How to hire a lead data architect

How to hire a lead data architect, step by step

Here's a step-by-step lead data architect hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a lead data architect job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new lead data architect
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a lead data architect do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a lead data architect, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A lead data architect's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, lead data architects from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of lead data architects and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Lead Data Architect	Description	Hourly rate
   Lead Data Architect	Computer network architects design and build data communication networks, including local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), and intranets. These networks range from small connections between two offices to next-generation networking capabilities such as a cloud infrastructure that serves multiple customers.	$40-71
   Voice Engineer	A voice engineer is responsible for evaluating the efficiency and performance of voice over internet protocols (VoIP) to support the optimization of system networks for operations. Voice engineers design and manage the features of the VoIP and ensure that the transmissions meet the quality standards and specifications... Show more	$33-58
   NOC Analyst	A Network Operation Center (NOC) analyst works on ensuring the stability and working order of all network connections used in a company. The position is essential for companies that require fast-paced communication in both internal and external affairs... Show more	$19-34

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Analytics
   • Data Management
   • Java
   • Data Governance
   • Data Quality
   • Emerging Technologies
   • Data Architecture
   • Tableau
   • Visualization
   • Hadoop
   • ETL
   • Data Analysis
   • Master Data
   • BI

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Define and manage MDM RFP for software selection.
   • Report procedures against SSAS are constructed and ExcelWriter templates are developed to automate and replace existing manually generate, client-contract reports.
   • Perform dimensional data modeling using Erwin to support data warehouse design and ETL development.
   • Expose plan reports using HADOOP and HAWQ.
   • Map the extracted data to Java components generate.
   • Design tables that publish deep analytics and dashboard reports by processing 60MM transactions per day.

   More lead data architect duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your lead data architect job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A lead data architect salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, lead data architects' average salary in wisconsin is 33% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level lead data architects earn 44% less than senior-level lead data architects.
   • Certifications. A lead data architect with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a lead data architect's salary.

   Average lead data architect salary

   $112,015yearly

   $53.85 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level lead data architect salary

   $84,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

   Average lead data architect salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$133,154	$64
   2	Utah	$117,918	$57
   3	Washington	$114,518	$55
   4	Nevada	$113,126	$54
   5	District of Columbia	$110,174	$53
   6	Massachusetts	$107,518	$52
   7	New York	$107,366	$52
   8	New Jersey	$104,766	$50
   9	North Carolina	$103,200	$50
   10	Texas	$102,825	$49
   11	Iowa	$102,384	$49
   12	Ohio	$100,144	$48
   13	Arizona	$100,126	$48
   14	Florida	$99,307	$48
   15	Virginia	$99,202	$48
   16	Georgia	$98,670	$47
   17	Colorado	$97,862	$47
   18	Illinois	$97,257	$47
   19	Connecticut	$96,866	$47
   20	Pennsylvania	$96,158	$46

   Average lead data architect salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Meta	$163,946	$78.82	858
   2	Apple	$151,058	$72.62	159
   3	Google	$148,923	$71.60	257
   4	Microsoft	$140,759	$67.67	209
   5	McKinsey & Company Inc	$140,685	$67.64	62
   6	Putnam Investments	$138,726	$66.70
   7	DocuSign	$136,186	$65.47	3
   8	Nike	$135,885	$65.33	4
   9	Amazon	$135,319	$65.06	798
   10	Ford Motor	$135,315	$65.06	172
   11	Cisco	$134,937	$64.87	32
   12	OpenTable	$134,060	$64.45
   13	Boston Consulting Group	$133,457	$64.16	50
   14	Citi	$133,114	$64.00	25
   15	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	$130,562	$62.77	302
   16	Shell Trading	$130,239	$62.61
   17	Barclays	$129,863	$62.43
   18	Bank of the West	$128,422	$61.74
   19	Applied Materials	$127,324	$61.21	10
   20	Royal Bank of Canada	$126,159	$60.65	2

4. Writing a lead data architect job description

   A lead data architect job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a lead data architect job description:

   Lead data architect job description example

   Under the direction of a Manager or Senior Manager, the Clinical Data Lead is an integral part of the account team as the subject matter expert, ensuring partner satisfaction through management of all quality tasks including new team member orientation, pre-submission cleaning of cases, validation of abstractor accuracy (IRR), completion of Fallout Reviews and the Second Look process.
   
   Quality Management: Conduct orientation to medical records for new abstraction team members Manage the green-lighting process and completion of on-going IRR, identifying any performance concerns in collaboration with the Clinical Services Lead and escalating concerns to Senior Manager/ManagerEffectively manage the fallout review/exception/occurrence reporting and Second Look process, ensuring accurate reporting, and partnering with the Clinical Services Lead to ensure partner notification and review Provide follow-up/feedback/education to the project team on quality issues or trends identified during greenlighting, on-going IRR, second looks, pre-submission cleaning, review of project quality trends, etc.Collaborate with Clinical Services Lead and Senior Manager/Manager to identify quality trends in the data with respect to internal team performance, and also identify hospital quality trends to share with partners Mentor, train and provide guidance to new hires during the onboarding process at assigned facilities Maintain and share abstraction team support documents, including Measure Detail and Documentation Clarification Forms, regularly updating with new measures and/or partner EMR changes Complete the 1st pass of pre-submission clean-up, update cases when missing documentation is provided Subject matter expert in assigned registry or measure. Provide expert abstraction support - 15% - 20% abstraction Other quality tasks, as assigned
   
   Partner Management:Attend new partner orientation in order to orient new team members as added to the project Work closely with the Clinical Services Lead, as needed, for case-specific questions Other partner tasks, as delegated by the Clinical Services Lead or the Senior Manager/Manager
   
   Required Skills/Abilities: Demonstrates high standards for accuracy and attention to detail Demonstrates technical savvy and strong desire to learn new systems and technology Thrives working independently and takes ownership of projects Consistently and clearly communicates, adjusting style and tone as needed to effectively collaborate with hospital partners, peers, abstractors and others Demonstrates strong self-organizational and time management skills to concurrently manage multiple accounts, adjusting as needed to shifting timelines and priorities Adapts to changes in project timelines, requirements, and assignments Maintains a high degree of responsibility in keeping PHI secure and confidential
   
   Education and Experience:3+ years direct data abstraction experience in the applicable division/service line Other certifications as required by applicable measure of registry Exposure to multiple patient medical record systems (EMRs) and clinical databases1+ years providing coaching and guidance to teams (preferred) RN, LPN, RT, RVT, or RCIS credentials (preferred) Intermediate proficiency with MS Office (Microsoft Excel)
   
   At Q-Centrix, we hire people who love learning, value innovation, and believe in our mission and values to improve outcomes in healthcare. We applaud qualified applicants who are accountable and committed to producing quality work. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we support and value diversity, dignity, and respect in our work environment, and are committed to creating an inclusive environment in which everyone can thrive.
   
   We employ people based on the needs of the business and the job, and their individual professional qualifications. Here's what does not impact our employment decisions: race, religious creed, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy, parental status, genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, protected veteran or disability status, health, marital, civil union or domestic partnership status, or any status or characteristic protected by the laws or regulations in locations where we operate. If you are an individual with a qualified disability and you need accommodation during the interview process, please reach out to your recruiter.
   We celebrate and embrace these differences and take pride in our commitment to being an equal opportunity team.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right lead data architect for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with lead data architects they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit lead data architects who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your lead data architect job on Zippia to find and recruit lead data architect candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting lead data architects requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   Sometimes, it's not enough to interview lead data architect candidates, so you can ask them to do a test project. If you are not a technical person and don't know what a test project should be, you can use these websites:

   • TestDome
   • CodeSignal
   • Testlify
   • BarRaiser
   • Coderbyte

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new lead data architect

   Once you've found the lead data architect candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new lead data architect. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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