Job description
Role Overview
Lead Data Architect at Deeplight, a specialist AI and data consultancy based in the UAE. This is a high-visibility leadership role combining technical authority, team mentorship, and strategic client engagement on fixed-scope enterprise projects.
Company Overview
DeepLight AI is a specialist AI and data consultancy dedicated to transforming the regional corporate landscape through bespoke, high-impact intelligent systems. The firm combines deep quantitative expertise, cutting-edge cloud architecture, and modern MLOps to engineer secure, scalable, and resilient data foundations designed to power enterprise AI at scale. With deep roots across financial services and banking sectors in the UAE, the company helps major institutions bridge the gap between complex legacy systems and future-ready AI platforms.
Role Purpose
Lead cross-functional squads of Data Engineers, Data Scientists, and MLOps Engineers in designing and delivering enterprise Lakehouse architectures and modern cloud data stacks. Serve as the primary technical advisor to client C-suite and IT leadership, translating complex executive visions into elegant, production-ready solutions while navigating client organizations with high emotional intelligence and strategic acumen.
Key Responsibilities
Architecture Design & Validation
- Design, validate, and govern enterprise Lakehouse architectures using Databricks and Delta Lake tailored for advanced analytics and production AI.
- Design modern cloud data stacks across AWS and Azure for enterprise clients.
- Design zero-trust data security frameworks, fine-grained access controls, and audit trails compliant with regional Central Bank regulatory frameworks and data sovereignty laws.
Client Leadership & Advisory
- Act as the primary technical advisor to client C-suite, CDO, and IT leadership.
- Translate complex client challenges into clear, fixed-scope architecture blueprints, SOW baselines, and delivery roadmaps.
- Use high emotional intelligence to de-escalate project friction, align disparate business and IT agendas, and defend technical choices before architecture review boards and risk committees.
- Build authentic client trust, read organizational dynamics, and resolve conflict constructively.
Team Leadership & Development
- Direct and nurture teams of engineers and quantitative specialists.
- Build a culture of psychological safety, continuous learning, and technical excellence through hands-on coaching and active listening.
- Lead teams with empathy and clarity.
Project Delivery
- Own technical delivery on fixed-scope consultancy projects.
- Manage milestone commitments, scope, and technical risk effectively.
Qualifications & Experience
- Master's or Bachelor's degree in Mathematics, Theoretical Physics, Physics, Computer Science, or a related quantitative field.
- Significant demonstrable experience in enterprise data architecture.
- Substantial experience leading teams inside top-tier technology or management consultancies.
- Proven experience owning technical delivery on fixed-scope consultancy projects.
- Background in financial services, banking, or capital markets is highly advantageous.
Skills & Competencies
- Deep mastery of Lakehouse patterns and distributed data processing including Spark and Kafka.
- Expertise in cloud storage topologies and feature engineering pipelines for AI.
- Hands-on experience designing concurrent multi-cloud architectures across AWS and Azure in regulated environments.
- Practical knowledge of vector database topologies, LLM data flows, and MLOps platform orchestration.
- Experience navigating enterprise procurement, client dynamics, and local regulatory frameworks across the UAE or broader GCC region.
- World-class technical expertise in data architecture.
- Compelling communication and persuasive advocacy skills.
- Ability to bridge the gap between complex data science and actionable business value.
Additional Information
- Competitive salary
- Comprehensive Gold Level personal health insurance
- Individual Visa Sponsorship
- Professional development and certification support
- Subscription reimbursement relating to your role
- Opportunity to work on cutting-edge AI projects
- Monthly Employee Incentive program
- Career advancement opportunities in a rapidly growing AI company
- DeepLight AI is committed to fostering an inclusive environment where individuals with different thinking styles can thrive and contribute their unique strengths.
- Reasonable adjustments are available for the application and interview process.