As a Data Architect, you will define and lead the data architecture underpinning a hybrid navy, integrating crewed platforms, uncrewed systems, sensors, and digital services across ship, shore, and cloud environments.
You will set the technical direction and architectural standards for how data is collected, secured, processed, and exploited to deliver operational advantage. This role balances strategic design with hands-on technical leadership, working closely with engineers,
security teams, and operational stakeholders.
Your responsibilities will include:
- Define and own the end-to-end data architecture for hybrid naval capabilities. Designing architectures for low- bandwidth, denied, or intermittent connectivity.
- Design secure, resilient, and scalable data platforms spanning edge, tactical, and cloud environments.
- Establish architectural patterns for real-time data ingestion, streaming, and analytics.
- Lead the integration of sensor, platform, and mission data using common data models and standards.
- Ensure data architecture aligns with defence security (JSP452), accreditation, and interoperability requirements.
- Provide architectural governance, including design assurance, technical decision making, and risk management.
- Mentor engineers and influence delivery teams to implement architectural best practice.
- Act as a trusted technical advisor to MOD clients, translating operational needs into architectural decisions.
Top 3 requirements needed for this role:
- Comfortable working in agile, multi-disciplinary teams
- Pragmatic and outcomes focused, balancing architectural rigour with delivery pace.
- Security first mindset, with an appreciation of operational realities.
Experience & skills
Essential:
- Proven experience as a Senior Data Architect delivering solutions in complex, regulated, disconnected or mission critical environments, with accountability for end-to-end data architecture.
- Strong understanding of data modelling, data warehousing and data lake architectures (e.g. lakehouse patterns), and data integration using event driven and API led approaches.
- Experience designing architectures across hybrid cloud and on-premise / edge environments, using platforms such as AWS or Azure, with a strong understanding of distributed systems and event-driven architectures (e.g. Apache Kafka, AWS Kinesis, messaging and streaming patterns).
- Experience designing architectures for high volume, time critical, or sensor driven data, including streaming, time series, and geospatial data (e.g. PostgreSQL/PostGIS,
Elasticsearch, InfluxDB).
- Strong technical leadership and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to set architectural direction, assure designs, and influence multidisciplinary delivery teams.
- Knowledge of data security, information assurance, and access control in high-security contexts, including secure data pipelines, encryption, identity and access
management, and awareness of Zero Trust principles.
Desirable:
- Experience working with MOD, Defence Digital, SDA, or wider UK public sector defence clients.
- Ability to communicate complex architectural and data concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders, including senior leaders.
- Hands-on experience with modern cloud native data platforms, such as:
- MODCloud - ICE, ACE environments
- AWS data services (e.g. S3, Redshift, EKS, Kinesis)
- Azure data services (e.g. Data Lake, Synapse, AKS)
- GCP
- Kubernetes-based platforms and containerised data services
- Telicent
- Understanding of NATO data standards, interoperability requirements, or multi-national data sharing constraints.
- Experience supporting systems operating in degraded, denied, or disconnected environments, including low bandwidth architectures and edge processing patterns.
SFIA level: 5
DDAT Description: Data Architect
Start date: 1st August 2026
Initial contract length: 3 Months
Role location: Portsmouth
Nationality specification: British Citizen only, no dual nationality
Number of days per week expected on site: 3+ per week (depending on need)
Minimum security level: SC or above
Day rate: £765
