Principal, Data Architect

Principal Data Architect

Job Summary

The Principal Data Architect will be the visionary designer of Sam's Club's Cognitive Data Infrastructure. The goal is to move beyond static data warehousing to build a Semantic World Model-a unified, real-time, and context-aware layer that serves as the "source of truth" for intelligent agents.

Responsibilities

• Architect the Semantic World Model: Lead the design of a global semantic layer that unifies structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data into shared, context-aware representations (Knowledge Graphs and Metadata Tensors) optimized for LLM reasoning.
• Design for Real Time State: Define the architecture for persistent agent memory and real-time state management. Ensure agents have a seamless "mental model" that synchronizes a member's current session with their long-term history across all channels.
• Establish the Tool-Calling Fabric: Transition the enterprise from "Data-as-a-Table" to "Data-as-a-Tool for Agentic Enablement". Design the architectural contracts and schemas that allow agents to call data products as executable functions with deterministic outcomes.
• Lead the Agentic Reference Architecture: Define and steward enterprise standards for Agent Ready Data. This includes creating reference patterns for GraphRAG (Graph-Augmented Generation), vector space optimization, and hierarchical ontology design.
• Enable Model-Agnostic Intelligence: Build a decoupled semantic interface that ensures our data strategy remains stable and performant regardless of the underlying LLM or agent framework being utilized.
• Architect Trust & Grounding: Design "Reasoning Guardrails" into the data layer. Ensure that the semantic architecture provides verifiable grounding for AI actions, minimizing hallucinations through strict policy enforcement and deterministic data paths.
• Strategic Influence & Modernization: Partner with Engineering, AI/ML, and Product leaders to drive an AI-native operating model. Lead the technical roadmap for modernizing legacy systems into composable, intelligent platforms.

Requirements

• 10-15+ years of experience in large-scale distributed data architecture, with a proven track record of shaping enterprise-level data strategies.
• Architectural fluency in agentic systems, including Vector Databases, Enterprise Knowledge Graphs, and the orchestration of multi-agent workflows.
• Semantic mastery, with expert-level knowledge of Ontology Engineering and Metadata Management.
• Real-time architecture expertise, with a deep understanding of real-time event processing and how to blend high-volume streaming data with analytical stores to provide agents with "Total Recall".
• Systems thinking, with the ability to reason about the trade-offs between latency, information density, and token cost when designing data structures for LLM context windows.
• Engineering foundation, with strong hands-on experience across the modern data and AI stack, including:
• Core & Distributed Systems: Python, Java, or Scala; Databricks, Spark, and BigQuery.
• Real-Time & Streaming: Kafka, Druid, and streaming frameworks like Spark Structured Streaming, Kafka Connect, or Apache Flink.
• Agentic Frameworks & Protocols: MCP Server, LangChain/LangGraph, Prompt Engineering, and Multimodal AI.
• Orchestration & Semantics: Camunda for workflow logic, LookML for metrics modeling, and deep familiarity with GCP or Azure cloud-native ecosystems.
• Leadership through architecture, with demonstrated ability to align diverse stakeholders and influence technical direction across organizational boundaries without direct authority.

About Walmart Global Tech

Imagine working in an environment where one line of code can make life easier for hundreds of millions of people. That's what we do at Walmart Global Tech. We're a team of software engineers, data scientists, cybersecurity experts, and service professionals within the world's leading retailer who make an epic impact and are at the forefront of the next retail disruption.

Benefits

• Competitive pay
• Performance-based bonus awards
• 401(k) matching and stock purchase plans
• Paid time off, including vacation, sick leave, holidays, parental leave, and more
• Comprehensive health benefits, including medical, dental, vision, and wellness programs
• Wellbeing programs, including access to mental health resources and assistance programs
• Career growth opportunities, including training, leadership programs, and clear paths to advance

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field and 5 years' experience in data engineering, solution architecture, business intelligence, business analytics, or related field
• 7 years' experience in data engineering, solution architecture, business intelligence, business analytics, or related field
• Master's degree in Computer Science and 3 years' experience in data engineering, solution architecture, business intelligence, business analytics, or related field

Preferred Qualifications

• Data architecture/software architecture/data modeling, Master's degree in Computer Science or related field and 5 years' experience in software engineering or related field
• Relevant industry experience (for example, retail, supply chain, eCommerce, healthcare, etc.)
• Solution Architecture
• We value candidates with a background in creating inclusive digital experiences, demonstrating knowledge in implementing Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 AA standards, assistive technologies, and integrating digital accessibility seamlessly.

Primary Location

809 11th Ave, Sunnyvale, CA 94089-4731, United States of America

Walmart and its subsidiaries are committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace and has a no-tolerance policy regarding the use of illegal drugs and alcohol on the job. This policy applies to all employees and aims to create a safe and productive work environment.