naturally to you; You understand the importance of relationship building and how it can bring new opportunities to our business.

Other things to know

Learning & Development

There is no one-size-fits-all career path at Thoughtworks: however you want to develop your career is entirely up to you. But we also balance autonomy with the strength of our cultivation culture. This means your career is supported by interactive tools, numerous development programs and teammates who want to help you grow. We see value in helping each other be our best and that extends to empowering our employees in their career journeys.

Responsible Use of AI in Recruitment

At Thoughtworks, we use AI tools to support our recruitment team with administrative tasks such as drafting communications, scheduling interviews and writing job descriptions.

Crucially, our AI tools do not screen, assess, rank or make hiring decisions. Every application is reviewed by our team and all selection decisions are made exclusively by our interviewers and hiring managers.

We are committed to fairness and responsible AI. We actively manage our AI systems by testing, monitoring for biased outcomes and implementing mitigation measures. We hold our third‑party vendors to these same high standards through a rigorous governance process. For additional information, please see our full Thoughtworks AI Policy for Recruitment.

Job Details

Country: Germany

Location: Hamburg

Date Posted: 07-31-2026

Industry: Information Technology

Employment Type: Employee

About Thoughtworks

Thoughtworks is a dynamic and inclusive community of bright and supportive colleagues who are revolutionizing tech. As a leading technology consultancy, we’re pushing boundaries through our purposeful and impactful work. For 30+ years, we’ve delivered extraordinary impact together with our clients by helping them solve complex business problems with technology as the differentiator. Bring your brilliant expertise and commitment for continuous learning to Thoughtworks. Together, let’s be extraordinary.

See here our AI policy.