Principal Data & Solution Architect
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The Cigna Group
US
Summary
The Principal Architect designs reusable, scalable data models and solution architectures to support enterprise data and digital products. They also mentor engineering teams and apply AI and automation to accelerate the modeling and production lifecycle.
Job Description
The job profile for this position is Architecture Principal, which is a Band 5 Senior Contributor Career Track Role.
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Job Description
- The Principal Data / Solution Architect is the senior hands-on architect responsible for designing the reusable data and solution architectures that power the enterprise’s data and digital products through MVP. Reporting to the Senior Director, Data & Digital Product Solution Architecture, this role translates architectural direction into concrete, buildable designs on the centralized, enterprise-agnostic medallion architecture models.
- This is a deep-expertise individual contributor role — the technical authority on data modeling, solution design, and the medallion architecture (Bronze/Silver/Gold). The Principal Architect works shoulder-to-shoulder with Data Engineering, Data Analysis & Products, Digital Product, and Analytics teams to design reusable assets, refactor bespoke work onto governed sources, and apply AI and automation to compress modeling time.
- This role is a critical execution counterpart to the engineering teams, ensuring that architectural intent is realized in production-ready, reusable designs rather than one-off builds. The Principal Architect sets the technical standard others build against and mentors engineers and analysts on architecture and modeling best practices.
Key Responsibilities
Data & Solution Architecture
- Design the reusable, scalable, enterprise-agnostic data models and solution architectures that underpin the enterprise medallion architecture.
- Produce concrete architecture artifacts — data models, solution blueprints, reference patterns, and design specifications — that engineering and product teams build against.
- Translate the Senior Director’s architectural direction into buildable, production-ready designs aligned to enterprise standards.
Modeling & Silver-Layer Design
- Own the design of the medallion architecture, ensuring data is structured for reuse across multiple use cases rather than bespoke consumption.
- Define transformation logic, data relationships, semantics, and readiness criteria needed by Data Engineering and Analysis teams.
- Refactor raw, bespoke solutions onto the centralized, agnostic Silver model so value is captured once and reused many times.
AI-Accelerated Design & Automation
- Apply AI and automation to accelerate modeling, design, and documentation — compressing the modeling cycle that has historically slowed the path to production.
- Build and reuse accelerators, templates, and design patterns that turn learning-stage work into durable, production-ready assets.
- Embed human-in-the-loop checkpoints so acceleration never bypasses governance, security, or quality expectations.
Hands-On Delivery & Integration
- Partner directly with Data Engineering to ensure designs are implemented faithfully and promoted to production through governed CI/CD pipelines.
- Integrate data and digital product solutions onto shared, reusable sources, ensuring alignment with the enterprise medallion model.
- Validate that engineered datasets, data products, and integrated solutions reflect the architectural design and support reuse.
Technical Standards & Mentorship
- Serve as the technical authority on data and solution architecture, setting patterns and standards others build against.
- Mentor and guide engineers and analysts on modeling, architecture, and reusable design best practices.
- Contribute to the centralized library of reusable models, patterns, and components so every asset compounds the value of the next.
Required Experience & Capabilities
- Deep, hands-on experience as a data architect and/or solution architect in a complex enterprise data environment.
- Expert knowledge of medallion architecture (Bronze/Silver/Gold), reusable data modeling, and enterprise-agnostic data design.
- Proven ability to translate architectural direction into concrete, buildable data models and solution designs.
- Strong hands-on experience refactoring bespoke solutions into reusable, production-ready assets.
- Working knowledge of CI/CD pipelines, automated code evaluation, and controlled promotion to production.
- Demonstrated ability to apply AI and automation to accelerate modeling and design while preserving quality and governance.
- Strong technical communication and mentorship skills; experience in complex, regulated enterprises preferred.
Measures of Success
- Architecture and design artifacts are reusable, scalable, and consistently adopted across use cases.
- Bespoke and raw solutions are consistently refactored onto reusable, agnostic Silver sources.
- Modeling and design cycle time is measurably reduced through AI and automation.
- Designs are implemented faithfully and reach production through governed, automated pipelines.
- Engineers and analysts adopt the architectural patterns and standards the role establishes.
- Acceleration is achieved without compromising governance, quality, or security controls.
If you will be working at home occasionally or permanently, the internet connection must be obtained through a cable broadband or fiber optic internet service provider with speeds of at least 10Mbps download/5Mbps upload.
For this position, we anticipate offering an annual salary of 151,600 - 252,600 USD / yearly, depending on relevant factors, including experience and geographic location.
This role is also anticipated to be eligible to participate in an annual bonus plan and long term incentive plan.
At The Cigna Group, you’ll enjoy a comprehensive range of benefits, with a focus on supporting your whole health. Starting on day one of your employment, you’ll be offered several health-related benefits including medical, vision, dental, and well-being and behavioral health programs. We also offer 401(k), company paid life insurance, tuition reimbursement, a minimum of 18 days of paid time off per year, paid holidays, and leaves of absence. For more details on our employee benefits programs, click here.
Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, age, disability, sex, childbirth (including pregnancy) or related medical conditions including but not limited to lactation, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, religion, national origin, ancestry, marital or familial status, genetic information, status with regard to public assistance, citizenship status or any other characteristic protected by applicable equal employment opportunity laws.
Please note that you must meet our posting guidelines to be eligible for consideration. Policy can be reviewed at this link.
Qualified applicants with criminal histories will be considered for employment in a manner consistent with all federal, state and local ordinances.
The Cigna Group is a global health company committed to creating a better future built on the vitality of every individual and every community. We relentlessly challenge ourselves to partner and innovate solutions for better health.
The Cigna Group includes products and services marketed under Cigna Healthcare, Evernorth Health Services or its subsidiaries. The Cigna Group maintains sales capabilities in more than 30 countries and jurisdictions, and has more than 190 million customer relationships around the world.
Company size
10,001+ employees
Industry
Healthcare
Org type
Public Company
Headquarters
Bloomfield, Connecticut
The Cigna Group is a global health company committed to creating a better future built on the vitality of every individual and every community. We relentlessly challenge ourselves to partner and innovate solutions for better health.
The Cigna Group includes products and services marketed under Cigna Healthcare, Evernorth Health Services or its subsidiaries. The Cigna Group maintains sales capabilities in more than 30 countries and jurisdictions, and has more than 190 million customer relationships around the world.
Company size
10,001+ employees
Industry
Healthcare
Org type
Public Company
Headquarters
Bloomfield, Connecticut