Director Metadata Engineering

Position Overview: The Metadata Engineering Leader is responsible for establishing and leading the strategic direction, implementation, and evolution of the metadata management framework within the Applied's big data and cloud environments. This role is critical for advancing the maturity of data products, enhancing data discoverability, quality, governance, and enabling robust AI-driven initiatives. Collaborating closely with data product teams, AI leaders, data governance, and engineering units, the Metadata Engineering Leader ensures seamless integration, scalability, and optimization of metadata practices to accelerate the Applied's data-driven transformation and AI objectives.

Key Responsibilities:

Metadata Strategy and Leadership:

• Define, implement, and continuously enhance the metadata management strategy aligned with data product maturity, AI enablement, and overall enterprise objectives.
• Lead the adoption of metadata standards, best practices, and advanced metadata engineering techniques within big data/cloud ecosystems.

• Oversee the development and management of metadata platforms and tools, ensuring robust functionality, scalability, and interoperability in cloud-based environments.
• Establish frameworks for metadata capture, lineage, cataloging, and governance to facilitate data discovery, quality, and AI readiness.

• Partner closely with data product management, AI teams, data governance, IT, and analytics units to ensure cohesive metadata strategies that enhance data usage, reliability, and value.
• Drive alignment and consistency in metadata practices across enterprise-wide data products and AI initiatives.

• Evaluate and adopt innovative technologies, methodologies, and industry best practices in metadata engineering, data governance, and AI-driven data management.
• Establish continuous improvement loops, incorporating stakeholder feedback and evolving AI and analytics requirements.

• Build, mentor, and lead a high-performing team of metadata engineers and specialists, fostering a culture of innovation, technical excellence, and AI-driven mindset.
• Provide ongoing training and professional development to maintain expertise in advanced metadata management techniques and emerging data and AI technologies.

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Data Science, or related technical fields; advanced degree preferred.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in metadata engineering, data governance, data architecture, and big data/cloud platforms.
• Proven experience leading metadata management initiatives in cloud environments (e.g., AWS, Azure, GCP), big data frameworks, and supporting AI-driven projects.
• Strong knowledge of metadata management tools, data governance practices, and modern data architectures.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to effectively present to executive stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and develop technical teams in a global, cross-functional setting.

• Technical and Strategic Leadership
• Metadata Management Expertise
• Collaboration and Influencing Skills
• Results-Driven
• Effective Communication
• Innovation and Agility
• Cloud and AI Literacy