We are currently seeking an experienced IT Solution Architect to join a leading pharmaceutical client of ours at their Barcelona site. The successful candidate will be right at the heart of a broader transformation program aimed at creating a new, modernized R&D Data Lake platform, while concurrently supporting and maintaining the existing legacy environment. In this role, the architect will design and implement the architectural framework, establish the roadmap for platform uplift, and develop a clear migration strategy from the legacy data lake to the new platform.

The role requires English language skills, and candidates to be Spain based, ideally Barcelona and surrounding areas as travel is required due to hybrid working conditions, although there is some flexibility for remote work for the right candidate. 

The role will require extensive experience in solution architecture, with a strong background in data architecture and enterprise data management

Key Experience: 
 


  • Knowledgeable in distributed data architectures, including services like S3, Glue, and Lake Formation.
  • Strong understanding of cloud-native platforms, with a preference for AWS
  • Architectural Assessment & Road-mapping experience
  • Previously conducted comprehensive assessments of the current R&D Data Lake architecture.
  • Data Ingestion & Processing Enhancements
  • Design and prototype updated data ingestion mechanisms that meet GxP validation requirements and improve data flow efficiency.
  • Storage Patterns Optimization experience
  • Experienced evaluating optimized storage patterns to ensure scalability, performance, and cost effectiveness.
  • Assess current security measures and implement robust access controls to protect sensitive R&D data
  • Design and implement comprehensive data cataloguing procedures to improve data discoverability and usability.
  • Technology Evaluation & Integration - Recommend and oversee the implementation of new tools and technologies related to ingestion, storage, processing, handling, security, and cataloguing
  • Proven experience in programming languages and tools relevant to data engineering (e.g., Python, Scala)
  • Experienced with big data technologies like: Hadoop, Cassandra, Spark, Hive, and Kafka


Desirable Requirements:


  • Experience designing and implementing GxP-validated systems in pharmaceutical or life sciences environments
  • Familiar with the Data Mesh concept and principles and with commercial data virtualization services (i.e: Starburst)
  • Experience in data ingestion and orchestration tools (i.e: Fivetran, Talend, Airflow).
  • Experience in Python-based web development frameworks (e.g., FastAPI)


The role offers the flexibility of a hybrid work arrangement and is a 6 month contract with possibility of extension.