Occupation · SOC 15-1243
Database Architects
Design strategies for enterprise databases, data warehouse systems, and multidimensional networks. Set standards for database operations, programming, query processes, and security. Model, design, and construct large relational databases or data warehouses. Create and optimize data models for warehouse infrastructure and workflow. Integrate new systems with existing warehouse structure and refine system performance and functionality.
Median wage
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Projected growth
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Annual openings
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per year
Employed (US)
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Job Zone 4
Typical preparation
Considerable preparation
Stackable credential programs
3,951 mapped
Core skills
Reading ComprehensionJudgment and Decision MakingCritical ThinkingComplex Problem SolvingSystems AnalysisSpeakingActive ListeningProgrammingSystems EvaluationActive LearningWritingOperations AnalysisMonitoringTime ManagementTechnology DesignSocial PerceptivenessService OrientationMathematicsCoordinationPersuasionLearning StrategiesInstructingNegotiationManagement of Personnel ResourcesOperations MonitoringQuality Control AnalysisManagement of Material ResourcesManagement of Financial ResourcesTroubleshootingScienceOperation and ControlInstallationEquipment SelectionRepairingEquipment Maintenance
Knowledge areas
Computers and ElectronicsEngineering and TechnologyDesignMathematicsEnglish LanguageAdministration and ManagementEducation and TrainingCustomer and Personal ServiceLaw and GovernmentTelecommunicationsProduction and ProcessingCommunications and MediaPublic Safety and SecurityEconomics and AccountingAdministrativePersonnel and Human ResourcesPsychologyGeographySales and MarketingForeign LanguageSociology and AnthropologyPhysicsTransportationMechanicalChemistryTherapy and CounselingMedicine and DentistryHistory and ArcheologyFine ArtsPhilosophy and TheologyBuilding and ConstructionBiologyFood Production
Technology & tools
3M Post-it AppADO.NETAJAXASG Technologies ASG-ZekeAb InitioAccess management softwareAcronis Recovery ExpertAdeptia ETL SuiteAdobe AcrobatAdobe DreamweaverAdvanced business application programming ABAPAltova MapForceAmazon DynamoDBAmazon Elastic Compute Cloud EC2Amazon KinesisAmazon RedshiftAmazon Simple Storage Service S3Amazon Web Services AWS CloudFormationAmazon Web Services AWS softwareAnsible softwareApache AntApache AvroApache CassandraApache FlumeApache GroovyApache HBaseApache HTTP ServerApache HadoopApache HiveApache KafkaApache MahoutApache MavenApache OozieApache PigApache SolrApache SparkApache SqoopApache StrutsApache Subversion SVNApache Tomcat
Representative tasks
Working with ComputersAnalyzing Data or InformationProcessing InformationGetting InformationMaking Decisions and Solving ProblemsUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeCommunicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesIdentifying Objects, Actions, and EventsThinking CreativelyEvaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsEstimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationDocumenting/Recording InformationDeveloping Objectives and StrategiesOrganizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkProviding Consultation and Advice to OthersMonitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsInterpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersEstablishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsJudging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeopleTraining and Teaching OthersDeveloping and Building TeamsCoaching and Developing OthersCoordinating the Work and Activities of OthersScheduling Work and ActivitiesGuiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationResolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersPerforming Administrative ActivitiesInspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialsDrafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and EquipmentSelling or Influencing OthersStaffing Organizational UnitsMonitoring and Controlling ResourcesAssisting and Caring for OthersPerforming for or Working Directly with the PublicControlling Machines and ProcessesRepairing and Maintaining Electronic EquipmentPerforming General Physical ActivitiesHandling and Moving ObjectsRepairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Database architecture documentation — draft and organize under direct supervision using established templates in a structured enterprise environment.Business requirements — gather and record by attending stakeholder meetings alongside senior architects on assigned projects.Data models — construct basic entity-relationship diagrams for simple applications following mentor-provided guidelines.Database management system software — install, configure, and perform routine maintenance tasks under close technical oversight.Database development standards — apply pre-established coding and naming conventions when writing SQL scripts in a supervised development environment.System scalability concepts — identify and flag potential bottlenecks in proposed database designs during peer-review sessions.Backup and archival software — execute scheduled backup procedures and verify completion logs according to documented runbooks.Technical specifications — read and interpret requirements documents to extract relevant data structure needs for assigned schema components.Commercial database products — assist senior architects in customizing configuration settings to meet project-specific requirements.Database interfaces — support development of basic data transfer mechanisms by following approved design patterns under team guidance.
developing
Database architectures — develop and document end-to-end designs for moderately complex systems with limited oversight in an enterprise setting.Stakeholder collaboration — participate actively in cross-functional sessions with system architects and design analysts to translate business needs into data requirements.Data models — design normalized relational and dimensional models including metadata tables and views for business application support.Database security — implement role-based access controls, encryption policies, and audit logging in accordance with organizational security standards.Performance tuning — analyze query execution plans and apply indexing strategies, including function-based indexes, to optimize database response times.Architectural strategies — apply layered modeling and design approaches across development lifecycle phases to satisfy documented business requirements.Database application components — build data partitions, global temporary tables, and stored procedures to enable efficient access to enterprise data structures.Product integration — develop and test methods for connecting disparate database products and middleware within a multi-system environment.Database development standards — enforce team-level coding and design conventions through code reviews and written guidelines.ERP and enterprise software — configure and extend commercial database schemas to align with organization-specific operational workflows.
proficient
Database architectural strategies — design and implement comprehensive strategies spanning modeling, physical design, and deployment for large-scale enterprise systems autonomously.Business and industry requirements — lead discovery sessions with diverse stakeholders including software architects and operations analysts to translate complex needs into actionable database designs.Scalable database systems — architect databases that address concurrent scalability, high availability, disaster recovery, and regulatory compliance across heterogeneous environments.Advanced data modeling — produce multi-tier data models encompassing OLTP, OLAP, and NoSQL structures aligned to varied application performance profiles.Database application design — engineer complex interfaces, partitioning schemes, and indexing frameworks that optimize throughput for mission-critical workloads.Integration architecture — design and validate end-to-end data integration pipelines connecting commercial, custom, and cloud-based database systems without introducing latency or data loss.Systems evaluation — assess existing database architectures against emerging business demands, producing gap analyses and remediation roadmaps.Development standards — author and maintain organization-wide database development standards, patterns, and best-practice libraries used across project teams.Security and reliability design — embed threat modeling, redundancy planning, and performance benchmarking into architectural decisions for sensitive data environments.Technology selection — evaluate and recommend database management platforms and tooling using structured criteria aligned to long-term organizational strategy.
advanced
Enterprise database strategy — define and own the multi-year data architecture roadmap, aligning database investments with organizational technology and business objectives.Organizational standards governance — establish, publish, and continuously evolve enterprise-wide database development standards and architectural governance frameworks.Cross-functional leadership — direct collaboration among software architects, data engineers, security officers, and business executives to ensure cohesive data architecture decisions.Architectural innovation — pioneer adoption of emerging database paradigms such as distributed ledger, graph, or cloud-native architectures to address evolving industry requirements.Risk and compliance oversight — lead enterprise-level database risk assessments, ensuring architectures meet regulatory, audit, and data sovereignty obligations across all systems.Mentorship and capability building — coach and evaluate architects at all experience levels, establishing structured learning pathways and technical review processes.Enterprise integration design — approve and oversee complex multi-product integration strategies that unify heterogeneous data ecosystems at organizational scale.Technology portfolio management — guide procurement, licensing, and retirement decisions for enterprise database management systems and supporting tooling.Performance and scalability standards — set organizational benchmarks for database reliability, response time, and fault tolerance, holding teams accountable through architecture review boards.Thought leadership — represent the organization's database architecture practice through published standards, industry engagement, and executive-level reporting on data infrastructure strategy.
Also known as
49 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
ADP Planner (Automatic Data Processing Planner)Big Data ArchitectBig Data EngineerCloud ArchitectCloud Infrastructure ArchitectComputer ArchitectData AnalystData ArchitectData EngineerData Governance AnalystData Integration SpecialistData Management IT Specialist (Data Management Information Technology Specialist)Data ManagerData MinerData ModelerData Modeling SpecialistData OfficerData Privacy OfficerData Recovery PlannerData Storage SpecialistData Warehouse ArchitectData Warehouse ProgrammerData Warehousing EngineerDatabase AnalystDatabase ArchitectDatabase Computer ConsultantDatabase ConsultantDatabase Design AnalystDatabase DesignerDatabase DeveloperDatabase EngineerDatabase ManagerDatabase ModelerDatabase ProgrammerDatabase Software ConsultantDatabase Software Tech (Database Software Technician)Database SpecialistDBMS Specialist (Database Management System Specialist)DeveloperEnterprise Architect