Principal Data Architect (Hands-On)

 
#LI-Onsite 

2K is headquartered in Novato, California and is a wholly owned label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO). Founded in 2005, 2K Games is a global video game company, publishing titles developed by some of the most influential game development studios in the world. Our studios responsible for developing 2K’s portfolio of world-class games across multiple platforms, include Visual Concepts, Firaxis, Hangar 13, CatDaddy, Cloud Chamber, 31st Union, HB Studios, and 2K SportsLab. Our portfolio of titles is expanding due to our global strategic plan, building and acquiring exciting studios whose content continues to inspire all of us! 2K publishes titles in today’s most popular gaming genres, including sports, shooters, action, role-playing, strategy, casual, and family entertainment.

Our team of engineers, marketers, artists, writers, data scientists, producers, thinkers and doers, are the professional publishing stewards of 2K’s portfolio currently includes several AAA, sports and entertainment brands, including global powerhouse NBA®️ 2K,  renowned BioShock®️, Borderlands®️, Mafia, Sid Meier’s Civilization®️ and XCOM®️ brands; popular WWE®️ 2K and WWE®️ SuperCard franchises, TopSpin 2K25, as well as the critically and commercially acclaimed PGA TOUR®️ 2K

At 2K, we pride ourselves on creating an inclusive work environment, which means encouraging our teams to Come as You Are and do your best work! We encourage ALL applicants to explore our global positions, even if they don’t meet every requirement for the role.  If you're interested in the job and think you have what it takes to work at 2K, we encourage you to apply!

We are looking for a Principal Data Architect to design, implement, and oversee enterprise-wide data governance frameworks, policies, and technology solutions. This role ensures data integrity, security, compliance, and accessibility across all data platforms. The ideal candidate will collaborate with Take-Two Interactive (Governance), 2K Data, Compliance, and Business teams to drive a strong data governance strategy aligned with business objectives.

• Data Governance Framework Development

  • Design and implement data governance policies, processes, and standards, at scale across business units.

  • Establish data ownership, stewardship models, and accountability frameworks.

  • Develop guidelines for data classification, retention, and lifecycle management.

  • Implement a Role-based access control (RBAC) and encryption standards for sensitive player data

• Metadata Management & Data Cataloging

  • Implement and maintain metadata management solutions (DataHub, Alation, Informatica).

  • Ensure data lineage tracking and impact analysis across all platforms.

  • Drive data discoverability through a centralized data catalog.

  • Drive data alignment of key terminology and definitions for metrics that impact the business.

• Data Quality & Compliance

  • Define and enforce data quality rules, validations, and monitoring mechanisms.

  • Ensure compliance with GDPR, CCPA, COPPA, SOX, and industry regulations on DSAR & “Right to be forgotten” (data obfuscation/redaction)

  • Collaborate with Legal, Compliance, and Security teams to manage data privacy risks. 

  • Drive internal audits and participate in parent company-level and external audits

• Technology & Architecture

  • Work with Data Engineering to implement data governance tools.

  • Optimize cloud-based governance models (AWS, Snowflake, Databricks).

  • Define best practices for data access control, encryption, and PII protection across platforms

  • Integrate governance tools with game analytics platforms, CDP, and AI-driven personalization engines.

• Collaboration & Training

  • Educate business & technology teams on data governance best practices.

  • Lead data governance councils and working groups.

  • Advocate for a data-driven culture across the organization.

• 10+ years of hands-on experience with ETL Design and Development

• Working experience with data governance platforms (Collibra, Informatica Axon, Open Source DataHub).

• 7+ years pf experience with Data Architecture and Modeling

• Strong understanding of data quality, lineage, and metadata management.

• Familiarity with data lakes, warehouses, and cloud platforms (Snowflake, Databricks, AWS, GCP).

• Proficiency in SQL, Python, and data modeling tools administration.

• Expertise in data privacy laws & regulatory requirements (GDPR, CCPA, COPPA, SOX, etc.).

• Experience working in regulated industries (Gaming, Finance, Healthcare, etc.).

• Strong knowledge of data governance operating models & stewardship frameworks.

• Strategic thinker with strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

• Excellent communication skills to collaborate with technical and non-technical teams.

• Ability to influence stakeholders and drive governance initiatives.

As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to ensuring that qualified individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform their essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us if you need reasonable accommodation.

Please note that 2K Games and its studios never uses instant messaging apps or personal email accounts to contact prospective employees or conduct interviews and when emailing, only use 2K.com accounts.