Data Architect Specialist

Our Flavor — Why Whataburger

Whataburger isn’t just a fast-food burger chain it is where bold leadership starts — and where potential doesn’t just grow, it heats up. Whether you're leading the line or working behind the scenes, this is the place where opportunities stack up, and every day gives you a chance to Make a Difference.

Since 1950, we’ve invested in people who lead with integrity, Serve with Heart, and bring their best flavor to the team. We believe in working together, speaking up, having a little fun, and Winning as One — because great burgers (and great teams) start with the right ingredients. If you're ready — to learn, grow, impact, and Move Forward Boldly — we’ve got your back and your path cooked to perfection.

Your Recipe for Impact — What You’ll Do

As a Data Architect Specialist, you will shape the future of Whataburger’s enterprise data ecosystem by designing, governing, and evolving the data foundations that power analytics, operational insights, and emerging AI capabilities. Your work enables teams across the business to Make a Difference through trusted, high‑quality data; Serve with Heart by building solutions that support our Operators and Guests; Win as One by partnering across engineering, analytics, cybersecurity, and business functions; and Move Forward Boldly by architecting modern, cloud‑scale platforms that fuel innovation and data‑driven decision‑making.

Day-to-Day Ingredients — Responsibilities

As a Data Architect Specialist, you will:

• Define and maintain enterprise data architecture, modeling standards, and semantic layer design.
• Architect scalable data integration patterns, including ETL/ELT, APIs, events, and streaming pipelines.
• Establish and support data governance: lineage, cataloging, data quality, and stewardship frameworks.
• Build AI‑ready data foundations supporting Gen‑AI, vector databases, embeddings, and governed LLM workflows.
• Design and mature Master Data Management (MDM) architecture, including domains and golden‑record governance.
• Partner with engineering, analytics, applications, and cybersecurity teams to align solutions to enterprise strategy.
• Provide architectural guidance to technical teams to ensure secure, performant, and scalable data solutions.
• Evaluate and modernize enterprise data platforms, tools, and integration technologies.

The Sauce — Pay & Perks

As a Data Architect Specialist, you will receive:

• Competitive Weekly Pay
• Bonus Program that scales up to 2.5X payout potential based on company results
• 5 weeks PTO
• Flex Weeks
• Paid Corporate Holidays
• Paid Parental Leave*
• 401(k) match $1/$1 up to 4%
• Competitive Medical, Dental and Vision Benefits*
• Short-term and Long-term Disability Benefits*
• Opportunities for Career Development and Growth
• Whataburger Family Foundation - Scholarship Program (dependents eligible) and Hardship Grant Assistance
• Discounted Meals for You and a Guest
• Wireless Service Discounts
• Computer & Software Discounts
• Fitness / Gym Discounts
• Awards and recognition for all you do
• Retirement Celebration Program

What You Bring to the Table — Required Experience

As a Data Architect Specialist, you must have: 

• 5+ years as a Data Architect, Senior Data Engineer, or similar technical role.
• Expertise in data modeling.
• Strong knowledge of data warehousing and modern cloud platforms.
• Proficiency in ETL/ELT, APIs, microservices, messaging, and streaming technologies.
• Hands‑on experience with Informatica IDMC and MDM for 3+ years.
• Practical experience with Gen‑AI, AI engineering frameworks, or AI coding assistants.
• Knowledge of BI/analytics tools and semantic modeling practices.
• Experience with DevOps practices such as CI/CD for data pipelines and infrastructure‑as‑code.
• Proven history of implementing and governing enterprise‑scale data solutions.

Extra Toppings — Desired Experience

As a Data Architect Specialist, we prefer you to have: 

• Snowflake SnowPro Core or Advanced Architect certification.
• Star, Snowflake, 3NF; Data Vault
• Microsoft Azure Data Engineer Associate certification.
• Informatica ETL or MDM certification.
• CDMP or other data governance certifications.
• Experience designing a Universal Semantic Layer or similar analytics abstraction layer.
• Familiarity with BI platforms (MicroStrategy, Power BI, Tableau).

Where & How You’ll Work

This role is based at the San Antonio Home Office, working on‑site Monday through Thursday with remote flexibility on Fridays. In this role, you’ll have strong collaboration with leadership, across cross-functional teams, and with external partners to align capabilities with restaurant realities. The work environment is fast‑paced and requires sound judgment, strategic thinking, and strong collaboration skills. Full‑time availability is required, with occasional extended hours based on business needs, along with occasional travel to properties, project sites, and external meetings. Candidates must reside within commuting distance of the San Antonio Home Office.

Whataburger is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, genetic information, disability, veteran status, age, or other condition or status protected by law. Whataburger participates in the federal E-Verify Program. For more information go to www.dhs.gov/E-Verify. E-Verify is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

*Eligibility rules may apply

300 Concord Plaza Dr San Antonio TX 78216-6903