Distinguished, Architect

Distinguished Architect – Walmart Data Ventures

Location: Sunnyvale, CA
Employment Type: Part‑time

$169,000 – $338,000 per year (Sunnyvale). Additional compensation may include performance bonuses and stock options.

• Create and maintain the product technical architecture, aligning it with business goals and scalability requirements.
• Design and oversee the development of scalable and fault‑tolerant distributed systems that support high data volumes and traffic, focusing on performance, security, scalability, and reliability.
• Design data processing pipelines and frameworks for efficient ingestion, transformation, and analysis of large datasets from diverse sources.
• Optimize data storage and retrieval mechanisms, including databases, caching, and data‑warehousing solutions.
• Work with teams to execute a data‑mesh strategy, including tooling and processes to support data contracts.
• Establish and maintain the product architecture capability map.
• Provide hands‑on technical guidance and mentorship to software engineers, fostering a culture of learning and innovation.
• Collaborate closely with cross‑functional teams—Product Management, Design, Data Providers, business stakeholders, and external partners—to align technology initiatives with business needs.
• Develop proof‑of‑concepts and offer strategic & technical recommendations across product areas.
• Stay abreast of emerging technologies, conducting research to identify new tools and methodologies.
• Communicate complex technical concepts effectively to both technical and non‑technical audiences.
• Document architectural decisions, design patterns, data‑engineering and service‑design standards, policies, and best practices.

• At least 8 years of experience in software architecture and engineering leadership with a focus on large‑scale distributed systems.
• Hands‑on expertise in data engineering (ETL/ELT, data modeling), data governance, batch and real‑time streaming platforms (Spark, Hadoop, Hive, Kafka, dbt, Airflow) and cloud services (GCS, Big Query, Vertex AI, Databricks).
• Strong understanding of Domain‑Driven Design (DDD) and experience applying DDD patterns in software development.
• Proficiency in Microservice, Data Mesh, and Cloud‑Native Architecture.
• Evidence of building highly reliable, operationally excellence‑focused systems.
• Track record of delivering scalable application and data platforms with strong developer focus.
• Extensive experience in Contract‑First/Design‑First software development for microservices, data products, and CI/CD using service & data contracts.
• Preferred:
  Experience with RESTful web services, API design, ORM, Spring MVC, SOA, cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP), and containerization (Docker, Kubernetes).
• Preferred:
  Understanding of AI/ML techniques and patterns.
• Deep experience designing, developing, and delivering software products with large user bases.
• Strong architecture vision and excellent communication skills across stakeholder levels.
• Business acumen to bridge technical and business priorities.
• Demonstrated collaboration and influence as a trusted partner for business and technology teams.
• Immigration sponsorship support is not available for this position.

Walmart offers competitive salary and incentive awards, a 401(k) match, stock purchase plan, paid maternity and parental leave, PTO, multiple health plans, flexible working hours, and more.

Walmart, Inc., is an Equal Opportunity Employer by Choice. We believe in valuing unique styles, experiences, identities, and ideas while fostering an inclusive culture.