Caylent is a cloud native services company that helps organizations bring the best out of their people and technology using Amazon Web Services (AWS). We provide a full-range of AWS services including workload migrations and modernization, cloud native application development, DevOps, data engineering, security and compliance, and everything in between.

At Caylent, our people always come first. We are a global company and operate fully remote with employees in Canada, the United States, and Latin America. We celebrate the culture of each of our team members and foster a community of technological curiosity. Come talk to us to learn more about what it means to be a Caylien!

About the Job

We are seeking a highly experienced and skilled Senior Principal Data Architect to join our Cloud Data Engineering Practice. A specialized Subject Matter Expert role focused on providing advanced technical guidance and creative problem-solving across multiple Caylent Accelerate™ for Database Modernization projects, rather than being dedicated to single projects at 100% utilization.

Responsibilities

Technical Leadership & Escalation Support
- Serve as "Level 3 design & issue resolution support" for complex technical challenges across project teams
- Provide SME bucket hours across multiple concurrent projects
- Provide creative solutions and alternative approaches that teams may not have considered
- Offer initial consultation and guidance on project design with a "take it or leave it" support model
- Handle escalations when standard approaches aren't sufficient or when teams encounter unique technical scenarios
Assessment & Project Evaluation
- Participate in assessment consult activities to evaluate incoming projects and proposals
- Identify projects requiring serious research versus straightforward implementations
- Help establish gates and checkpoints to prevent project surprises at delivery time
- Contribute to pre-sales technical evaluations and architecture reviews
Knowledge Transfer & Capability Building
- Help develop and refine SQL Polyglot assessment methodologies based on findings
- Contribute knowledge to prompt building and agentic approaches for database modernization
- Support the core team by identifying new patterns and solutions for harvesting
Cross-Project SME Support
- Collaborate with Tier 2 (project-level) SMEs and solution architects
- Support teams working on Babelfish migrations, PostgreSQL conversions, and assessments across both database and app code
- Help identify and solve complex SQL optimization and migration challenges

Thought Leadership: Represent Caylent via technical publications and presentations

Requirements

At least 10 years of experience designing and modernizing complex database systems
Deep expertise in Microsoft SQL Server, including legacy systems, stored procedures, and performance tuning
Proven experience in at least 2 of the following migration paths:
- SQL Server → PostgreSQL or Babelfish
- Oracle → Aurora
- Other legacy-to-cloud-native database transformations
Strong knowledge of AWS database services, including Aurora, RDS, DynamoDB, and Redshift
Experience leading enterprise-level modernization initiatives, including presenting to and influencing C-level stakeholders
Strong understanding of GenAI/ML use cases in database modernization, including automation tooling and optimization strategies
Proven ability to mentor technical teams and contribute to internal knowledge sharing and methodology development
Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Nice to have

Experience with Oracle-to-cloud migrations
Background in performance benchmarking and cost optimization for cloud databases
Prior contributions to proprietary tool development or migration frameworks
Conference speaking or published thought leadership
Familiarity with compliance and security considerations in modernization projects

Benefits

Medical Insurance for you and eligible dependents
100% remote work
401k plan with company match up to 4% and immediate vesting
Competitive phantom equity
Company issued laptop
Dental and Vision insurance
Term Disability Insurance
Term Life Insurance
Flexible Spending Account
Equipment & Office Stipend
Annual stipend for Learning and Development
Unlimited Paid Time Off, following a 90-day probationary period
10 Paid Holidays

Base Salary Range: The expected base salary range for this position is $175,000 - $195,000 per year, commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Additional Compensation Components: In addition to the base salary, the compensation package may include bonuses, commissions, equity, and other incentives. The specific components will vary depending on the role and individual and/or company performance.

NOTE: We’re unable to provide visa sponsorship now or at any time in the future.

This role may require up to 25% travel, depending on business needs.

At Caylent, we are committed to fair, transparent, and inclusive hiring practices. As part of our recruitment process, we may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools or automated systems to assist with the screening and evaluation of applications to help match candidate qualifications with job requirements.
These tools are designed to support — not replace — human decision-making. Final hiring decisions are always made by our trained recruitment professionals.
If an AI or automated tool is used during your application process, it will only be in accordance with applicable laws and regulations, and your information will be handled in a secure and confidential manner.
If you have any questions, please contact talent@caylet.com

Caylent is a place where everyone belongs. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Our approach helps us to build a winning team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and abilities. So, regardless of how your diversity expresses itself, you can find a home here at Caylent.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, veteran status, genetic information, disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. If you would like to request an accommodation due to a disability, please contact us at hr@caylent.com.